Alastair Robinson

Dr. Alastair S. Robinson (born 1980) is a British-American taxonomist and field botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Robinson published the first paleogeographical evidence for the radiative speciation of an enigmatic group of ultramafic Philippine and Malaysian Nepenthes from a common ancestor on the island of Borneo.[1][2]

In 2007, Robinson co-discovered the giant Palawan pitcher plant, Nepenthes attenboroughii, for which he authored the formal description and diagnosis. This species is the largest-pitchered Nepenthes discovered since the identification of Nepenthes rajah on Borneo in 1858.[1][3][4][5]

Robinson received his B.Sc. from University College London and his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge for research into the molecular control mechanisms of spatio-temporal cell-development in plants. Specialisms include stapeliads (Apocynaceae), terrestrial orchids, ecology and conservation biology, which he has studied in southern Europe, Tanzania, Borneo and the Philippines.[3]

Works of interest include the 2009 treatment of Nepenthes and Cephalotus, Pitcher Plants of the Old World (two volumes), for which he was contributor and principal editor.[3]

Robinson is brother to Hollywood screen actress, Zuleikha Robinson.[4]

Publications

References

  1. ^ a b Robinson, A.S., A.S. Fleischmann, S.R. McPherson, V.B. Heinrich, E.P. Gironella & C.Q. Peña 2009. A spectacular new species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) pitcher plant from central Palawan, Philippines. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 159(2): 195–202. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2008.00942.x
  2. ^ Cheek, M.R. & M.H.P. Jebb 1999. Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) in Palawan, Philippines. Kew Bulletin 54(4): 887–895. doi:10.2307/4111166
  3. ^ a b c McPherson, S.R. 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole.
  4. ^ a b Evening Standard Magazine (11 Dec 2009), Daily Mail Group.
  5. ^ Walker, M. 2009. Giant 'meat-eating' plant found. BBC Earth News, August 11, 2009.
  6. ^ "Author Query". International Plant Names Index. http://www.ipni.org/ipni/authorsearchpage.do.