Prof. Darren Crayn

Professor and Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium

BSc (Hons), University of New South Wales 1994

PhD, University of New South Wales 1998

Office:	E2.118J, Sir Robert Norman Building (E2), James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns QLD 4870
Phone:	+61 (0)7 4042 1859
Fax:	+61 (0)7 4042 1842
Email:	darren.crayn(at)jcu.edu.au

Research

Mine and my group’s research is in the field of plant systematics and evolution and deals broadly with the questions: how many plant species are there in tropical Australia and the region, how are they related and how have they evolved? We use a range of traditional and cutting edge techniques, ranging from field surveys and herbarium taxonomy to scanning electron microscopy, DNA-barcoding and genomics. Our studies are:

discovering, naming and classifying new plant species
determining the evolutionary relationships among them
mapping the distribution of ecosystems, species and genetic variation within species across the landscape
developing DNA-based tools for species identification and rapid biodiversity inventory
uncovering the deep-time origins and ancient migration pathways of plant groups that are found in tropical Australia today

Selected Publications

Givnish, TJ, Barfuss, MHJ, Van Ee, B, Riina, R, Schulte, K, Horres, R, Gonsiska, PA, Jabaily, RS, Crayn, DM, Smith, JAC, Winter, K, Brown, GK, Evans, TM, Holst, BK, Luther, H, Till, W, Zizka, G, Berry, PE, Sytsma, KJ (2011) Phylogeny, adaptive radiation, and historical biogeography in Bromeliaceae: insights from an eight-locus plastid phylogeny. American Journal of Botany 98(5): 872-895.

Henry RJ, Rice N, Waters DLE, Kasem S, Ishikawa R, Hao Y, Dillon S, Crayn DM, Wing R, Vaughan D (2010) Australian Oryza: utility and conservation. Rice 3: 235-241.

Wagstaff, S, Dawson, M, Venter, S, Munzinger, J., Crayn, DM, Steane, D, Lemson, K. (2010) Origin, diversification and classification of the Australasian genus Dracophyllum (Richeeae, Ericaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 97: 235-258.

Rossetto, M, Crayn, DM, Ford, A, Mellick, R, Sommerville, K (2009) The influence of environment and life-history traits on the distribution of genes and individuals: a comparative study on rainforest trees. Molecular Ecology 18(7): 1422-1438.

Maynard D, Crayn D, Rossetto M, Kooyman R and Coode M (2008) Elaeocarpus sedentarius sp. nov. (Elaeocarpaceae) – morphometric analysis of a new, rare species from eastern Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 21:192-200.

McPherson H, Porter C, Rymer PD, Crayn DM, Rossetto M (2008) Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from Tetratheca ericifolia (Elaeocarpaceae). Molecular Ecology Resources 8:867-869.

Rossetto M, Crayn DM, Jackes BR, Porter C (2007) An updated estimate of inter-generic phylogenetic relationships in the Australian Vitaceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 85(8): 722-730.

Jordan GJ, Bromfield KE, Sniderman JMK, and Crayn DM (2007) Diverse fossil epacrids (Styphelioideae; Ericaceae) from early Pleistocene sediments at Stony Creek Basin, Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Plant Sciences 168(9):1359-1376.

Rossetto M, Crayn DM, Ford A, Ridgeway P, Rymer P (2007) The comparative study of range-wide genetic structure across related, co-distributed rainforest trees reveals contrasting evolutionary histories. Australian Journal of Botany 55: 416-424.

Butcher R, Byrne M, and Crayn DM (2007) Evidence for convergent evolution among phylogenetically distant rare species of Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandraceae) from Western Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 20: 126-138.

Burns EL, Eldridge MDB, Crayn DM, Houlden BA (2007) Low phylogeographic structure in a wide spread endangered Australian frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae). Conservation Genetics 8(1) 17-32.

Crayn DM, Rossetto M, Maynard DJ (2006) Molecular phylogeny and dating reveals an Oligo-Miocene radiation of dry-adapted shrubs (Tremandraceae) from rainforest tree progenitors (Elaeocarpaceae) in Australia. American Journal of Botany 93: 1328-1342.

Rossetto M, Jackes B, Crayn DM (2006) Chapter 10: Vitaceae – molecular evolution with a focus on the Australian radiation. In A. K. Sharma and A. Sharma (eds), Plant genome: Biodiversity and evolution. Vol. 1C: Phanerogams (Angiosperm-Dicotyledons). (New Delhi: Oxford and IBH). pp. 269-292.

