The joint recipients of the 2020 IW Bailey award are Dr Joyce Chery (Cornell University, USA) and PhD Candidate Israel Lopes da Cunha Neto (University of São Paulo, Brazil) awarded for their paper entitled:
Wood anatomy of the neotropical liana lineage Paullinia L. (Sapindaceae)
IAWA Journal 41 (3), 2020: 278–300. DOI: 10.1163/22941932-bja10027.
This year is the first time for awardees from the Americas and the first joint award.

Joyce Chery, USA (left),Israel Lopes da Cunha Neto, Brazil (right)
The judges commented:
“This is a beautifully executed and illustrated study on the fascinating subject of wood anatomy in lianas. It demonstrates well how classical approaches that start with the collection of specimens, preparation of thin sections, and observation of wood anatomy are very important and provide key information on both the systematic relationship and biology of woody plants. In this case, the authors show that the wood anatomy of Paulinia is likely the result of combined phylogenetic and functional constraints. We also really appreciated the fact that they applied for a joint nomination and have explained how their collaboration came to be: in addition to being a very sound study their work highlights the positive results of collaboration in science.”
“Chery & Cunha Neto have studied the fascinating wood anatomy in the lianescent Paulinia clade of the Sapindaceae family. They tease apart the functionally adaptive syndrome typical of the climbing habit in tropical lianas, and the phylogenetically conserved features typical of the entire Sapindaceae, which mainly consist of trees and erect shrubs. Chery and Cunha Neto had independently embarked on the study of Paulinia stem anatomy at Cornell and USP, São Paulo, respectively. It is to their great credit, that after finding this, they pooled their data and produced this joint paper, which will stand as an important monograph, as well as an innovative study of the functional significance of cambial variants in tropical lianas.”
From 2014 onwards, the IW Bailey Award is presented annually for the best original or review paper submitted to the IAWA Journal by a PhD candidate or postdoc who has completed her/his PhD no longer than five years since the submission of her/his manuscript. All subject matters published in the IAWA Journal are eligible: wood, bark, palm, bamboo, and rattan anatomy and ultrastructure, preferably linked to other fields such as, for instance, plant physiology, ecology, tree biology, pathology and decay, plant systematics and phylogeny, paleobotany, climatology, archaeobotany, wood
properties, biomechanics, and wood culture. The Award consists of a certificate and €1000, sponsored by Brill Publishers.
We also thank the judges of this years award, Carmen Marcati, Pieter Baas, Yoon Soo Kim and Anne-Laure Decombeix for their time and effort.
Editors in Chief – IAWA Journal