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Peter Hovenkamp

Peter Hovenkamp at work at Gunung Halimun Nature Reserve, Java

Peter Hovenkamp (65) died in Malaysia

On Juli 13 we received very sad news about the death of our beloved colleague and valued researcher Peter Hovenkamp. Peter was part of a tour group visiting a cave in Gunung Mulu National Park when a flash flood hit unexpectedly. Unfortunately, he did not survive the accident. 

Peter was a long-time researcher. He was born in October 1953, started working at Leiden University in 1983 and has been a Naturalis employee since 2013. He was very dedicated to his work and passionate about his research, which mostly involved ferns. 

Our deepest sympathy goes out to Peters family and loved ones.

Peter Hovenkamp

Researcher, Pteridology
Biodiversity discovery

peter.bovenkamp@naturalis.nl
+31 (0)71 751 7213

Orcid.org
Publons
websites: Diplazium in Malesia, Ferns of Sulawesi

Research
interest

I am first and foremost a systematist, and I want to find out what is really there.

I am convinced that we can only find meaningful answers if we ask meaningful questions. I think that we need to know what species are out there, and what their variability and distribution is, before we can investigate their evolution and interactions. This attitude has also led me to consider some questions in the fields of phylogenetic reconstruction, biogeography and biodiversity informatics. It is fascinating to find time and again that answers to difficult questions suddenly become much easier when the questions are formulated clearly and carefully.

Keywords

Polypodiaceae, Diplazium, Nephrolepis, biogeography, phylogenetics, morphology and anatomy, taxonomy, Oleandra, Flora's

I study systematics and taxonomy of ferns, always with the goal to search for orderliness in the patterns displayed by the species. My main sources are the herbarium specimens that a multitude of explorers and collectors over the last centuries have deposited in natural history collections. Not only are these specimens  an important scientific and cultural legacy, but they are often the only reliable evidence of the occurrence of species. And only well-documented and permanently preserved specimens provide reliable links to other studies.

Most of my studies on  ferns have focused on the species occurring in Southeast Asia (a.o. the genera Pyrrosia, Selliguea, Nephrolepis, Oleandra). This has resulted in contributions to flora's ofSri Lanka, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, China and the Malesian region (the region encompassing Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea), and in several new species. But I also am interested in the ferns of The Netherlands, and have contributed to the Heukels' Flora.

In the course of these studies, I also was excited to find that it is still possible to discover entirely new structures or phenomena. I studied the diversity of rhizome morphology in the Polypodiaceae, the curious way in which spores are ejected from the sporangia of Angiopteris (Marattiaceae) and the role of shape and structure of the spores in that process, and the periodicity in starch metabolism in Matteuccia struthiopteris.

In a more theoretical mood, I have tried to elucidate the meaning of permutation branch supports in phylogenetics, and the role of phylogeny in the reconstruction of the biogeographic history of taxa.

Oleandra neriifolia - one of the few ferns that have a shrubby habit
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum

Current
topics

My current work focuses on the species of Diplazium ("twinsorus ferns") in the Malesian area. Diplazium is a worldwide genus of ferns with an estimated 350 species. Despite recent work on the phylogeny and biogeography of the genus, the number of species and their distribution in the Malesian region is largely unknown. I am working towards an annotated checklist of the species, as a first approximation of the total diversity in this genus in the area. 

Key
publications

  • Hovenkamp, P. H. (1986). "A monograph of the fern genus Pyrrosia." Leiden Bot.Series 9: 1-280.
  • Hovenkamp, P. (1997). "Vicariance events, not areas, should be used in biogeographical analysis." Cladistics 13(1-2): 67-79.
  • Hovenkamp, P. H. (1998). Polypodiaceae. Flora Malesiana II. Leiden. 3: 1-234.
  • Hovenkamp, P. (2006). "Can taxon-sampling effects be minimized by using branch supports?" Cladistics 22(3): 264-275.
  • Hovenkamp, P. (2011). "Syncretism and Corroboration." Cladistics 28(2): 115-116.
  • Hovenkamp, P. H., R. van der Ham, G. A. van Uffelen, M. van Hecke, J. A. Dijksman and W. Star (2009). "Spore movement driven by the spore wall in an eusporangiate fern." Grana 48(2): 122-127.
  • Hovenkamp, P. and B.-C. Ho (2012). "A revision of the fern genus Oleandra (Oleandraceae) in Asia." PhytoKeys 11: 1-37.
  • Hovenkamp, P., S.-K. Yan and H.-C. Young (2016). "Seasonal changes in starch content in trophopods of Matteuccia struthiopteris (L) Todaro." American Fern Journal 16(3): 153-160.
  • PPG1 (2016). "A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns." Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(6): 563-603.
  • Yahaya, N. H., M. Stech, B. J. M. Zonneveld and P. H. Hovenkamp (2016). "What is Nephrolepis ‘bostoniensis’?: Unravelling the origin of Nephrolepis hybrids and cultivars with molecular data." Scientia Horticulturae 204: 153-160.

