"gigantopterid" = an English noun describing large leaves with complex reticulate venation resembling the Cathaysian fossil seed plant genus Gigantopteris and North American genus Delnortea of the Permian Period, 260 million years ago"

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[ John M. Miller, Ph.D., Botanist ]


John is a plant systematist and paleobotanist with nearly 30 years experience, including research and college-level teaching and international botanical consulting in the private sector. His scientific research papers appear in refereed, international journals covering the disciplines of biochemistry, botany, geology, paleontology, and systematics of flowering plants including a recent monograph with his major Professor, K. L. Chambers on the genus Claytonia. Dr. Miller’s current project is the origin of flowering plants and vicariance paleobiogeography of harmonic floras of Australasia and the southwest Pacific. A member of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Botanical Society of America (Paleobotanical and Systematics Sections), and California Botanical Society, John is currently a volunteer for the Jepson and University of California herbaria and University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP).

Professional References:

William Allan, Principal, Analytical Environmental Services (916-447-3479); Paul Whitefield, U. S. National Park Service (928-526-1157); Kenton L. Chambers, Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University (541-737-4106); Peter H. Raven, President, Missouri Botanical Garden and Member of the National Academy of Sciences (314-577-5111).

Education:

  • Doctorate (Ph.D.), Oregon State University, 1978; major in botany and plant pathology; minor in plant physiology and biochemistry (Kenton L. Chambers, major professor)

  • Master’s degree (M. S.), Oregon State University, 1975; major in botany and plant pathology; minor in plant physiology and biochemistry

  • Bachelor’s degree (A. B.), Humboldt State University, 1973; major in botany

  • Associate of Arts degree (A. A.), Moorpark College, 1971; major in forestry

Professional Affiliations:

  • Botanical Society of America (Paleobotanical and Systematics Sections)

  • American Society of Plant Taxonomists

  • California Botanical Society

EXPERIENCE:

  • 1989-2006, Consulting Botanist.

  • 1996-1999, West Valley Community College (part-time Instructor of Biology; taught Introduction to Plant Biology).

  • 1985-1988, University of the South Pacific, Suva, FIJI ISLANDS (Lecturer I and Honorary Herbarium Curator, South Pacific Regional Herbarium; taught conservation biology, plant physiology, population biology, and plant biology, curated the herbarium, chaired the Vice-chancellor’s Landscape and Botanical Garden subcommittee, performed research sponsored by the National Geographic Society). Served on the Australian Development Assistance Bureau's Fiji Hardwood Reforestation Evaluation Team to assist the Australian government in their evaluation of a Fiji Department of Forestry proposal for international aid to cultivate Mexican mahogany and other hardwoods in commercial plantations on the islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Fiji.

  • 1979-1984, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas (Assistant Professor of Biology; taught general botany, plant morphology, paleobotany, plant physiology; performed research sponsored by the National Science Foundation; member of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute Board of Scientists in 1983).

  • 1978-1979, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C., CANADA (Post-doctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Bruce Bohm; performed research on the systematics of Leptarrhena and Saxifraga with focus on flavonoid isolation, structural elucidation, and chemotaxonomy).

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY EXPERIENCE:

  • Monitor of the population of Tahoe draba on USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit lands, Alpine and El Dorado counties, California and Douglas County, Nevada.  Dates of Service 1999-2003. Botanist who was responsible for the long-term monitoring of Draba asterophora var. asterophora transplant sites in the Heavenly Ski Resort Special Use Permit forest lands of the Carson Range. Discoverer of the Monument Peak population of Tahoe draba.

  • Botanist who prepared the recovery plan for several Monterey Bay area federally listed species including the robust spine flower, Monterey Bay spine flower, Scott's valley spine flower, and the sand gilia.

  • Discoverer of a new population of the Mariposa pussypaws (Cistanthe pulchella), Hoover's eriastrum (Eriastrum hooveri [with Glen Clifton]), and the Mount Diablo fairy lantern (Calochortus pulchellus [with Tim Armstrong]).

  • Provided coordination and leadership that established a botanical garden on the grounds of the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji in 1988.

  • Botanical and phytochemical studies of the Purple-spined Hedgehog Cactus, Washington County, Utah. Private consultant to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service Region 6 team who evaluated populations of hedgehog cactus in the Dixie Corridor of southeastern Utah.

Publications in Refereed International Journals:

    Miller, J. M. and K. L. Chambers. 2006. Systematics of Claytonia (Portulacaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 78: 1-236.

    Kelley, W. A., J. M. Miller and J. G. Packer.  2003. Cistanthe in Flora of North America V. 4, 460-464. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Miller, J. M.  2003.  Claytonia in Flora of North America V. 4, 465-475. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Miller, J. M.  2003.  Montia in Flora of North America V. 4, 485-488. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Miller, J. M. and S. Sotheeswaran.  1993.  Bud exudate composition and ecogeography of Fijian Gardenia species.  Biotropica 25(1): 117-122.

    Miller, J. M. and K. L. Chambers.  1993.  Nomenclatural changes and new taxa in Claytonia (Portulacaceae) in western North America.  Novon 3(3): 268-273.

    Davies, N. W., J. M. Miller, R. Naidu, and S. Sotheeswaran.  1992.  Triterpenoids in bud exudates of Fijian Gardenia species.  Phytochemistry 31(1): 159-162.

    Miller, J. M.   1992.  In: Noteworthy Collections.  Madroño 39(3).

