Rachel Cook

Seed Bank Coordinator – Seeds of Success
Ph.D., University of Waterloo, 2002

Research Interests

The main focus of my research is the taxonomy of the goldenrods (Solidago sp.).   Goldenrods are members of the Family Asteraceae, and consist of approximately 100 species in North America. 

My interests include the cytogeography - or distribution of taxa by ploidy level, multivariate morphometrics and phytogeography of the genus.  I hope to use a combination of these techniques to help resolve the evolutionary histories within the group. 

I am also interested in hybridization between several species in the genus as well as the phylogeny of the Tribe Astereae and the relationship of the genus Solidago to other members of the tribe.

Current Projects

Seeds of Success is an interagency program that supports and coordinates the collection of seed from native plant populations in the United States for scientific study and restoration purposes.

It is a part of the Millennium Seed Bank project- a global seed conservation initiative organized by the Seed Conservation Department at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 

The goal of the Garden’s part of this ex situ conservation project is to collect and bank seeds from 1,500 species of plants native to the Midwest over the next five years.

Publications and Manuscripts in Progress

Semple, J.C., Xiang, Chunsheng, Zhang, Jie, Horsburgh, M. and Cook, R. 2001. Chromosome number determinations in Fam. Compositae, Tribe Astereae. VI. Western North American taxa and comments on generic treatments of North American asters. Rhodora. 103: 202-218.

Cook, R.E. and J.C. Semple. 2004. A new name and a new combination in Solidago subsect. Glomeruliflorae (Asteraceae: Astereae). Sida. 21(1): 221-224.

Semple J.C. and Cook, R.E. 2004. Chromosome number determinations in Fam. Compositae, Tribe Astereae. VII. Some Eastern North American and Eurasian taxa. Rhodora. xx: xxx-xxx. 22 pp including 1 table. Rhodora. Accepted 3 June 2004.

Semple, J.C. and R.E. Cook. 200x. Solidago. In Flora North America Editorial Committee, eds. Flora of North America. Vol. 21. Asteraceae. Oxford University Press. Submitted 2 July 2003.

 

Contact Information
Rachel Cook
(847) 835-6957
rcook@chicagobotanic.org