A full list of my publications is available at my ORCID page.

Student
supervision

 

      

    Picture of student holding a frond of Pteris holttumii

    Teaching
    activities

    • BSc Course Evolutionary Biology and MSc course Integrative Taxonomy: Theory and methods of phylogenetic reconstruction
    • Flora of The Netherlands

    Publications

    2020

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Cámara-Leret R., Frodin D.G., Adema F., Anderson C., Appelhans M.S., Argent G., Arias Guerrero S., Ashton P., Baker W.J., Barfod A.S., Barrington D., Borosova R., Bramley R.L.C., Briggs M., Buerki S., Cahen D., Callmander M.W., Cheek M., Chen C.-W., Conn B.J., Coode M.J.E., Darbyshire I., Dawson S., Dransfield J., Drinkel C., Duyfjes B., Ebihara A., Ezedin Z., Fu L.-F., Gideon O., Girmansyah D., Govaerts R., Fortune-Hopkins H., Hassemer G., Hay A., Heatubun C.D., Hind D.J.N., Hoch P., Homot P., Hovenkamp P., Hughes M., Jebb M., Jennings L., Jimbo T., Kessler M., Kiew R., Knapp S., Lamei P., Lehnert M., Lewis G.P., Linder H.P., Lindsay S., Low Y.W., Lucas E., Mancera J.P., Monro A.K., Moore A., Middleton D.J., Nagamasu H., Newman M.F., Nic Lughadha E., Melo P.H.A., Ohlsen D.J., Pannell C.M., Parris B., Pearce L., Darin S., Penneys D.S., Perrie L.R., Petoe P., Poulsen A.D., Prance G.T., Quakenbush J.P., Raes N., Rodda M., Rogers Z.S., Schuiteman A., Schwartsburd P., Scotland R.W., Simmons M.P., Simpson D.A., Stevens P., Sundue M., Testo W., Trias-Blasi A., Turner I., Utteridge T., Walsingham L., Webber B.L., Wei R., Weiblen G.D., Weigend M., Weston P., Wilde W. de, Wilkie P., Wilmot-Dear C.M., Wilson H.P., Wood J.R.I., Zhang L.-B., Welzen P.C. van 2020. New Guinea has the world’s richest island flora. Nature 584: 5 p. 579-583. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2549-5
    2019

    Journals non-SCI, peer-reviewed

    Kartonegoro A., Hovenkamp P., Welzen P.C. van 2019. A taxonomic revision of Macrolenes (Melastomataceae). Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71 (1) : 57 p. 185-241. DOI https://doi.org/10.26492/gbs71(1).2019-12
    2018

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    He L., Schneider H., Hovenkamp P., Marquardt J., Wei R., Wei X., Zhang X., Xiang Q. 2018. A molecular phylogeny of selligueoid ferns (Polypodiaceae): Implications for a natural delimitation despite homoplasy and rapid radiation. Taxon 67 (2) : 12 p. 237-249. DOI https://doi.org/10.12705/672.1
    Thomson S.A., Pyle R.L., Ahyong S.T., [...] Byng J.W., Dekker R., Dijkstra K.-D., Duistermaat H., Geml J., Hovenkamp P., et al. 2018. Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation. PLoS Biology 16 (3) : 12 p. e2005075. DOI https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2005075
    Hovenkamp P., Hendrikx B., Roskam H., Winter W. de. 2018. Het Dryopteris affinis-complex in Nederland. Gorteria 40: 12 p. 42-54.
    2017

