Professor Ralph E. Taggart

The Redwood Family (Taxodiaceae*) contains perhaps 10 genera and 15 species, all of which have a limited distribution, primarily in North America and East Asia, in today's world. During the Tertiary, most of these genera could be found in North America.

The story, past and present, of the North American redwoods spans almost two centuries of exploration and botanical research. The redwood story also has a significant personal dimension to me, for it is the subject that first engaged me in the study of fossil plants. During my freshman year in High School, I read a fascinating book by the naturalist, Willy Ley. The book was titled Dragons in Amber and contained a chapter on the fossil and botanical history of redwoods, including what was then the relatively recent discovery of the "Dawn Redwood" in China. I was captivated by the story and, not knowing any better, I sat down and wrote letters to two individuals who were noted in Ley's book - Dr. George Avery, the Director of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and Dr. Ralph W. Chaney, a paleobotanist from the University of California at Berkeley. I timidly asked Avery if it might be possible to obtain some cuttings from the Dawn Redwoods growing at the Botanical Garden. He not only provided cuttings, he invited me to the Gardens for lunch and set up a tour! Ralph W. Chaney sent me numerous reprints regarding the Dawn Redwood and several fossil specimens, encouraging me to keep up my interest in the subject! Later, while still in High School, I wrote a major paper on the role of the Dawn Redwood in Tertiary paleobotany, which won an award in the National Science Achievement Awards for Students. Whatever modest success I have had in my own research career, it started with two prominent and busy scientists who took the time to answer a letter from a freshman in High School!

The links below will take you through a very brief outline of the fascinating story of redwoods:

* Some current treatments, including the Flora of North America, absorb the Taxodiaceae into the Cupressaceae (cypress family).