Philip Thomas
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Philip Thomas, ICCP Scientific Officer
I joined the International Conifer Conservation Programme in 1995. Since then, I have studied conifers in the field in many temperate and subtropical parts of the world including China, mainland SE Asia, New Caledonia and Chile. I am also the Coordinator for the IUCN Conifer Redlist Authority and an active member of the IUCN Conifer Specialist Group with a particular interest in SE Asian conifers.
Research Interests
- Taxonomy, distribution and conservation of conifers in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam
- Taxonomy, distribution and conservation of the genera Amentotaxus and Glyptostrobus in China and mainland SE Asia
- Conifers of New Caledonia and the southwest Pacific
- Distribution and conservation status of conifers worldwide
Contact pthomas@rbge.org.uk
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Further Information
- Publications
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2019
Gao LM, Tan SL, Zhang GL & P Thomas 2019 A new species of Amentotaxus (Taxaceae) from China, Vietnam and Laos Phytokeys 130:25-32
Li XY, Lin XY, Ruhsam M, Chen L, Wu XT, Wang MG, P Thomas and YF Wen 2019 Development of microsatellite markers for the critically endangered conifer Glyptostrobus pensilis (Cupressaceae) based on using transcriptome sequencing indata Silvae Genetica 68, 41 – 44
One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative (Hollingsworth PM, Ruhsam M and P Thomas) 2019 One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1693-2
Rivers MC, Beech E, Bazos I, Bogunić F, Buira A, Caković D, Carapeto A, Carta A, Cornier B, Fenu G, Fernandes F, Fraga P, Garcia Murillo PJ, Lepší M, Matevski V, Medina FM, Menezes de Sequeira M, Meyer N, Mikoláš V, Montagnani C, Monteiro-Henriques T, Naranjo Suárez J, Orsenigo S, Petrova A, Reyes-Betancort JA, Rich T, Salvesen PH, Santana López I, Scholz S, Sennikov A, Shuka L, Silva LF, Thomas P, Troia A, Villar JL and Allen DJ 2019 European Red List of Trees. Cambridge, UK and Brussels, Belgium: IUCN. viii + 60pp
Yan YD, Li XY, Worth JRP, Lin XY , Ruhsam M, Chen L, Wu XT, Wang MW, P Thomas and YF Wen 2019 Development of chloroplast microsatellite markers for Glyptostrobus pensilis (Cupressaceae). Applications in Plant Sciences 7(7): e11277
2018
Forest F, Moat J, Baloch E, Brummit N, Bachman S, Ickert-Bond S, Hollingsworth P, Liston A, Little D , Mathews S, Rai H, Rydin C , Stevenson D, P Thomas & S Buerki 2018 Gymnosperms on the EDGE Scientific Reports. 8:6053 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-24365-4
Li YS, Chang CT, Wang CN, Thomas P, JD Chung and SY Hwang 2018 The Contribution of Neutral and Environmentally Dependent Processes in Driving Population and Lineage Divergence in Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides) Front. Plant Sci. - Evolutionary and Population Genetics 08 August 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01148
2017
Mill RR, Ruhsam M, Thomas P, MF Gardner & PM Hollingsworth 2017 Araucaria goroensis (Araucariaceae), a new Monkey Puzzle from New Caledonia, and nomenclatural notes on Araucaria muelleri. Edinburgh Journal of Botany:doi: 10.1017/S0960428617000014.
