Dr. W. John Kress, senior professor of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, USA, and executive chairman of Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), paid a week-long visit to XTBG during November 12-17, at the invitation of Prof. Dr. Li Qingjun.

Dr. Kress delivered a lecture entitled “Co-evolution in Caribbean: from generalization to specialization in a Heliconia-Hummingbird pollination system” on November 13.

Dr. Chen Jin, XTBG director and founding chairman of ATBC Asian Chapter, met with Dr. John Kress. They had discussion on further and deeper cooperation between the two sides. They also talked topics of common concern such as the inauguration of ATBC Asian Chapter electronic journal, preparation of the 5^th International Symposium on the Family Zingiberaceae, etc.

Related scientists accompanied Dr. John Kress a field tour to the 20-ha tropical forest dynamics plot. Dr. Kress put forward valuable advice for the plot management, including erecting living plants herbarium, and molecular barcoding in plants, etc. He also showed interest in having studies at the plot in the future.

Prof. Dr. W. John Kress, a world renowned scientist of botanical system and evolution biology, has been keeping good cooperation ties with XTBG since 1995. He was invited by XTBG as the first overseas consulting expert in 2003.