    Journals non-SCI, peer-reviewed

    Lindsay S., Hovenkamp P.H., Middleton D.J. 2017. New combinations and typifications in Aglaomorpha (Polypodiaceae). Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 69 (1) : 6 p. 149-155. DOI https://doi.org/10.3850/S2010098116000104
    2016

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Yahaya N.H., Michael Stech, Zonneveld B.J.M., Hovenkamp P.H. 2016. What is Nephrolepis ‘bostoniensis’?: Unravelling the origin of Nephrolepis hybrids and cultivars with molecular data. Scientia Horticulturae 204: 8 p. 153-160. Elsevier.
    Khine P.K., Lindsay S., Fraser-Jenkins C., Kluge J., Kyaw M., Hovenkamp P. 2016. Selliguea kachinensis (Polypodiaceae), a new fern species of uncertain affinity from Northern Myanmar. PhytoKeys 62: 9 p. 73-81. DOI https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.62.8101
    2015

    Journals non-SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H. 2015. Two new Diplazium (Woodsiaceae) species from East Malesia. Fern Gazette 20 (2) : 6 p. 49-54. British Pteridological Society, London.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Merckx V.S.F.T., Hendriks K.P., Beentjes K.K., Mennes C.B., Becking L.E., Peijnenburg K.T.C.A., Afendy A., Arumugam N., de Boer H., Biun A., Buang M.M., Chen P.-P., Chung A.Y.C., Dow R., Feijen F.A.A., Feijen H., Feijen-van Soest C, Geml J., Geurts R., Gravendeel B., Hovenkamp P., Imbun P., Ipor I., Janssens S.B., Jocqué M. Kappes H., Khoo E., Koomen P., Lens F., Majapun R.J., Morgado L.N., Neupane S., Nieser N., Pereira J.T., Rahman H., Sabran S., Sawang A., Schwallier R.M., Shim P.-S., Smit H., Sol N., Spait M., Stech M., Stokvis F., Sugau J.B., Suleiman M., Sumail S., Thomas D.C., van Tol J., Tuh F.Y.Y., Yahya B.E., Nais J., Repin R., Lakim M. & Schilthuizen M. 2015. Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain. Nature 524 (7565) : 347-350. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14949
    Rothfels C.J., Johnson A.K., Hovenkamp P.H., Swofford D.L., Roskam H.C., Fraser-Jenkins C.R., Windham M.D., Pryer K.M. 2015. Natural hybridization between genera that diverged from each other approximately 60 million years ago. The American Naturalist 185 (3) : 9 p. 433-442. The University of Chicago Press for The American Society of Naturalists, Chicago. DOI https://doi.org/10.1086/679662
    http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/679662
    2014

    Books as editor

    Hovenkamp P. (ed.) 2014. Planten uit de oertijd.: 20 p. unpaged. Hortus botanicus Leiden, Leiden.

    Journals non-SCI, peer-reviewed

    Vos R.A., Biserkov J.V., Balech B., Beard N., Blissett M., Brenninkmeijer C., Dooren T. van, Eades D., Gosline G., Groom Q.J., Hamann T.D., Hettling H., Hoehndorf R., Holleman A., Hovenkamp P., Kelbert P., King D., Kirkup D., Lammers Y., DeMeulemeester T., Mietchen D., Miller J.A., Mounce R., Nicolson N., Page R., Pawlik A., Pereira S., Penev L., Richards K., Sautter G., Shorthouse D.P., Tähtinen M., Weiland C., Williams A.R., Sierra S. 2014. Enriched biodiversity data as a resource and service. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: 15 p. 1-15. Pensoft. DOI https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1125
    http://bdj.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=1125