2016
Buckley, BM, Stahle DK, Luu, HT, Wang SY, Nguyen TQT, Thomas P, Le CN, Ton TM, Bui TH & VT Nguyen 2016 Central Vietnam climate over the past five centuries from cypress tree rings. Climate Dynamics doi:10.1007/s00382-016-3297-y
Gao LM, Yan L, Phan LK, Yan LJ, Thomas P, Phan L, M Moller and DZ Li (2016) DNA barcoding of East Asian Amentotaxus (Taxaceae): potential new species and implications for conservation Journal of Systematics and Evolution. doi: 10.1111/jse.12207
Ruhsam M, Clark A, Finger A, Wulff AS, Mill RR, Thomas P, Gardner MF, Gaudeul M, Ennos RA and PM Hollingsworth (2016). Hidden in plain view: cryptic diversity in the emblematic Araucaria of New Caledonia. American Journal of Botany 103(5): 888-898
2015
Ruhsam M, Rai HS, Mathews S, Ross TG, Graham SW, Raubeson LA, Mei W, Thomas P, Gardner MF, Ennos RA, Hollingsworth PM. (2015) Does complete plastid genome sequencing improve species discrimination and phylogenetic resolution in Araucaria? Mol Ecol Resour. 2015 Jan 22. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.12375. [Epub ahead of print]
Sakaguchi S, Worth JRP, Jordan GJ, Thomas P & M Ito (2015) Development of nuclear microsatellite markers for the Tasmanian endemic conifer Diselma archeri Hook.f. (Cupressaceae). Conservation Genetic Resources 7: 369-372
Sakaguchi S, Worth JRP, Jordan GJ, Thomas P & M Ito (2015) Development of nuclear and mitochondrial microsatellite markers for the relictual conifer genus Athrotaxis (Cupressaceae). Conservation Genetic Resources 7: 477-481
2014
Bennett T, Brockington S, Rothfels C, Graham S, Stevenson D, Kutchan T, Rolf M, Thomas P, Wong GKS, Leyser O, Glover BJ and C J Harrison Paralagous radiations of PIN proteins with multiple origins of non-canonical PIN structure. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31 (8) 2042-2060
Gaudeul M, Gardner MF, Thomas P, Ennos RA, Hollingsworth PM. (2014) Evolutionary dynamics of emblematic Araucaria species (Araucariaceae) in New Caledonia: nuclear and chloroplast markers suggest recent diversification, introgression, and a tight link between genetics and geography within species. BMC Evol Biol. 5(14)171. doi: 10.1186/s12862-014-0171-6.
Kranitz ML, Biffin E, Clark A, Hollingsworth ML, Ruhsam M, Gardner MF, Thomas P, Mill RR, Ennos RA, Gaudeul M, Lowe AJ and Hollingsworth PM (2014). Evolutionary Diversification of New Caledonian Araucaria. PloS ONE 9: e110308
Li FW, Villarreal JC, Kelly S, Rothfels CJ, Melkonian M, Frangedakis E, Ruhsam M, Sigel EM, Der JP, Pittermann J, Burge DO, Pokorny L, Larsson A, Chen T, Weststrand S, Thomas P, Carpenter E, Zhang Y, Tian Z, Chen L, Yan Z, Zhu Y, Sun X, Wang J, Stevenson DW, Crandall-Stotler BJ, Shaw AJ, Deyholos MK, Soltis DE, Graham SW, Windham MD, Langdale JA, Wong GKS, Mathews S & KM Pryer (2014) Horizontal transfer of an adaptive chimeric photoreceptor from bryophytes to ferns PNAS 2014 ; published ahead of print April 14, 2014, doi:10.1073/pnas.1319929111
2012
Biffin E, Brodribb TJ, Hill RS, Thomas P & Lowe AJ (2012) Leaf evolution in Southern Hemisphere conifers tracks the angiosperm ecological radiation Proc. R. Soc. B 279: 341-348
Mao K, Milne RI, Zhang L, Peng Y, Liu J, Thomas P, Mill RR and S Renner (2012) Distribution of living Cupressaceae reflects the breakup of Pangea. PNAS 109(20): 7793–7798
Poudel RC, Möller M, Gao L-M, Ahrends A, Baral SR, Liu J, Thomas P and DZ Li (2012) Using Morphological, Molecular and Climatic Data to Delimitate Yews along the Hindu Kush-Himalaya and Adjacent Regions. PLoS ONE 7(10):e46873.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046873
2011
Chou YW, Thomas P, Ge XJ, LePage B & Wang, CW (2011) Refugia and phylogeography of Taiwania in East Asia. Journal of Biogeography DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02537.x
Little DP, Thomas P, Nguyen Tien Hiep, Phan Ke Loc. (2011) Before it had a name: Diagnostic characteristics, geographic distribution, and the conservation of Cupressus tonkinensis (Cupressaceae). Brittonia 63(2): 171-196
Martínez C, Premoli AP, Echeverria C, Thomas P and Hechenleitner P (2011) Restricted gene flow across fragmented populations of Legrandia concinna, a threatened Myrtaceae endemic to south-central Chile. Bosque 32(1): 30-38
Thomas P (2011) A review of the distribution and conservation status of Taxus in the Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia. Spanish Journal of Rural Development 2 (Special edition 2): 35-42
Thomas P & LePage B (2011) The end of an era?—The conservation status of redwoods and other members of the former Taxodiaceae in the 21st century. Jpn. J. Histor. Bot. 19(1–2): 89-100
2009
Gosling PG, McCartan SA, Ives LM, Cunningham VJ, Squirrel J & Thomas P (2009) Preliminary observations on fruit handling, seed germination and chloroplast inheritance of an Amentotaxus hybrid arising at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh from A. argotaenia (F) x A. formosana (M). Sibbaldia 6: 101-114.
