Selena Smith

I am interested in using modern and fossil plants to understand evolution of plants and the environment. My main group of interest is the monocots, a group of flowering plants comprising important taxa such as grasses, sedges, palms, orchids, lilies, gingers, and seagrasses. I use multiple techniques in my studies including phylogenetic analysis, palynology, phytoliths, anatomy, morphology, and more recently, 3D techniques such as synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy to investigate modern and fossil specimens to place them in a broader systematic and environmental context.

Field(s) of Study

• Plant systematics and anatomy, paleobotany, taphonomy, role of plants in ancient environments