Lynn J. Gillespie

Lynn J. Gillespie is a Researcher at the Canadian Museum of Nature and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Ottawa. Her work focuses on plant systematics, with a particular emphasis on the evolutionary relationships and taxonomy of angiosperms in the Arctic, Poaceae (grasses), and Euphorbiaceae (spurges). She co-leads the International Arctic Flora of Canada Project and contributes to the North American Flora Project.

• Ph.D. in Botany, University of California, Davis (1988)
• M.Sc. in Botany, University of California, Davis (1983)
• B.Sc. with distinction in Biology, Carleton University (1978)

Gillespie’s research spans three key areas: Arctic plant biodiversity, Poaceae systematics, and Euphorbiaceae taxonomy. She integrates morphological studies with DNA sequencing to resolve species boundaries and evolutionary histories. Recent work includes phylogenomic analyses of grasses and DNA barcoding of Canadian Arctic flora.

Her scientific contributions include leadership in Arctic flora projects and collaborations with international conservation bodies like the IUCN Arctic Plant Specialist Group. She has supervised numerous graduate and undergraduate students, with thesis projects on Poaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Arctic plant evolution.

Key publications highlight her expertise in molecular phylogenetics, hybridization studies, and global grass taxonomy. Gillespie’s work has significantly advanced understanding of plant relationships in extreme environments and taxonomic clarity for economically and ecologically important species.