About Rhodora
RHODORA is a peer-reviewed journal of botany devoted primarily to the flora of North America. Monographs or scientific papers and notes concerned with biogeography, conservation biology, ecology, evolution, floristics, paleobotany, population genetics and systematics of the flora of North America or floristically related areas will be considered.
RHODORA has been in continuous publication since 1899. It is issued four times per year and is abstracted and/or indexed in Biological Abstracts and Web of Science.
Dr. Melanie Schori is the appointed Editor-in-Chief and Abigail Christian is Managing Editor. All manuscripts must be submitted via Scholastica. (Please note that Scholastica has a $10 submission fee.)
Editorial Board
Instructions for Authors
Current and Archived Issues
Rhodora seeks the following submission types:
Research Articles report on original research and have no restrictions on length. They include an abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion (though sections can be combined with prior approval from the editor) and may include taxonomic treatments. The intended audience includes professional botanists, educators, conservation biologists, and serious amateurs. Articles are assigned to an Associate Editor on the editorial board and peer-reviewed by two external reviewers.
Featured Reviews describe current topics of broad botanical interest, particularly in areas that have had a significant body of research conducted in recent decades. The reviews (no more than 15,000 words) must synthesize key literature, highlight significant insights that can lead to a better understanding of the topic, and recommend areas for future research that would advance the field. Submissions are peer-reviewed by two reviewers and the Editor-in-Chief. Before preparing a review, please submit a one-page proposal to the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected].
- "Climate Change, Managed Relocation, and the Risk of Intra-Continental Plant Invasions: A Theoretical and Empirical Exploration Relative To the Flora of New England" by Jesse Bellemare, Bryan Connolly, and Dov F. Sax. The Featured Review is published in Rhodora 119, No. 978 (2017):73–109 and is available open access and free of charge here.
- "Floristic Change in New England and New York: Regional Patterns of Plant Species Loss and Decline" by Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, Glen Mittelhauser, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, and Richard B. Primack. The Featured Review is published in Rhodora 121, No. 985 (2019):1-36 and is available open access and free of charge here.
- "Common Garden Experiments as a Dynamic Tool for Ecological Studies of Alpine Plants and Communities in Northeastern North America" by Kevin Berend, Kristen Haynes, and Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie. The Featured Review is published in Rhodora Vol. 121, No. 987 (2019):174-212 and is available open access and free of charge here.
Notes/New England Notes feature short contributions (generally no more than 1500 words, not including references) that augment a recent publication or contribute to our knowledge of the flora. While these papers do not typically contribute new experimental data, they must have the scientific merit of research papers and include references to pertinent literature and a discussion of scientific significance. Voucher collections should be cited, where appropriate. Abstracts, keywords, or sections such as "Materials and Methods" or "Results" are not included, but other guidelines for research articles should be followed. Notes/New England Notes are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor Dr. Lisa Standley and may be reviewed by an external reviewer as needed.
The Botanists' Corner section is devoted to short, informal communications (approximately 500 words) of interest to botanists, such as news or status of botanical projects, updates on nomenclatural changes, notes on professional practice (e.g., herbaria, collecting, data analysis), and observations on plant phenology, morphology, pollinators, range extensions, and so on. Any reference list should be kept brief. Research results or reports on new regional or state records are more substantial papers and should be submitted as Notes/New England Notes. Submissions are reviewed by Associate Editor Dr. Lisa Standley.
Book Reviews (700 to 1500 words) offer critical evaluations of recently published works relevant to the field of botany. Reviews summarize the book's contents, assess the effectiveness of the author's arguments, compare the book with others on the topic, and describe the book's strengths, possible shortcomings, and potential audiences. Reviews should include the book's full title, author(s) and editor(s), publisher information, number of pages, price, ISBN, cover image, and binding; literature cited may be included but should be brief. Book reviews are accepted on an ongoing basis; interested reviewers may also email the Editor-in-Chief for a list of available publications or with book suggestions.
