Wurdack, Kenneth

Research Botanist and Associate Curator of Botany (Euphorbiaceae, Malpighiales)

Systematic biology: Systematics, phylogenetics, and biogeography of Euphorbiaceae s.l. and other Malpighiales; also Thymelaeaceae.

Evolutionary biology: plant-insect interactions, especially pertaining to ants and myrmecophytic associations.

Floristic work: neotropics, southeastern USA, Molecular biology: genome evolution especially in plant mitochondria; processes of molecular evolution.

History of science: botanical exploration and natural history, especially pertaining to 19th century southeastern USA.

education and training

B.S., University of Maryland, College Park
B.S., University of Maryland, College Park
M.S., University of North Carolina
M.S., University of North Carolina
Ph.D., University of North Carolina
Ph.D., University of North Carolina

selected publications

article
- Hamersma, Ashley, Herrera, Fabiany, Wurdack, Kenneth, and Manchester, Steven R. 2022. "Belenocarpa tertiara (Berry) gen. et comb. nov. (Euphorbiaceae): Fossil Fruits with Carunculate Seeds from the Oligocene of Peru." International journal of plant sciences, Chicago; Illinois: University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1086/718830. 2022
- Reback, Rachel G., Kapgate, Dashrath K., Wurdack, Kenneth, and Manchester, Steven R. 2021. "Fruits of Euphorbiaceae from the Late Cretaceous Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India." International journal of plant sciences https://doi.org/10.1086/717691 2021
- Mauricio Bonifacino, Jose, Baldwin, Bruce G., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2021. "Harold Robinson (1932-2020): the Bryologist Who Revamped Compositae Taxonomy." Taxon 70 (3):692-696. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12524 2021
- Laraba, Imane, Kim, Hye-Seon, Proctor, Robert H., Busman, Mark, O'Donnell, Kerry, Felker, Frederick C., Aime, M. C., Koch, Rachel A., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2020. "Fusarium xyrophilum, sp. nov., a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex recovered from pseudoflowers on yellow-eyed grass (Xyris spp.) from Guyana." Mycologia 112 (1):39-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2019.1668991 2020
- van Welzen, Peter C., Guerrero, Susana Arias, Arifiani, Deby, Bangun, Tjut J. F., Bouman, Roderick W., Eurlings, Marcel C. M., Gushilman, Iska, Phillipson, Peter B., Tabak, Iris, Winkel, Esmée, and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2020. "Weda, a new genus with two new species of Euphorbiaceae-Crotonoideae from Halmahera (North Maluku, Indonesia) and phylogenetic relationships of the Australasian tribe Ricinocarpeae." Journal of Systematics and Evolution https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12581 2020
- Dorr, Laurence J. and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2020. "Indo-Asian Eriolaena expanded to include two Malagasy genera, and other generic realignments based on molecular phylogenetics of Dombeyoideae (Malvaceae)." Taxon https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12370 2020
- Gillespie, Lynn J., Cardinal-McTeague, Warren M., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2020. "Monadelpha (Euphorbiaceae, Plukenetieae), a new genus of Tragiinae from the Amazon rainforest of Venezuela and Brazil." Phytokeys (169): 119-135. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.169.59244 2020
- Laraba, Imane, McCormick, Susan P., Vaughan, Martha M., Proctor, Robert H., Busman, Mark, Appell, Michael, O'Donnell, Kerry, Felker, Frederick C., Catherine Aime, M., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2020. "Pseudoflowers produced by Fusarium xyrophilum on yellow-eyed grass (Xyris spp.) in Guyana: a novel floral mimicry system?." Fungal Genetics and Biology 144:Article 103466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103466 2020
- Skaltsas, Demetra N., Badotti, Fernanda, Martins Vaz, Aline Bruna, da Silva, Felipe Ferreira, Gazis, Romina, Wurdack, Kenneth, Castlebury, Lisa, Goes-Neto, Aristoteles, and Chaverri, Priscila. 2019. "Exploration of stem endophytic communities revealed developmental stage as one of the drivers of fungal endophytic community assemblages in two Amazonian hardwood genera." Scientific Reports 9:Article 12685. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48943-2 2019