Thomas P. (2009) The Araucariaceae: discovery, introduction and cultivation in the United Kingdom. In Proceedings of International Araucariaceae Symposium: Auckland New Zealand 14-17 March 2002: International Dendrology Society. 4, Dendrology and amenity: 231-240.
2007
Adams RP, Thomas P & Rushforth K (2007) The leaf essential oils of the new conifer genus, Xanthocyparis : Xanthocyparis vietnamensis and X. nootkatensis. The Journal of essential oil research 19(1): 30-33.
Farjon A & Thomas P (2007) Taiwania cryptomerioides - an overview biogeography and conservation. In: The International Symposium on Taiwania cryptomerioides, 8-10 December 2007, Nantou County, Taiwan. Taiwan: Experimental Forest, College of Bio-resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University. 9-17 pp.
Newman M, Sounthone Ketphanh, Bouakhaykhone Svengsuksa, Thomas P, Khamphone Sengdala, Vichith Lamxay & Armstrong K. (2007) A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Forest Reseach Center, University of Lao PDR, IUCN Lao PDR, Vientiane. 394 pp.
Newman M, Thomas P, Soulivanh Lanorsavanh, Sounthone Ketphanh, Bouakhaykhone Svengsuksa and Vichith Lamxay (2007) New records of angiosperms and pteridophytes in the Flora of Laos. Edin. J. Bot. 64:225-251.
Thomas P, Khamphone Sengdala, Vichit Lamxay & Eanghourt Khou (2007) New records of conifers in Cambodia and Laos. Edin. J. Bot. 64(1):37-44.
2006
Farjon A, Bachman S, Gardner MF, Luscombe D, Reynolds C & Thomas P (2006) Conservation Assessments of Data Deficient (DD) Conifers Using Herbarium and Geographical Information System (GIS) data. Edinburgh: RBG Kew, Bedgebury Pinetum, RBGE. 311 pp.
Gardner MF, Hechenleitner PV, Thomas P, Echeverría C, Escobar B, Brownless P, Martínez AC. (2006) Threatened Plants of Central and South Chile: Distribution, Conservation and Propagation. Universidad Austral de Chile & Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 188 pp. (English language)
2004
Farjon A, Thomas P & Nguyen Duc To Luu (2004) Conifer conservation in Vietnam: case reports of three potential ‘flagship species'. Oryx 38(3):257-266.
Nguyen Tien Hiep, Phan Ke Loc, Nguyen Duc To Luu, Thomas P, Farjon A, Averyanov L & J. Regalado Jr. (2004) Vietnam Conifers: Conservation Status Review 2004. Fauna & Flora International, Vietnam Programme, Hanoi. 128 pp.
Nguyen Duc To Luu & Thomas P (2004) Cay La Kim Viet Nam (Conifers of Vietnam: an illustrated field guide). World Publishing House, Hanoi. 121 pp. (in Vietnamese and English).
2002
Bekessy SA, Sleep D, Stott A, Menucinni M, Thomas P, Ennos RA, Burgman MA, Gardner MF & Newton AC (2002) Adaptation of Monkey Puzzle to arid environments reflected by regional differences in stable carbon isotype ratio and allocation to root biomass. Forest Genetics 9(1):63-70.
Herbert J, Hollingsworth PM, Gardner MF, Mill RR, Thomas P & Jaffré T. (2002) Conservation genetics and phylogenetics of New Caledonian Retrophyllum (Podocarpaceae) species. New Zealand J. Bot. 40(2):175-188.
2001
Govier R, Walter KS, Chamberlain DF, Gardner MF, Thomas P, Alexander C, Maxwell HS & Watson MF. (2001) Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Catalogue of plants 2001. Edinburgh: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 594 pp.
2000
Thomas P & Watson MF. (2000) Data management for plant collections. A handbook of best practice. Edinburgh, Scotland: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 48 pp.
1999
Gardner MF, Thomas P, Lara A & Escobar B. (1999) Fitzroya cupressoides. Curtis's Botanical Magazine 16(3):229-240.
Mill RR & Thomas P (1999) Plant portraits: 370. Falcatifolium taxoides. Curtis's Botanical Magazine 16(3):199-211.
1998
Allnutt T, Thomas P, Newton AC & Gardner MF. (1998) Genetic variation in Fitzroya cupressoides cultivated in the British Isles, assessed using RAPDS. Edin. J. Bot. 55(3):329-341.
- Committees
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Coordinator IUCN Conifer Redlist Authority
- Project Websites
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