Burns EL, Crayn DM (2006) Phylogenetics and evolution of bell frogs (Litoria aurea species-group, Anura: Hylidae) based on mitochondrial ND4 sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39: 573-579.

Crayn DM, Hislop M, Heslewood MM (2005) Additions to Lissanthe (Styphelioideae: Ericaceae) in Western Australia: L. synandra sp. nov. and L. pleurandroides comb. nov. Australian Systematic Botany 18: 1-7.

Quinn CJ, Brown EA, Heslewood MM, Crayn DM (2005) Generic concepts in Styphelieae (Ericaceae): the Cyathodes group. Australian Systematic Botany 18: 439-454.

Horton BM, Crayn DM, Clarke S W, and Washington H (2004) Leionema scopulinum, a new species from Wollemi National Park. Telopea 10: 815-822.

Crayn DM, Winter K, Smith JAC (2004) Multiple origins of Crassulacean acid metabolism and the epiphytic habit in the Neotropical family Bromeliaceae. Proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences, USA 101: 3703-3708.

Crayn DM, Brown EA, Powell JM (2003) A revision of Lissanthe (Styphelioideae: Ericaceae). Australian Systematic Botany 16: 595-619.

Quinn CJ, Crayn DM, Heslewood MM, Brown EA, Gadek PA (2003) A molecular estimate of the phylogeny of Styphelieae (Ericaceae). Australian Systematic Botany 16: 581-594.

Crayn DM (2003) Vouchering: how and why. In C.L. Brown, F. Hall and J. Mill (eds), Plant conservation - approaches and techniques from an Australian perspective. (Canberra: Australian Network for Plant Conservation).

Crayn DM, Murray LJ (2003) The role of herbaria. In C. L. Brown, F. Hall and J. Mill (eds), Plant conservation - approaches and techniques from an Australian perspective. (Canberra: Australian Network for Plant Conservation).

Kron KA, Judd WS, Stevens PF, Crayn DM, Anderberg AA, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ, Luteyn JL (2002) A phylogenetic classification of Ericaceae: Molecular and morphological evidence. Botanical Review 68(3): 335-423.

Crayn DM, Winter K, Smith JAC (2001). Carbon-isotope ratios and photosynthetic pathways in the Neotropical family Rapateaceae. Plant Biology 3: 569-576.

Taaffe G, Brown EA, Crayn DM, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ (2001) Generic concepts in Styphelieae: resolving the limits of Leucopogon. Australian Journal of Botany 49: 107-120.

Crayn DM, Quinn CJ (2000). The evolution of the atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer in the epacrids (Ericales) and the systematic and evolutionary implications. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 16: 238�252.

Crayn DM, Terry RG, Smith JAC, Winter K (2000). Molecular systematic investigations in Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae) as a basis for understanding the evolution of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In K. Wilson and D. Morrison (eds), Monocots: systematics and evolution. (Melbourne: CSIRO). pp. 569�579.

Kron KA, Fuller R, Crayn DM, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ (1999). Phylogenetic relationships of epacrids and vaccinioids (Ericaceae s. l.) based on matK sequence data. Plant Systematics & Evolution 218(1-2): 55-65.

Kron KA, Judd WS, Crayn DM (1999). Phylogenetic analyses of Andromedeae (Ericaceae subfam. Vaccinioideae). American Journal of Botany 86: 1290�1300.

Crayn D M, Kron K A, Gadek P A, Quinn C J (1998). Phylogenetics and evolution of Epacridaceae: a molecular analysis using the chloroplast gene rbcL with a reappraisal of the position of Lebetanthus. Australian Journal of Botany 46: 187�200.

Crayn DM, Quinn CJ (1998). Archerieae: a new tribe in Epacridaceae. Australian Systematic Botany 11: 23�24.

Powell JM, Morrison DA, Gadek PA, Crayn DM, Quinn CJ (1997). Relationships and generic concepts within Styphelieae (Epacridaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 10: 15�29.

Crayn DM, Kron KA, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ (1996). Delimitation of Epacridaceae: preliminary molecular evidence. Annals of Botany 77: 317�321.

Powell JM, Crayn DM, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ, Morrison DA, Chapman AR (1996). A reassessment of relationships within Epacridaceae. Annals of Botany 77: 305�315.

Crayn DM, Fernando ES, Gadek PA, Quinn CJ (1995). A reassessment of the familial affinity of the Mexican genus Recchia Moçiño & Sessé ex DC. Brittonia 47: 397�402.

Fernando ES, Gadek PA, Crayn DM, Quinn CJ (1993). Rosid affinities of Surianaceae: molecular evidence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 2: 344�350.