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. and Zartman, Charles E. 2019. "Insights on the systematics and morphology of Humiriaceae (Malpighiales): androecial and extrafloral nectary variation, two new combinations, and a new Sacoglottis from Guyana." PhytoKeys 124:87-121. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.124.34679 2019
- Cardinal-McTeague, Warren M., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Sigel, Erin M., and Gillespie, Lynn J. 2019. "Seed size evolution and biogeography of Plukenetia (Euphorbiaceae), a pantropical genus with traditionally cultivated oilseed species." Bmc Evolutionary Biology 19:29-29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-018-1308-9 2019
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. and Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2019. "Systematics and relationships of Tryssophyton (Melastomataceae), with a second species from the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana." PhytoKeys 136:1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.136.38558 2019
- Dorr, Laurence J. and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2018. "A new disjunct species of Eriolaena (Malvaceae, Dombeyoideae) from Continental Africa." PhytoKeys 111:11-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.111.29303 2018
- Dorr, Laurence J., Romero-Hernández, Carolina, and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2018. "A new large-flowered species of Andeimalva (Malvaceae, Malvoideae) from Peru." PhytoKeys (110): 91-99. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.110.29376 2018
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2017. "A new disjunct Dendrothrix (Euphorbiaceae, tribe Hippomaneae): a Guiana Shield element in sub-Andean cordilleras of Ecuador and Peru." PhytoKeys (86): 117-130. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.86.14761 2017
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2017. "A new tiny-leaved species of Raveniopsis (Rutaceae) from the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana." Phytokeys (91): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.91.14763 2017
- Wen, Jun, Harris, Aj, Ickert-Bond, Stefanie, Dikow, Rebecca B., Wurdack, Kenneth J., and Zimmer, Elizabeth Anne. 2017. "Developing integrative systematics in the informatics and genomic era, and calling for a global Biodiversity Cyberbank." Journal of Systematics and Evolution 55 (4):308-321. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12270 2017
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro, Wurdack, Kenneth J., Ferrucci, M. S., Johnson, Gabriel, Dias, Pedro, Coelho, Rubens G., Somner, Genise V., Steinmann, Victor W., Zimmer, Elizabeth Anne, and Strong, Mark T. 2017. "Generic Relationships and Classification of Tribe Paullinieae (Sapindaceae) with a New Concept of Supertribe Paulliniodae." Systematic Botany 42 (1):96-114. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364417X694926 2017
- Funk, Vicki A., Gostel, Morgan, Devine, Amanda, Kelloff, Carol L., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Tuccinardi, Chris, Radosavljevic, Aleks, Peters, Melinda, and Coddington, Jonathan. 2017. "Guidelines for collecting vouchers and tissues intended for genomic work (Smithsonian Institution): Botany Best Practices." Biodiversity Data Journal (5): e11625. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.5.e11625 2017
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. and Farfan-Rios, William. 2017. "Incadendron: a new genus of Euphorbiaceae tribe Hippomaneae from the sub-Andean cordilleras of Ecuador and Peru." Phytokeys (85): 69-86. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.85.14757 2017
- Commock, Tracy, Rose, Philip E., Gandhi, Kanchi N., Campbell, Keron C. St E., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Francisco-Ortega, Javier, and Jestrow, Brett. 2017. "Typification and Nomenclature of Five Taxa Endemic to Jamaica." Harvard Papers in Botany 22 (2):137-140. https://doi.org/10.3100/hpib.v22iss2.2017.n8 2017
- Horn, James W., Xi, Zhenxiang, Riina, Ricarda, Peirson, Jess A., Yang, Ya, Dorsey, Brian L., Berry, Paul E., Davis, Charles C., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2014. "Evolutionary bursts in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) are linked with photosynthetic pathway." Evolution 68 (12):3485-3504. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.12534 2014
- Matamoro-Vidal, A., Furness, C. A., Gouyon, P. H., Wurdack, Kenneth J., and Albert, B. 2012. "Evolutionary stasis in Euphorbiaceae pollen: selection and constraints." Journal of Evolutionary Biology 25 (6):1077-1096. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02494.x 2012
