Sterling Keeley
Professor, Department of Botany
Ph.D., University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 1977
sterling@hawaii.edu
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/keeley
Sterling Keeley   Research Interests
My areas of interest are in the systematics and evolution of tropical and sub-tropical plants. I am especially interested in those groups whose biogeographical distributions include islands and continental areas. I have concentrated on members of the Asteraceae (sunflower family) and the tribe Vernonieae. Studies have included species groups and their relationships across major biogeographical regions in the West Indies, Central and South America and more recently in the Old World tropics. I utilize molecularly based variation, in particular that of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) to establish patterns of relationship and follow adaptive radiation. In a study of New and Old World Vernonieae, data on cpDNA restriction site variation have allowed broadscale verification of monophyly, the placement of anomalous genera and recognition of a new tribe, and clarification of long distance relationships among geographically and historically separate lineages within the tribe. I am pursuing my interests in evolution and biogeography with species of the Hawaiian endemic genus Lipochaeta (Asteraceae). I am interested in variation in rare and widespread species within the islands, and their relationship to possible mainland progenitors. This research involves the use of a variety of molecular techniques using nuclear and cytoplasmic variation in order to provide a measure of population and species level divergence and to elucidate broader phylogenetic relationships. I am particularly interested in documenting shared genetic information among rare and widespread species to aid in conservation of the Hawaiian flora.
 

Selected Publications
Keeley, S.C. (in press.) The Vernonieae. In: Stevens, W. D. (ed.) Flora of Nicaragua. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Kim, H.G., S.C. Keeley, P.S. Vroom and R.K. Jansen. 1998. Molecular evidence for an African origin of the Hawaiian endemic Hesperomannia (Asteraceae). Proceedings of the National Academy USA 95:15440-15445.
Bolick, M and S.C. Keeley. 1994. Pollen morphology and classification of the Vernonieae (Compositae). Acta botanica Gallica (Societe botanique de France) 141:279-284.
Keeley, S. C. and R.K. Jansen. 1994. Chloroplast dNA restriction site variation in the Vernonieae (Asteraceae), an initial appraisal of the relationship of New and Old World taxa and the monophyly of Vernonia. Plant Systematics and Evolution 193: 249-265.
Keeley, S.C and H.A. Mooney. 1993. Vegetation in western North America, past and future pp.209-234. In: H.A. Mooney, E. R. Fuentes, and B.I. Kronberg (eds.). Earth System Responds to Global Change. Academic Press., New York. Science Press.
Jansen, R. K. , H.J. Michaels, R. S. Wallace, K. Kim, S. C. Keeley, L. E. Watson, and J. D. Palmer. 1992. Chloroplast DNA variation in the Asteraceae:phylogenetic and evolutionary implications. Pp. 252-279. In: Soltis, D., P. Soltis, and J. Doyle, (eds.). Plant Moleculary Systematics. Chapman and Hall, New York.
Bremer, K. R.K. Jansen, PO.O. Karis, M. Kallersjo, S.C. Keeley, K.J. Kim, H. J. Michaels, J.D. Palmer and R.S Wallace. 1992. Phylogeny and classification of the Asteraceae. Nordic Journal of Botany 12:141-148.
Keeley, S.C. and R. K. Jansen. 1991. Evidence from chloroplast DNA for the recognition of a new tribe, the Tarchonantheae, and the tribal placement of Pluchea (Asteraceae). Systematic Botany 16:173-181.
Keeley, S.C. and R.K. Jansen. Phylogenetic patterns within the Vernonieae (Asteraceae) based on chloroplast DNA restriction site variation. American Journal of Botany (in review).
Bremer, K., R.K. Jansen, P.O. Karis, M. Kallersjo, S.C. Keeley, K. Kim, H.J. Michaels, J.D. Palmer, and R.S. Wallace. Phylogeny and classification of the Asteraceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden (in press).
Keeley, S.C. and R.K. Jansen. 1991. Evidence from chloroplast DNA for the recognition of a new tribe, the Tarchonantheae, and the tribal placement of Pluchea (Asteraceae). Systematic Botany 16:173-181.
Jansen, R.K., H.J. Michaels, R.S. Wallace, K. Kim, S.C. Keeley, L.E. Watson, and J.D. Palmer. 1991. Chloroplast DNA variation in the Asteraceae: phylogenetic and evolutionary implications. pp. 252-279. In: Soltis, D., P. Soltis, and J. Doyle (eds). Plant Molecular Systematics. Chapman and Hall, New York.
Keeley, S.C. and B.L. Turner. 1990. A preliminary cladistic analysis of the genus Veronia (Vernonieae: Asteraceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution Supp. 4:45-66.