The year 2020 started off for some lab members by attending the South African Association of Botanists annual conference; this one being held at the University of the Free State in QwaQwa and put together by a former lab member, Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen. This allowed not only lab members, but also visiting researchers such as Peter Linder, Felipe Amorim and Ana Moraes, to present their work to an international audience. This meant either recapping many years of research or showing off brand new work but, for some, it was a good first conference experience. Conferences are great for researchers as it allows us to publicize what we have been doing and receive feedback, as well as connect with old and potentially new colleagues and collaborators.
Lab members, affiliates and visiting researchers presenting their work. From top left to right, Jamie-Lee Anderson; Hannah Butler; Joao Cardosa; Miguel Castañeda Zárate; Ruth Cozien (oral presentation); Ethan Newman; Carolina Diller; Timo van der Niet; Steve Johnson; Felipe Amorim (plenary lecture); Peter Linder (plenary lecture); Ruth Cozien (poster presentation).
Carolina: “The SAAB conference in QwaQwa, Free State University, was placed among a stunning setting and flanked by both the Golden Gate Highland and the Royal Natal National Parks (both of which we got to experience during the conference). With inspiring plenary talks, like-minded people to meet and a striking view of a sandstone mountain to keep you inspired throughout the sessions. Great socializing/networking opportunities and ending with a hike towards the Sentinel peak that provided a prime example of one of the many South African floristic biodiversity hotspots. The hike was led by two of our lab members: Timo and Ruth who enthusiastically shared their knowledge and experience of the Drakensberg’s flora and pollination ecology. My personal highlight was stumbling upon an impressive population of blooming pineapple lilies (Eucomis bicolor) peering through the mist…. a surreal scene. Indeed, a pleasure and privilege to partake.”
Miguel: “My highlights not from the pollination lab were; 1) very cool and interesting work in taxonomy and systematics using traditional approaches as well as novel molecular techniques and 2) An important contribution is being done by SANBI in terms of plant invasion control especially in Cactaceae.”
Lab members Jamie-Lee Anderson and Ruth Cozien posing with their prizes for the best oral presentation for an Honours and Phd student respectively.
The presentations from lab members were not only appreciated by fellow lab members, but we had many others come and congratulate us or ask questions about our research. Not only that, but two lab members won prizes based on their presentations! Well done to Jamie-Lee Anderson for the best oral presentation by an Honours student and to Ruth Cozien for the best oral presentation by a PhD student.
Ruth: “Three highlights for me: Felipe Amorim’s talk on hawkmoth pollination in Brazil was amazing and added so many more bucket-list reasons to visit there, top of which is to see moths with ten or twenty cm long tongues pollinating! Then Peter Linder’s 45-minute synopsis of 45 years of work into the origins of the Cape Flora, my first botanical love. The fun cherry on top was Theo Mostert’s story of the rediscovery of the warted forest orchid (Didymoplexis verrucosa).”
Jamie: “SAAB was such a motivating way to start the year. It was great to see the work everyone is doing. I found the plenary lecture by Mr Ryan Rattray particularly interesting, which highlighted the importance of standards and requirements in ethnopharmaceuticals. I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to network with people from different parts of the country, especially since this was my first conference.”
The presentations from members, associates and visiting researchers to the lab.
Last, but certainly not least for the intrepid among us, the conference ended with a hike up Sentinel. Many lab members took the opportunity to botanize along the way, enjoying some Drakensberg favourites as well as the wet and cold weather.
Now what do we have here? Botanists hiking in the mist necessitates stopping for cool plants.
Text unless otherwise stated: Hannah Butler.
Photos: Hannah Butler; Jamie-Lee Anderson; Joao Cardosa; Miguel Castañeda Zárate.
Pollination Research Lab 