Plant Phylogenyand Evolution Group

Research Activities

We work on the phylogeny, evolution, biogeography and taxonomy of Apiaceae, a family of flowering plants that includes many important crops (carrots, celery, parsley, fennel, etc.), spices (cumin, caraway, aniseed, coriander, etc.) and those used in traditional medicine (many species of Ferula, fennel, etc.). Essential oils and oleo-gum-resins of Apiaceae contain many biologically active compounds that are of potential medicinal use. The knowledge on the evolutionary relationships within the family is therefore of great practical importance for bioprospecting. We are currently conducting the following research projects:

1. phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Ferula, comprising species providing valuable oleo-gum-resins such as asafoetida, galbanum, ammoniacum, and sagapenum;
2. phylogeny and evolution of tribe Daucinae, including carrots (Daucus) and several genera of medicinal plants (Laserpitium, Laser, Thapsia and others);
3. evolution of Apiaceae pollen in the context of applying fossil palynomorphs for the calibration of the molecular tree of the family;
4. evolution of secondary woodiness in Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae;
5. evolution of pseudantial inflorescence in Apiace-ae subfamily Apioideae.

Team Leader

Author or co-author of nearly 40 scientific papers on ecology, evolution and plant taxonomy, andmore than 40 Polish-language publications on popular science, teaching (school textbooks), and educational research; Chairman of the Committee of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences; recipient of the Ministry of National Education Award for habilitation and the Polish Academy of Learning Award for the best school textbook; winner of the “Academic Teacher of the Year 2013” plebiscite in the category of science at the University of Warsaw.