- Xi, Zhenxiang, Bradley, Robert K., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Wong, K. M., Sugumaran, M., Bomblies, Kirsten, Rest, Joshua S., and Davis, Charles C. 2012. "Horizontal transfer of expressed genes in a parasitic flowering plant." BMC Genomics 13 (3):S25-S30. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-227 2012
- Horn, James W., van Ee, Benjamin W., Morawetz, Jeffery J., Riina, Ricarda, Steinmann, Victor W., Berry, Paul E., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2012. "Phylogenetics and the evolution of major structural characters in the giant genus Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae)." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 63 (2):305-326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.12.022 2012
- Xi, Zhenxiang, Ruhfel, Brad R., Schaefer, Hanno, Amorim, André M., Sugumaran, M., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Endress, Peter K., Matthews, Merran L., Stevens, Peter F., Mathews, Sarah, and Davis, Charles C. 2012. "Phylogenomics and a posteriori data partitioning resolve the Cretaceous angiosperm radiation Malpighiales." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109 (43):17519-17524. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1205818109 2012
- Soltis, Douglas E., Smith, Stephen A., Cellinese, Nico, Wurdack, Kenneth J., Tank, David C., Brockington, Samuel F., Refulio-Rodriguez, Nancy F., Walker, Jay B., Moore, Michael J., Carlsward, Barbara S., Bell, Charles D., Latvis, Maribeth, Crawley, Sunny, Black, Chelsea, Diouf, Diaga, Xi, Zhenxiang, Rushworth, Catherine A., Gitzendanner, Matthew A., Sytsma, Kenneth J., Qiu, Yin-Long, Hilu, Khidir W., Davis, Charles C., Sanderson, Michael J., Beaman, Reed S., Olmstead, Richard G. et al. 2011. "Angiosperm phylogeny: 17 genes, 640 taxa." American Journal of Botany 98 (4):704-730. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1000404 2011
- Redden, Karen M., Herendeen, Patrick S., Wurdack, Kenneth J., and Bruneau, Anne. 2010. "Phylogenetic Relationships of the Northeastern South American Brownea Clade of Tribe Detarieae (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) based on Morphology and Molecular Data." Systematic Botany 35 (3):524-533. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364410792495863 2010
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. and Davis, Charles C. 2009. "Malpighiales phylogenetics: Gaining ground on one of the most recalcitrant clades in the angiosperm tree of life." American Journal of Botany 96 (8):1551-1570. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.0800207 2009
- Wurdack, Kenneth J. and Dorr, Laurence J. 2009. "The South American genera of Hemerocallidaceae (Eccremis and Pasithea): two introductions to the New World." Taxon 58 (4):1122-1132. 2009
- Daniell, H., Wurdack, Kenneth J., Kanagaraj, A., Lee, S. B., Saski, C., and Jansen, R. K. 2008. "The complete nucleotide sequence of the cassava (Manihot esculenta) chloroplast genome and the evolution of atpF in Malpighiales: RNA editing and multiple losses of a group II intron." Theoretical and Applied Genetics 116 (5):723-737. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-007-0706-y 2008
- Davis, C. C., Latvis, M., Nickrent, D. L., Wurdack, Kenneth J., and Baum, D. A. 2007. "Floral gigantism in Rafflesiaceae." Science 315 (5820):1812. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1135260 2007
- Reveal, J. L., Hoffmann, P., Doweld, A., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2007. "Proposal to conserve the name Phyllanthaceae." Taxon 56 (1):266. 2007
dataset
- Dorr, Laurence J., Romero-Hernandez, C., and Wurdack, Kenneth J. 2018. [Dataset] "A new large-flowered species of Andeimalva (Malvaceae: Malvoideae) from Peru." Distributed by https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.44dm150 2018
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro, Wurdack, Kenneth J., Ferrucci, M. S., Johnson, Gabriel, Dias, Pedro, Coelho, Rubens G., Somner, Genise V., Steinmann, Victor W., Zimmer, Elizabeth Anne, and Strong, Mark T. 2017. [Dataset] "Generic Relationships and Classification of Tribe Paullinieae (Sapindaceae) with a New Concept of Supertribe Paulliniodae." Distributed by 2017

Wurdack, Kenneth

Background And Education

education and training

Research And Grants

co-principal investigator on

investigator on

Publications

selected publications

article

dataset

Affiliation

member of

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