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Research Staff

  2. Research
  3. Research Staff
  4. Dr LOW Yee Wen

Dr LOW Yee Wen

 Image of Research, Dr LOW Yee Wen

Email Address: LOW_YEE_WEN@NPARKS.GOV.SG

 

Research Interests

My research focus is documenting the diversity of the coffee family, Rubiaceae, one of the largest plant families in tropical SE Asia, in particular the genus Gardenia and allies. Besides that, I am also interested in the taxonomy of SE Asian Bignoniaceae, and curate the collection in the Herbarium of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Apart from that, I am also an active collaborator in the Botanical Survey of Brunei Darussalam, a joint programme of the Brunei Forestry Department and NParks, and maintains a special interest in compiling characters for the spot-identification of seed plants in the Southeast Asian region.

 

Current Research and Projects

  1. Taxonomic revision of Malesian Gardenia (Rubiaceae). Results of this study are to be
    published in three parts based on phytogeographical regions, namely Sundaland, Wallacea, and Papuasia.
  2. Molecular phylogeny and classification of SE Asian Bignoniaceae, in collaboration with Prof Lúcia G. Lohmann (Sao Paulo University).
  3. Botanical Survey of Brunei Darussalam, a joint programme of the Brunei Forestry Department and NParks.
  4. Continue with the documentation of ‘spot-characters’ to provide rapid identification of Malesian seed plants.

 

Selected Publications

Joffre, A.A., A.K. Muhammad Ariffin, Y.W. Low & K.M. Wong (2015). Novitates Bruneienses, 1. A background to the botanical survey of Brunei Darussalam, and a new species of Jarandersonia (Malvaceae). Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 67(1): 51–60.

Low, Y.W. (2015). Prismatomeris khoonmengiana, a new name for the Peninsular Malaysian Coffea malayana (Rubiaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 148(1): 134–138.

Low, Y.W., A.A. Joffre & A.K. Muhammad Ariffin (2015). Novitates Bruneienses, 2. A remarkable new species of Begonia sect. Petermannia (Begoniaceae) from Brunei Darussalam. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 67(1): 61–68.

van Balgooy, M.M.J., Y.W. Low & K.M. Wong (2015). Spot-Characters for the Identification of Malesian Seed Plants: A Guide. 278 p. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo).
Wong, K.M. & Y.W. Low (2015). Novitates Bruneienses, 3. Eight new woody plants in the Brunei flora, including five new species. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 67(1): 69–84.
Wong, K.M., J.B., Sugau & Y.W. Low (2015). Adonidia dransfieldii, a threatened new palm from Sabah, Borneo. Palms 59(1): 5–14.
Wong, K.M., A.A. Joffre, Y.W. Low & A.K. Muhammad Ariffin (2015). Rainforest Plants and Flowers of Brunei Darussalam. 212 p. Forestry Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Negara Brunei Darussalam, in collaboration with National Parks Board, Singapore.
Wong, K.M., Y.W. Low, A.K. Muhammad Ariffin & A.A. Joffre (2015). Novitates Bruneienses, 4. New records in the Araliaceae, Araucariaceae, Arecaceae, Fagaceae, Musaceae and Thymelaeaceae. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 67(2): 275–287.

Low, Y.W., P.K.F. Leong, S.P. Tee, Rajesh Singh, M.L.C. Tay & K.M. Wong (2014). Margaritaria (Phyllanthaceae), a new generic record for the Singapore flora. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 66(1): 47–56.

Low, Y.W. (2013). Two new species of Sulawesi Gardenia (Rubiaceae) and notes on G. mutabilis. Systematic Botany 38 (1): 235–241. doi: 10.1600/036364413X661944

Yeoh, Y.S., C.K. Yeo, W.F. Ang & Y.W. Low (2013). Marsdenia maingayi (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a rare rainforest woody climber rediscovered in Singapore. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 65(2):241–249.

Wong, K.M. & Y.W. Low (2011). A revision of Philippine Gardenia (Rubiaceae). Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68(1): 11–32.

Wong, K.M. & Y.W. Low (2011). Hybrid zone characteristics of the natural intergeneric hybrid bamboo × Gigantocalamus malpenensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 63(1&2): 375–383.

Wong, K.M., J. Skornickova, S. Lee & Y.W. Low (eds.) (2011). Proceedings of the 8th Flora Malesiana Symposium. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 63(1&2): viii + 1–526.

Low, Y.W. (2009). Corybas villosus—some observations on the natural history of a rare and endemic Peninsular Malaysian orchid. Malesian Orchid Journal 4: 17–24.

Low, Y.W. & K.M. Wong (2009). Old hats are better: New considerations and taxonomic changes in the Southeast Asian Gardenia tubifera complex (Rubiaceae). Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 61(1): 101–128.

Sugumaran, M. & Y.W. Low (2009). The rare plants and orchid conservatory at the Rimba Ilmu Botanical Garden, Malaysia’s first university botanical garden. Malesian Orchid Journal 3: 71–88.

Low, Y.W. & K.M. Wong (2007). Two new species of Gardenia (Rubiaceae) from Borneo and notes on Gardenia pterocalyx. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 64(1): 25–36.

Wong, K.M., Y.W. Low, M.S. Zahid, A.O. Aziz, P. Lepun, M. Sugumaran & K.L. Chew (2007). Where the Rhino roams: A survey of the vegetation of the Selai area in the Endau-Rompin Park, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. Pp. 17–26. In: H. Mohamed & M. Zakaria-Ismail (eds.), The Forests and Biodiversity of Selai, Endau-Rompin. University of Malaya & Johor National Parks Corporation, Kuala Lumpur.

 

 

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