Alastair Robinson

Dr. Alastair S. Robinson (born 1980) is a British-American taxonomist and field botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Robinson published the first paleogeographical evidence for the radiative speciation of an enigmatic group of ultramafic Philippine and Malaysian Nepenthes from a common ancestor on the island of Borneo.

In 2007, Robinson co-discovered the giant Palawan pitcher plant, Nepenthes attenboroughii, for which he authored the formal description and diagnosis. This species was the largest-pitchered Nepenthes discovered since the identification of Nepenthes rajah on Borneo in 1858.

Robinson received his B.Sc. from University College London and his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge for research into the molecular control mechanisms of spatio-temporal cell-development in plants. Specialisms include stapeliads (Apocynaceae), terrestrial orchids, ecology and conservation biology, which he has studied in southern Europe, Tanzania, Borneo and the Philippines.

Works of interest include the 2009 treatment of Nepenthes and Cephalotus, Pitcher Plants of the Old World (two volumes), for which he was contributor and principal editor, the authorship of the Indochina and New Guinea sections of New Nepenthes: Volume One (2011), and a range of field guides published during 2012.

Robinson is brother to Hollywood screen actress, Zuleikha Robinson.

Publications

 * Cross, A., 2012. (editor) Aldrovanda - The Waterwheel Plant. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * Bourke, G., R. Nunn, 2012. (editor) Australian Carnivorous Plants. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., A.S. Robinson, 2012. (co-author & editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Australia and New Guinea. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., A.S. Robinson, 2012. (co-author & editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Peninsular Malaysia and Indochina. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., A.S. Robinson, 2012. (co-author & editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sumatra and Java. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., A.S. Robinson, 2012. (co-author & editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Borneo. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., A.S. Robinson, 2012. (co-author & editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sulawesi. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * Robinson, A.S., J. Nerz, A. Wistuba, M. Mansur & S. McPherson, 2011. Nepenthes lamii Jebb & Cheek, an emended description resulting from the separation of a two-species complex, and the introduction of Nepenthes monticola, a new species of highland Nepenthes from New Guinea. In: S.R. McPherson New Nepenthes: Volume One. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 477–512.
 * Robinson, A.S., J. Nerz, & A. Wistuba, 2011. Nepenthes epiphytica, a new Pitcher Plant from East Kalimantan. In: S.R. McPherson New Nepenthes: Volume One. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 316–331.
 * Mey, F.S., L.H. Truong, D.V. Dai & A.S. Robinson, 2011. Nepenthes thorelii, an emended description and novel ecological data resulting from its rediscovery in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. In: S.R. McPherson New Nepenthes: Volume One. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 437–465.
 * McPherson, S., 2011. (editor) New Nepenthes: Volume One. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., V.B. Amoroso, 2011. (editor) Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of the Philippines. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * McPherson, S., G. Bourke, J. Cervancia, M. Jaunzems, E. Gironella, A. Robinson & A. Fleischmann 2011. Nepenthes leonardoi (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Palawan, Philippines. Carniflora Australis 8(1): 4–19.
 * Fleischmann, A., A.S. Robinson, S. McPherson, V. Heinrich, E. Gironella & D.A. Madulid 2011. Blumea 56(1): 10–15.
 * McPherson, S.R., Fleischmann, A.S., Robinson, A.S., 2010. Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats Volume 1. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK, 723 pages.
 * McPherson, S.R., Fleischmann, A.S., Robinson, A.S., 2010. Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK, 719 pages.
 * Mey, F.S., M. Catalano, C. Clarke, A. Robinson, A. Fleischmann & S. McPherson 2010. In: S.R. McPherson Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats. Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 1306–1331.
 * McPherson, S., J. Cervancia, C. Lee, M. Jaunzems, A. Fleischmann, F. Mey, E. Gironella & A. Robinson, 2010. Nepenthes palawanensis (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Sultan Peak, Palawan Island, Philippines. In: S.R. McPherson Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole. pp. 1332–1339.
 * McPherson, S., J. Cervancia, C. Lee, M. Jaunzems, A. Fleischmann, F. Mey, E. Gironella & A. Robinson, 2010. Nepenthes gantungensis (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Mount Gantung, Palawan, Philippines. In: S.R. McPherson Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole. pp. 1286–1295.
 * Robinson, AS, et al., 2009. A spectacular new species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) pitcher plant from central Palawan, Philippines. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 159(2): 195–202.
 * McPherson, SR, Robinson, AS, Fleischmann, AS, 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World Volume 1. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK, 630 pages.
 * McPherson, SR, Robinson, AS, Fleischmann, AS, 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, UK, 766 pages.
 * de Jager, SM, Scofield, S, Huntley, RP, Robinson, AS, et al., 2009. Dissecting regulatory pathways of G1/S control in Arabidopsis: common and distinct targets of CYCD3;1, E2Fa and E2Fc. Plant Molecular Biology. 71(4-5): 345–365.
 * Mey, FS, 2009. (editor) Nepenthes bokorensis, a new species of Nepenthaceae from Cambodia. Carniflora Australis 7(1): 6–15.
 * Heinrich, VB, McPherson, SR, Gronemeyer, T, Amoroso, VB, 2009. (editor) Nepenthes micramphora (Nepenthaceae), a new species of Nepenthes L. from southern Mindanao, Philippines. PPOW 2: 1314-1319, Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * Striffler, BF, Rembold, K, 2009. (editor) Henriksenia labuanica nom. nov., a replacement name for Misumenops nepenthicola Bristowe (1930) and clarification of the current taxonomic status of Misumenops nepenthicola Fage (1928) (Arachnida, Araneae, Thomisidae). PPOW 2: 1334-1337, Redfern Natural History Productions, UK.
 * Robinson, A. 1997. Malaysia Trip 1996. The Carnivorous Plant Society Journal 20: 6–17.