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    2013

    Chapters in book

    Xinping Q., Xianchun Z., Youxing L., Gilbert M., Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of China: Lepisorus. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. 23: 13 p. 808-824. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia: Polypodiaceae. In: Parris B, LKiew R, Chung R, Saw L (eds.) Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes. 2: 97-198. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia.
    Wang F.-G., Xing F.-W., Hovenkamp P.H. 2013. Arthropteris (Flora of China). Arthropteris: 730-731.
    Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia: Nephrolepidaceae. In: Parris B, Kiew R, Chung R, Saw L (eds.) Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes. 2: 16 p. 51-66. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia.
    Shugang L., Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of China: Arthromeris. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. 23: 5 p. 768-772. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Shugang L., Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of China: Christopteris. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. 23: 3 p. 772-773. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia: Oleandraceae. In: Parris B, Kiew R, Chung R, Saw L (eds.) Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes. 2: 5 p. 67-71. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia.
    Shugang L, Hovenkamp P, Gilbert M 2013. Flora of China: Selliguea. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. 23: 13 p. 773-785. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Xing F.-W., Wang F.-G., Hovenkamp P.H. 2013. Nephrolepidaceae (Flora of China). Nephrolepidaceae: 727-729.
    Zhang X.-C., Hovenkamp P. 2013. Polypodiaceae (Flora of China). Polypodiaceae: 758-850.
    Zhang X.-C., Hovenkamp P.H. 2013. Oleandraceae (Flora of China). Oleandraceae: 747-748.
    Shugang L., Hovenkamp P. 2013. Flora of China: Goniophlebium, Metapolypodium, Polypodiastrum, Polypodiodes. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. 23: 8 p. 797-804. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Youxing L., Hovenkamp P., Gilbert M. 2013. Flora of China: Lemmaphyllum. In: Wu Z, Raven P, Deyuan H (eds.) Flora of China 2-3. Flora of China. Flora of China 2-3: 3 p. 824-826. Science Press, Beijing and MBG Press, St. Louis, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.
    Shugang L., Hovenkamp, P. 2013. Flora of China: Pyrrosia. Flora of China. 23: 786-796. Science Press and MBG Press, Beijing and St. Louis. ISBN 9781935641117.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Liu H., Jiang R., Guo J., Hovenkamp P., Perrie L.R., Shepherd L., Hennequin S., Schneider H. 2013. Towards a phylogenetic classification of the climbing fern genus Arthropteris. Taxon 62 (4) : 33 p. 668-700.
    2012

    Chapters in book

    Hovenkamp P.H., Ho B.-C. 2012. Oleandraceae (Flora Malesiana). 4: 123-136.
    Hovenkamp P.H., Miyamoto F. 2012. Nephrolepidaceae (Flora Malesiana).
    Hovenkamp P.H., Leonardia A.A.P. 2012. Tectaria-group: Arthropteris (Flora Malesiana). 4: 5 p. 145-149.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Rakotondrainibe F., Hovenkamp P.H. 2012. A New Species of Pyrrosia (Polypodiaceae) from Madagascar. Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature 22 (1) : 3 p. 75-77. DOI https://doi.org/10.3417/2010036
    2011

    Journals non-SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H., Fraser-Jenkins C.R., Schneider H., Zhang X-C. 2011. Proposal to conserve the name Lepisorus against Belvisia, Lemmaphyllum, Paragramma, Drymotaenium & Neocheiropteris (Pteridophyta, Polypodiaceae). Taxon 60 (2) : 2 p. 591-592.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    2010

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hennequin S., Hovenkamp P. Christenhusz M.J.M., Schneider H. 2010. Phylogenetics and biogeography of Nephrolepis- a tale of old settlers and young tramps. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 164 (2) : 15 p. 113-127. DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2010.01076.x
    2009

    Books as editor

    Hovenkamp, P. (eds.) 2009. Proceedings of the 7th Flora Malesiana Symposium. Blumea. 13: 299 p.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H, Ham R.W.J.M. van der, Uffelen G.A. van, Hecke M. van, Dijksman J.A., Star W. 2009. Spore movement driven by the spore wall in an eusporangiate fern. Grana 48 (2) : 6 p. 122-127. DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130902804331
    2008

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Schneider H. Kreier H.P., Hovenkamp P., Janssen T. 2008. Phylogenetic relationships of the fern genus Christiopteris shed new light onto the classification and biogeography of drynarioid ferns. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 157 (4) : 12 p. 645-656.
    2006

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P. 2006. Can taxon-sampling effects be minimized by using branch supports? Cladistics 22 (3) : 12 p. 264-275.
    2005

