Marine Plants of the Texas Coast

Acknowledgments

xi Acknowledgments numerous individuals, groups, and institutions supported and encouraged me to complete this work. i thank and am grateful to my many students, colleagues , and friends for their assistance and participation. to all of them, too numerous to list, i offer my grateful appreciation. i want to especially thank the late ruth o’Brien (angiosperm plants), ryan fikes, Veronica Thompson, and leah rhyne (marine macroalgae) for their assistance in reviewing the manuscript and providing important insight into their respective group of plants. Valuable technical assistance was provided by hudson Deyoe, Joe Kowalski (Ut–Pan american), and Michael J. Wynne (University of Michigan ). numerous graduate and undergraduate students have assisted by testing the keys in the laboratory/field and provided an insight into how the mind perceives the sometimes technical aspects of scientific terminology and keying procedures. texas a&M University–Corpus Christi granted a sabbatical from teaching during the spring of 2011, which provided time to complete additional research and organization of the book. Professionals, specialists, or phycologists may find some information with which they do not agree. i ask only that they remember that the guide was not necessarily written for them but for students and amateur naturalists. Many thanks are due to the staff, especially shannon Davies, at texas a&M University Press, for putting this guide together. i also wish to thank the reviewers who provided thoughtful insight into the manuscript. in addition, to general editor of the Gulf Coast studies, John (Wes) tunnell Jr., who first introduced me to the coral reefs and their algae, a personal thank you. i also wish to thank my wife, robbie, who has spent the last 40 years keeping me company as i collected algae and other plants in the United states and Mexico. in addition to taking photographs, pressing plants, and proofreading the manuscript, she has provided friendship, enthusiasm, and joyful encouragement throughout this endeavor. Marine Plants of the texas Coast ...