Dr. Shawn Krosnick

Educational Background

• Ph.D. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, June 2006. Major Field: Plant Systematics.
• B.S. with Honors in Research. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, May 2000. Major: General Plant Science.

 Selected Publications

Krosnick, S. E., K. E. Porter-Utley, J. M. MacDougal, P. M. Jorgensen, and L. A. McDade. New insights into the evolution of Passiflora subgenus Decaloba (Passifloraceae): phylogenetic relationships and morphological synapomorphies. Systematic Botany [In Press].

Krosnick, S. E. and K. A. Dockter. 2012. The Southern Arkansas University Biodiversity Collections.  Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science. 66: [In Press].

Krosnick, S. E. 2009. Notes on the typification of Passiflora xishuangbannaensis Krosnick. Passiflora 19: 6-7, 13.

Krosnick, S. E., A. J. Ford, and J. V. Freudenstein. 2009. Taxonomic revision of Hollrungia and Tetrapathea (Passifloraceae), resulting in an additional subgenus and a new species of Passiflora. Systematic Botany 34: 110-125.

Wang, Y. Z., S. E. Krosnick, P. M. Jørgensen, and D. Hearn. 2007. Passifloraceae. In: Wu, Z. Y., Raven, P. H. & Hong, D. Y. (eds.), Flora of China, Vol. 13. Science Press, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Krosnick, S. E., E. M. Harris, and J. V. Freudenstein. 2006. Patterns of anomalous floral development in the Asian Passiflora (subgenus Decaloba: supersection Disemma). American Journal of Botany 93: 620-636.

Krosnick, S. E.  2005. Passiflora xishuangbannaensis: a new Chinese endemic. Novon 15: 160-163.

Krosnick, S. E. and J. V. Freudenstein. 2005. Monophyly and floral character homology of Old World Passiflora (subgenus Decaloba: supersection Disemma). Systematic Botany 30: 139-152.

Hughes, C. E., C. D. Bailey, S. Krosnick, and M. A. Luckow. 2003. Relationships among genera of the informal Dichrostachys and Lucaena groups (Mimosoideae) inferred from nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences. In: Klitgaard, B., and Bruneau, A. (eds.), Advances in Legume Systematics, vol. 10. The Royal Botanic Gardens Press, Kew.

Courses Taught

• Botany 2083/2081 lecture and laboratory
• Genetics 3033/3031 lecture and laboratory
• Molecular Biology 4501/4512 lecture and laboratory
• Introduction to Evolution (Honors) 4692
• Undergraduate Independent Research 4891/4991

Research Interests:

 My research focuses on using morphological and molecular data to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the genus Passiflora. This genus, commonly known as passionflowers or passion fruit, are a lineage (ca. 600 species) of tropical vines and small trees primarily found in Mexico and Central and South America. My work centers on subgenus Decaloba, a group of ca. 260 species of “tiny-flowered” passionflowers. Subgenus Decaloba is especially interesting because it has the broadest geographical distribution of any lineage in the genus (species reach the southern US as well as Southeast Asia and the Austral Pacific). Many of these species are endangered or on the verge of extinction, and most have never been studied before with regard to their natural history. Using DNA sequence data in combination with anatomical and morphological data, we are able to better understand the historical patterns of diversification in this unique group of plants. We can also examine larger evolutionary questions such as convergence, parallel evolution, and the development of “key innovations” that may have resulted in rapid species radiations. I am also very interested in using developmental data to elucidate homology (evolutionary “sameness”) among the diverse types of extrafloral nectaries found in the genus. My research is performed in collaboration with colleagues at UC Davis, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, Keene State College and Harris Stowe State University.