During his PhD, Peter Petoe studied palm taxonomy in New Guinea and Borneo, which are large tropical islands located in the biogeographical region Malesia. This region is home to one of the three major rainforest blocks globally and it is the most important centre for palm diversity. However, many of the palm species that occur in Malesia are unknown to science or their distributions are poorly known. Peter Petoe reappraised the taxonomy of the two palm genera Hydriastele and Heterospathe, which are most diverse in New Guinea. He also conducted his own fieldwork in Borneo, which facilitated the description of the new-to-science palm Pinanga subterranea with striking reproductive behaviour (see photo below).

The new findings have improved our understanding of Malesian palm taxonomy and diversity, and they include the description of several species of palm that are new to science. The results also contributed to the writing of a palm flora and a plant checklist for New Guinea, which have significant implications for conservation and biodiversity research.

The PhD study was completed at Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Tuesday, 11 March 2025 at 13:00
Place: Building 1531, room 113, Lecture Theatre Aud-D1, Department of Mathematics Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Species discovery and monography in two Malesian palm hotspots
Contact information: Peter Petoe, e-mail: peter.petoe@bio.au.dk, tel.: +45 21690085
Members of the assessment committee:
Druce Curator of the Oxford University Herbaria, Associate Professor Stephen A. Harris, Department of Biology, Oxford University, United Kingdom
Senior Researcher Somran Suddee, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Forest Herbarium (BKF), Bangkok, Thailand
Associate Professor Alejandro Ordonez Gloria (chair), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Wolf L. Eiserhardt, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Senior Research Leader and Professor William J. Baker, Department of Accelerated Taxonomy, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C