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Madrono, Vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 365-366, 2013 DEDICATION BRUCE BALDWIN G. examcommittees. StudentsinBruce’slab(ofwhichthere arecurrentlyfiveactivestudents) learnimportantlessons regardingdatacollection, dataanalysis, andpublication: be careful, double-check everything, investigate uncer- tainties, and when you think the work is perfect, it’s still not done; good work requires time and persistence. Bruce’s emphasis on a well-rounded dissertation project derives from his own distinguished mentors (e.g., Axelrod, Carlquist, Carr, Crawford, Dvorak, Gottlieb, Kyhos, Raven, Stebbins, Strother, Sytsma, and Web- ster), mentors who positioned him ideally to move plant systematics into the era ofmolecular studies. Bruce’s research is integrative and brings together traditional biosystematic approaches with cutting edge molecular tools to produce a deep understanding ofthe ecology, cytology, and morphology oforganisms as well Bruce G. Baldwin with fruiting Elk clover {Aralia as the evolutionary origins oftheir traits. Bruce’s work californica), August 2013. Photograph by Susan Bain- and that ofhis students is so varied and wide-reaching, bridge. it’shardto imaginewhat the scienceofplant systematics or California floristics would be without his continual, In this year, the Centennial year of the California persistent, and thoughtful contributions. To date, Bruce Botanical Society, the Council ispleased to dedicate this has contributed over 115 refereed research publications volumeofMadronoto BruceG. Baldwin, Curatorofthe and edited three books: The Jepson Desert Manual.- Jepson Herbarium and Professor ofIntegrative Biology, vascular plants of southeastern California (UC Press); University ofCalifornia, Berkeley. Tarweeds & Silverswords: evolution of the Madiinae A native Californian, Bruce grew up in Arroyo (Missouri Botanical Garden Press); and The Jepson Grande, amidst the highly diverse flora of San Luis Manual: vascular plants of California, Second Edition ObispoCounty.Atayoungage,hedevelopedaninterest (UC Press). in natural history while on family camping trips and on He has provided countless hours of service to the backpacking trips with friends in California and other Department of Integrative Biology and the Jepson parts of the West. He also developed an interest in Herbarium as well as to professional societies, academic conservationbiologyandbecameamemberofthe Sierra journals, government agencies, and other academic Club. Biology was—his favorite subject in school, institutions. He was President (2000-2003) and Past especially fieldwork in elementary school he made an President(2003-2006)oftheCaliforniaBotanicalSociety informal plant collection (which he still has). and President of the American Society of Plant Bruce earned a B.A. with Honors in 1981 at the Taxonomists (2008-2009). University of California, Santa Barbara, where he first Bruce has been a pioneer in molecular systematics, a learned in detail about the wonders of the California field that has transformed evolutionary biology. One of flora. Inadditiontocoursework andworkingas a plant Bruce’s early papers, "‘The ITS region of nuclear collector for botany labs, he was involved in a National ribosomal DNA: a valuable source of evidence on Science Foundation sponsored effort that included a angiosperm phylogeny” (Baldwin et al. 1995), is among floristic and vegetation survey of the Old Dad-Kelso themosthighlycitedofhiscareerbecauseitsetthestage Mountains region in the Mojave Desert. After his work for somany othersto pursuephylogenetic investigations in the Mojave, Bruce moved to another ecological withmoleculardata. Bruce’sinnovation didn’t stopwith extreme, Alaska, where he worked for the state ITS, he soon pursued the phylogenetic utility of the geological survey before returning to California for external transcribed spacer (ETS), which, together with graduate school at UC Davis. There he completed a the ITS region, have become standard regions used in Master’s Degree (1985) and Ph.D. (1989) in Botany molecular phylogenetic analyses. under the direction of Donald Kyhos. His dissertation Since the early 2000s, Bruce has continued to develop was titled “Chloroplast DNA Phylogenetics and Biosys- techniques that have allowed for further examination of tematic Studies in Madiinae (Asteraceae) After apost- diversity at ever-refining levels. His work with cryptic doc at the University ofArizona, Tucson, and a faculty species changed the philosophy undertaken by the appointment at Duke University (1992-1994), Bruce Jepson Flora Project and has continued to reveal that onceagainreturnedtoCalifornia; thistimetotheJepson recognizing fine-scale diversity is critical to understand- Herbariumwherehehasbeen(workingatJepson’sdesk) ing diversification and guiding conservation efforts, since 1994. especially in places like California. During his academic tenure, Bruce has supervised ten As Convening Editor and contributor of over 40 postdoctoral scholars and eleven graduate students and treatments to the second edition of The Jepson Manual has served onmany otherPh.D. and Master’sthesis and Bruce ledfiveeditors, astaffofsix, and anauthorgroup, MADRONO 366 [Vol. 60 of over 300 contributors from around the world to endearingspirit and undisputedcommitmenttoconserv- produce a thoroughly revised and updated book and ing the flora of California are attributes that make associatedresources forthe Californiaflora. The project everyonewe’ve encounteredwishtheycould spendmore benefited greatly from Bruce’s ingenuity and the Jepson time with him, learning about and appreciating the eFlora (http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html) is leading natural world. thewayasamodelintheproductionandmaintenanceof Theworldhasbeen enrichedwiththegiftedmindand modern floras. heart embodied in Bruce Baldwin and for that, we are Bruce is perhaps at his best when working with a grateful. group of students in the field or lab. Many times, we have seen students (undergraduates and workshop Staci Markos and Brent D. Mishler participants alike) hang on his every word. Like no University and Jepson Herbaria other, Bruce can deliver an impromptu mini-lecture full University ofCalifornia ofhistory and context, interestingfacts, and humor. His Berkeley, CA 94720-2465, [email protected]