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H., Miyamoto F. 2005. A conspectus of the native and naturalized species of Nephrolepis (Nephrolepidaceae) in the world. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 50 (2) : 44 p. 279-322.
    2004

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Schneider H., Janssen T., Hovenkamp P., Smith A.R., Cranfill R., Haufler C.H., Ranker T.A. 2004. Phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic malesian fern Thylacopteris (Polypodiaceae, Polypodiidae). International Journal of Plant Sciences 165 (6) : 11 p. 1077-1087.
    2003

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Welzen P.C. van, Turner H., Hovenkamp P. 2003. Historical biogeography of Southeast Asia and the West Pacific, or the generality of unrooted area networks as historical biogeographic hypotheses. Journal of Biogeography 30 (2) : 11 p. 181-192.
    2001

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Turner H., Hovenkamp P., Welzen P.C. van 2001. Biogeography of Southeast Asia and the West Pacific. Journal of Biogeography 28 (2) : 14 p. 217-230.
    Hovenkamp P. 2001. A direct method for the analysis of vicariance patterns. Cladistics 17 (3) : 6 p. 260-265.
    2000

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H. 2000. Paraselliguea, a new genus of Malesian Polypodiaceae, a correction. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 45 (2) : 1 p. 376-376.
    1999

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P. 1999. Unambiguous data or unambiguous results? Cladistics 15 (2) : 4 p. 99-102.
    1998

    Chapters in book

    Hovenkamp et al. 1998. Polypodiaceae. In: Kalkman, C., Nooteboom, H.P. (eds.). Flora Malesiana 2 (3): Polypodiaceae, Davalliaceae, Azollaceae, Cheiropleuriaceae, Equisetaceae, Matoniaceae, Plagiogyriaceae: 1-234 ISBN 90-71236-39-0.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P. 1998. An account of the Malay-Pacific species of Selliguea (Polypodiaceae). Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 43 (1) : 108 p. 1-108.
    Hovenkamp P. 1998. Lepisorus in Malesia. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 43 (1) : 6 p. 109-115.
    1997

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H. 1997. Paraselliguea, a new genus of Malesian Polypodiaceae. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 42 (2) : 3 p. 485-487.
    Hovenkamp P. 1997. Vicariance events, not areas, should be used in biogeographical analysis. Cladistics 13 (12) : 13 p. 67-79.
    1996

    Chapters in book

    Balgooy M.M.J. van, Hovenkamp P.H., Welzen P.C. van 1996. Phytogeography of the Pacific - floristic and historical distribution patters in plants.: 23 p. SPB Academic Publishing, Amsterdam. ISBN 905103136X.

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H. 1996. Selliguea sri-ratu, a new species in Polypodiaceae. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 41 (1) : 2 p. 19-20.
    1993

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P.H., Franken N.A.P. 1993. An account of the fern genus Belvisia-mirbel (Polypodiaceae). Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 37 (2) : 17 p. 511-527.
    1990

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp, P. 1990. The significance of rhizome morphology in the systematics of the polypodiaceous ferns (Sensu-stricto). American Fern Journal 80 (2) : 11 p. 33-43.
    1988

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp, P.H., Joncheere G.J. de 1988. Additions to the fern flora of Sulawesi. Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 33 (2) : 15 p. 395-409.
    1987

    Books as editor

    Hovenkamp P., Gittenberger E., Hennipman E., Jong R. de, Roos M.C., Sluys R., Zandee M. (eds.) 1987. Systematics and Evolution: A Matter of Diversity.: 341 p. Utrecht University. ISBN 9789090019673.
    1986

    Books as author

    Hovenkamp P. 1986. A monograph of the fern genus Pyrrosia (Polypodiaceae). Leiden Botanical Series: 280 p. 1-280. Brill, Leiden. ISBN 9789004080652.
    1984

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Hovenkamp P. 1984. Some new names and combinations in Pyrrosia mirbel (Polypodiaceae). Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography 30 (1) : 2 p. 207-208.
    1980

    Journals SCI, peer-reviewed

    Venverloo C.J., Hovenkamp P.H., Weeda A.J., Libbenga K.R. 1980. Cell-division in Nautilocalyx explants - 1: Phragmosome, preprophase band and plane of division. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenphysiologie 100 (2) : 13 p. 161-174.