Dr. Timothy Motley
Education: 
Ph.D. University of Hawaii, Botany and Ecology Evolution & Conservation Biology, 1996
M.S. Eastern Illinois University, Botany, 1989
B.S. Eastern Illinois University, Botany, 1987
Teaching Responsibilities:
Flowering Plant Families
Molecular Systematics
Man and Plants
Field Botany
Research Summary:
Dr. Motley has worked throughout the islands of the Pacific (Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia) for more than ten years and uses both traditional and molecular systematics techniques to investigate plant evolution in island systems.
His research interests are in the fields of plant systematics, population genetics, conservation, ethnobotany, and reproductive biology. Dr. Motley's studies focus on the molecular systematics of the Coffee family (Rubiaceae) and the strychnine family (Loganiaceae).
In the Loganiaceae, his studies focus on the phylogeny and biogeography of two closely related genera, Labordia and Geniostoma. The research goals are to address the origins of the Hawaiian genus Labordia and whether dioecy (separate male and female plants) and polyploidy present in Labordia evolved prior to or subsequent to the species arrival in the Hawaiian Islands.
In the Rubiaceae, Dr. Motley is using phylogenetics to study the biogeographic relationships of Pacific species of Hedyotis. The delineation of this genus in Hawai`i is in question with one taxonomic group having fleshy fruits and the other producing dry capsules. It is this novel, diverse morphology that is not accompanied by corresponding high levels of genetic diversity which led to his genomic interests in Hedyotis. By examining the differences in these closely related species he hopes to determine the genes regulating fruit evolution (senescence of exocarp, dehiscence, and abscission).
In addition to his research on Labordia and Hedyotis Dr. Motley is collaborating on several research projects on other Pacific and Hawaiian plant lineages. These include: 1) Scaevola (Goodeniaceae); 2) Hawaiian Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae); 3) Hawaiian mints; 4) Hawaiian Araliaceae; 5) Hawaiian Lysimachia (Primulaceae); 6) Hawaiian Sicyos (Cucurbitaceae); 7) Biogeography of Pacific Peperomia (Piperaceae); 8) Long term monitoring, conservation, spatial distribution and annual growth rates of the Haleakala silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum); 9) Breadfruit evolution and human-mediated migration; and 10) Hawaiian Elaphoglossum origins and evolution.
Dr. Motley organized a three month botanical expedition to the island of Rapa iti, Austral Islands, French Polynesia. This was the first extensive research project there since the 1930s. His research team discovered many new species and new island records. They estimate that their collections have increased the size of the existing flora by ten percent. This is the first part of a larger program to study the endangered flora and remaining vegetation in the entire Austral archipelago. Dr. Motley expects that the description and documentation of the botanical specimens and ethnobotanical data collected during this expedition should provide him with ample research in future years.
Selected Publications:
JOURNALS
Wood, K. R., W. L. Wagner, and T. J. Motley. (in press) Labordia lorenciana (Loganiaceae), A New Species from Kaua`i, Hawaiian Islands. Systematic Botany.
Costello A. and T. J. Motley. (in press) Phylogeny of the Tetraplasandra-Group (Araliaceae) inferred from ITS, 5S-NTS, and Morphology. Systematic Botany.
Achille F., T. J. Motley, P. P. Lowry II, and J. Jérémie. (2006). Polyphyly in Guettarda L. (Guettardeae-Rubiaceae) based on nrDNA ITS sequence data. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 93:103-121.
Struwe L. and T. J. Motley. (2006, in press) Loganiaceae. In: The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Asteridae, K. Kubitzki & J. W. Kadereit [eds.]. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Zerega, N. J. C., D. Ragone, and T. J. Motley. (2005) Systematics and species limits of breadfruit (Artocarpus, Moraceae). Systematic Botany 30(3): 603-615.
Motley, T. J., K. J. Wurdack, and P. G. Delprete. (2005) Molecular systematics of the Chiococceae-Catesbaeeae Complex (Rubiaceae): Flower and fruit evolution and systematic implications. American Journal of Botany: 92(2): 316-329.
