Dr Ahmed Fayaz at his graduation with his son
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NZRA has helped to support a PhD
study involving DNA based research on vireyas that
contributes to knowledge concerning species
inter-relationships over the past few years. Ahmed
Fayaz, submitted his thesis entitled ‘Biodiversity
of the Vireya group of Rhododendron L. (Ericaceae)
collections in New Zealand and their potential
contribution to international conservation’ at the
end of last year. It is literally a weighty tome and
its contents enabled him to progress to a successful
oral examination in February and graduation from
Massey University with his PhD in May. You can
access his thesis at:
http://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/4468?show=full.
Dr Fayaz is now writing up his results for
publication in a scientific journal. Dr Marion
Mackay reported on some of his findings at the
International Rhododendron Species Conservation
Conference held at the Royal Botanic Garden,
Edinburgh 20-21st April 2013, in her presentation
‘Ex situ rhododendron conservation – a New Zealand
perspective’. You can view this at:
http://www.bgci.org/ourwork/rhododendron_conference2013/.
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We are now developing a new
project, together with our friends in the Australian
Rhododendron Society,
http://rhododendron.com.au/. This project will
focus on the Australian vireya species, R. lochiae
and R. viriosum, with respect to their relationships
to each other and possible ancestors in Papua New
Guinea. |