    Miller, J. M., R. Naidu, and S. Sotheeswaran.  1989.  Unusual flavonols from bud exudates of Fijian Gardenia species (Rubiaceae).  Indian Journal of Chemistry 28B: 1093-1095.

    Miller, J. M.  1989.  The archaic flowering plant family Degeneriaceae:  Its bearing on an old enigma.  National Geographic Research 5(2): 218-231.

    Miller, J. M.  1988.  Floral pigments and phylogeny in Echinocereus  (Cactaceae). Systematic Botany 13(2): 173-183.

    Miller, J. M.  1988.  A new species of Degeneria (Degeneriaceae) from the Fiji archipelago.  Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 69: 275-280.

    Mamay, S., J. M. Miller, D. Rohr, and W. Stein.  1988.  Foliar morphology and anatomy of the gigantopterid plant Delnortea abbottiae from the Lower Permian of West Texas.  American Journal of Botany 75(9): 1409-1433.

    Miller, J. M., R. Naidu, S. Sotheeswaran, and W. Kraus. 1987.  Methoxylated flavonols from two Fijian Gardenia species.  South Pacific Journal of Natural Sciences 9: 31-39.

    Rohr, D. M., R. A. Davis, S. H. Mamay, and J. M. Miller. 1987. Leonardian plant-bearing beds from the Del Norte Mountains, West Texas. SEPM Guidebook 87-27, The Leonardian Facies in W. Texas and S.E. New Mexico and Guidebook to the Glass Mountains West Texas.

    Miller, J. M. and R. A. Backhaus.  1986.  Rubber content in diploid guayule (Parthenium argentatum): chromosomes, rubber variation, and implications for economic use.  Economic Botany 40(3): 366-374.

    Miller, J. M.  1986.  Phytogeography and potential economic use of the guayule rubber plant on Chihuahuan Desert limestone geologic formations.  Journal of Arid Environments 10: 153-162.

    Rohr, D. M., A. J. Boucot, J. Miller, and M. Abbott.  1986.  Oldest termite nest from the Upper Cretaceous of west Texas.  Geology 14: 87-88.

    Rohr, D. M., A. J. Boucot, J. Miller, and M. Abbott. 1986. Oldest evidence of wood damage by termites from the Upper Cretaceous of west Texas. Pp. 139-140 In: Paul H. Pause and R. Gay Spears (eds.) Geology of the Big Bend Area and Solitario Dome, Texas SEPM Guidebook 86-82.

    Mamay, S. H., J. M. Miller, and D. M. Rohr.  1986.  Delnortea: A new genus of Permian plants from West Texas.  Phytologia 60(5): 345-346.

    Mamay, S. H., J. M. Miller, and D. M. Rohr.  1984.  Late Leonardian plants from West Texas:  the youngest Paleozoic plant megafossils in North America.  Science: 223: 279-281.

    Miller, J. M., K. L. Chambers, and C. E. Fellows.  1984.  Cytogeographic patterns and relationships in the Claytonia sibirica complex.  Systematic Botany 9: 266-271.

    Bohm, B. G., U. G. Bhat, and J. M. Miller.  1984.  Further studies of flavonoids in Saxifraga.  Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 12(4): 367-368.

    Miller, J. M.  1984.  Chromosome numbers and cytogeographic patterns in Claytonia perfoliata and Claytonia parviflora (Portulacaceae).  Madroño 31: 60-61.

    Miller, J. M. and B. A. Bohm.  1982.  Flavonol and dihydroflavonol glycosides of Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. gurneyi.  Phytochemistry 21(4): 951-952.

    Leuck, E. E. and J. M. Miller.  1982.  Pollination biology and chemotaxonomy of the Echniocereus viridiflorus complex (Cactaceae).  American Journal of Botany 69(10): 1669-1672.

    Breckenridge, F. G. and J. M. Miller.  1982.  Pollination biology, distribution, and chemotaxonomy of the Echinocereus enneacanthus complex (Cactaceae).  Systematic Botany 7(4): 365-378.

    Miller, J. M.  1981.  Flavonol glycoside variation in diploids of the Claytonia perfoliata complex.  Systematic Botany 6: 27-30.

    Miller, J. M.  and B. A. Bohm.  1980.  Flavonoid variation in some North American Saxifraga species.  Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 8: 279-284.

    Miller, J. M.  and B. A. Bohm.  1979.  Flavonoids of Leptarrhena pyrolifolia. Phytochemistry 18: 1412-1413.

    Miller, J. M.  1978.  Diploid Claytonia perfoliata  from southern México.  Madroño 25: 57-58.

    Miller, J. M.  1978.  Phenotypic variation, distribution, and relationships of diploid and tetraploid populations of the Claytonia perfoliata complex.  Systematic Botany 3: 322-341.

    Miller, J. M.  and K. L. Chambers.  1977.  Chromosome numbers and relationships of Claytonia saxosa and Claytonia arenicola.  Madroño 24: 6263.

    Miller, J. M.  1976.  Variation in populations of Claytonia perfoliata s.l. (Portulacaceae). Systematic Botany 1: 2034.

    Miller, J. M.  1975.  In: IOPB Chromosome Number Reports XLIX.  Taxon 24(4): 501-516.

Theses:

    Phenotypic Variation in Diploids of the Claytonia perfoliata  Complex (Portulacaceae).  Ph.D. Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

    Polymorphic, Sympatric Flavonoid Variants of Claytonia perfoliata  from the Columbia River Gorge. Master's Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Awards and Honors:

Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor, Ventura County Council, Boy Scouts of America.

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