Motley, T. J. (2005) Taxonomic resurrection of Tetraplasandra lydgatei (Hilleb.) Harms: A rare mesic forest species on Oahu. Pacific Science 51(1): 105-110.
Buenz, E. J., H. E. Johnson, E. M. Beekman, T. J. Motley, B. A. Bauer. (2005) Bioprospecting Rumphius's Ambonese Herbal: Volume 1. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 96: 57-70.
Buenz, E. J., B. A. Bauer, T. W. Osmundson, and T. J. Motley (2005) The Traditional Chinese Medicine Cordyceps sinensis and its effects on apoptotic homeostasis. Journal of Ethnopharmocology 96: 19-29.
Motley T. J., L. Lück and N. J. C. Zerega. (2004) Genetic diversity and DNA fingerprinting of black cohosh (Actaea racemosa). Proceeding of the Global Summit on Medicinal Plants: 112-118.
Motley, T. J. (2004) The ethnobotany of the genus Fagraea: Timber of Malesia and scent of Polynesia. Economic Botany 58: 396-409.
Costello, A. and T. J. Motley. (2004) The development of the superior ovary in Tetraplasandra (Araliaceae). American Journal of Botany: 91: 644-655.
Zerega, J. C., D. Ragone, and T. J. Motley. (2004) Complex origins of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, Moraceae): Implications for human migrations in Oceania. American Journal of Botany 91: 760-766.
Buenz, E. J., D. J. Schnepple, B. A. Bauer, P. L. Elkin, J. M. Riddle, T. J. Motley. (2004) Techniques: Bioprospecting historic herbal texts by hunting for new leads in old tomes. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 25: 494-498.
Rouhan,G., J-Y. Dubuisson, F. Rakotondrainibe, T. J. Motley, J. T. Mickel, J-N. Labat, and R. C. Moran. 2004. Molecular phylogeny of the fern genus Elaphoglossum (Elaphoglossaceae) based on chloroplast non-coding DNA sequences: contributions of species from the Indian Ocean area. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 33: 745-763.
BOOKS AND BOOK CHAPTERS
Motley T. J., N. Zerega, and H. Cross [eds.]. (2006) Darwin's Harvest: New Approaches to Origins, Evolution, and Conservation of Crop Plants. 384 pp. Columbia University Press, New York, New York, USA.
Motley, T. J. (2006) Crop Evolution: Past, Present, and Future. In: T. J. Motley, N. Zerega and H. Cross [eds.], Darwin's Harvest: New Approaches to Origins, Evolution, and Conservation of Crop Plants , pp. 1-27. Columbia University Press, New York, New York, USA.
Motley, T. J., H. B. Cross, N. J. C. Zerega, and M. K. Aradhya. (2006) Molecular Analyses. In: T. J. Motley, N. Zerega, and H. Cross [eds.], Darwin's Harvest: New Approaches to Origins, Evolution, and Conservation of Crop Plants , pp. 370-377. Columbia University Press, New York, New York, USA.
Cross, H. B, R. Lira Saade, and T. J. Motley. (2006) Origin and Genetic Diversity in Chayote. In: T. J. Motley, N. Zerega, and H. Cross [eds.], Darwin's Harvest: New Approaches to Origins, Evolution, and Conservation of Crop Plants , pp. 171-194. Columbia University Press, New York, New York, USA.
Zerega, N. J. C., D. Ragone, and T. J. Motley. (2006) Breadfruit Origins, Diversity, and Human-facilitated Distribution. In: T. J. Motley, N. Zerega, and H. Cross [eds.], Darwin's Harvest: New Approaches to Origins, Evolution, and Conservation of Crop Plants, pp. 213-238. Columbia University Press, New York, New York, USA.
Contact Information:
J. Robert Stiffler Distinguished Chair of Botany
Department of Biological Sciences
110 Mills Godwin Building/45th St
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266
Phone: 757 683 3610 Fax: 757 683 5283
Email: tmotley@odu.edu
