NEWSLETTER No -70 MARCH 1992

AlAstraliaYJ S~stematic · · . BotaVl~ 5ociet~ . NEWSLETTER No -70 MARCH 1992 Dodonaea heteromorpha West . Price: $5.00 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. NBH 8068 ~ . , ISSN 1034-1218 AUSTRALIAN SYSTEMATIC BOTANY SOCIETY INCORPORATED . Office Bearers Pre~ide-nt Dr J.G. West Australian National Herbarium GPO ~Box 1600 CANBERRAACT2601 - Tel (06) 246 5113 Fax (06) 246 5000 Vice Pr-esident Secretary-~ Treasurer Dr G.P. Guymer Dr B.J. Conn Dr D.B. Foreman Queensland Herbarium National Herbarium of NSW · National Herbarium of Victoria Meiers Road Mrs Macquaries Road Birdwood Avenue INDOOROOPILLY QLJ:) 4068 SYDNEY NSW 2000 . SOU'I;H YARRAVIC3141 Tel (07) 377 9320 - Tel (02) 231 8131 Tel (03) 655 23oo Fax-(07) 870 327§ Fax (02) 251 4403 Fax (03) 650 5917 Councillors Dr J.A. Chappill Dr J.M. Powell DepartmentofBotany National Herbarium of NSW University of Western Australia Mrs MadJQaries Road NEDLANDS WA 6009 .SYDNEY NSW 2000" _'Tel (09) 380 2212 · Tel (02) 2:U 8135t . Fax (09) 380 1001, · FaJS (02) 251 4403 _ Affiliated So~iety ·Papua New Guinea Botanical Society Australian Botanical Liais-on Officer Dr P.S. Short Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Richmond, s'urrey. TW9 JAB. ENGLAND. Tel 44-81-940-1171 Fax 44-81C::B2-5278 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 70 (March 1992) 1 EDITORIAL It seems to me that systematics is at a cross slide, if not reverse the trend entirely. roads. During most of this century, taxonomy has There have been a couple of recent publications been on the decline from its pre-eminent position in discussing the details of these issues that are worth the biology of the previous two centuries. This has drawing to your attention. The first is in the Febru been true for the public perception of the impor ary 1992 issue (Volume 23:1) of the Bulletin of the tance of systematics within biology (since it now British Ecological Society. The paper by P.J. has to compete with genetics, physiology and Edwards and D.W.H. Walton (pp. 17-26) is enti ecology for attention), and is also true for its role tled "The state of taxonomy: an ecologist's view", in undergraduate teaching at universities (where it this being the scene-setting paper at the Taxonomy has deteriorated to being little more than a plant and Ecology meeting in December 1991. This identification subject). This decline has been global paper discusses the importance of taxonomy to in scale, although it has been particularly prevalent ecology, and highlights the current extremely in Great Britain and the United States of America. serious plight of taxonomic teaching in Britain. It Australia has clearly tended to follow the same considers the causes of this situation, presents evi line, although the trend is more recent. dence to support these claims, and then predicts an It therefore seems to be important that syste even more depressing future. It ends with a matics actively attempts to regain its place as the warning to all professional scientific societies con discipline that unites all of the other areas of cerning the need to monitor their own health, if biology. This central role stems from the fact that they are not to end up in the same situation. systematics makes use of the data provided by all The second, more compendious and more local of the other biological disciplines, as well as from discussion of the issues is in the March 1992 issue the fact that it provides the phylogenetic framewmk (Volume 5:1) of the Australian Biologist (from the within which these data are interpreted. Australian Institute of Biology). This volume con In order for this to happen, two things must tains the proceedings of the symposium in Novem change:- the public perception of taxonomy; and ber 1991 on Australia's Biota and the National the undergraduate teaching of it. The public per Interest- The Role of Biological Collections. ception can only change by active persuasion on There are eleven papers, five workshop summar the part of taxonomists. This applies· particularly to ies, plus the foreword and opening address. raising the public profile of the discipline, as well From the professional point of view, the most as to emphasizing its valuable role in modem relevant papers are "Australia's biological collec society. The undergraduate teaching can only tions and those who use them" (B.J. Richardson change by presenting systematics as a modem and A.M. McKenzie, pp. 19-30), "Professional scientific study of intrinsic and practical interest in training and recruitment in systematics" (P.Y. its own right, rather than as merely an aid to identi Ladiges, pp. 76-79), and "The funding base for fication. Australia's biological collections" (J.A. Annstrong, One of the more obvious attacks on the first of pp. 80-88); while "Ecology and conservation: the these problems has been the current interest in bio role of biological collections" (D.G. Green, pp. diversity. In the past few years, the focus of con 48-56) and "Collections and conservation: a case servation groups has changed from the study" (A. I. Keto, pp. 57-67) push the current rel conservation of individual species (usually those evance. However, everyone should read the entire considered to be rare and endangered) to larger issue. issues, notably the species composition of whole The recent Fenner Conference on the National communities (usually under the tenn biodiversity). Biodiversity Strategy, is another example of the Many taxonomists have jumped on this band current diversity-related activity. It is probably sig wagon, quite rightly pointing out that no estimate nificant to note that it was the Ecological Society of of biodiversity is possible without sound taxo Australia that was invited by the Australian nomic data. Almost everyone reconizes this fact, Academy of Science to hold this conference. As in and systematists therefore have a golden opportu Britain, we may be faced with the very real possi nity to promote their own cause. If we can con bility that it is largely the ecologists who do the vince the sociological, economic, and political most to promote the cause of systematics, rather decision-makers that we and our work are of some than the taxonomists themselves. immediate practical significance (in addition to our long-tenn usefulness), then we can at least stop the David Morrison 2 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 70 (March 1992) ARTICLES Memories of J.M. Black Compiled by W.R. Barker State Herbarium of South Australia Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Introduction Shirley Clissold have been involved for many years in editing the writings of J.M. Black, resulting in The 27 November 1991 meeting of the Ade the publication of the Memoirs ofJohn McConnell laide Chapter of ASBS (held in the State Herbar Black in 1971 and then in two volumes covering ium in the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide) was the first eight of his diaries, with one more volume dedicated to the South Australian botanist John to come. McConnell Black, who died 40 years ago. It was The Diaries of J M. Black appear not to have attended by three grand-daughters of J.M. Black: been widely publicised. Copies are available Mrs Helen Poole, who was daughter of Gladstone through the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. They are fanner George McConnell Black; Mrs Shirley Clis a detailed insight into Black's view of life in the sold, the daughter of mining engineer Arnold family and the community. The third part, covering Barham Black at Broken Hill; and Ms Marjorie almost all of his botanical life, is currently being Andrew, the daughter from the marriage of Clara worked up as the final part of the Diaries. Denford Black and one who shared J.M. Black's In October 1991 I made contact with Dr Roger passion for botany, Horace Walpole Andrew. Foster Black, grandson through his medico father Enid Robertson introduced the night's pro Eustace Couper Black, and for many years a plant ceedings with her memories of "J.M.B." and her ecologist in Western Australia. He shares the admi views of him as a plant taxonomist. Enid is one of ration of his cousins for their grandfather, remem the few systematic botanists active today who bering an early 1950 job during the long vacation worked with J.M. Black. Black was "one of those during his science degree at the University of few people who stand out in one's lifetime". She Sydney. He helped J.M.B. dissect specimens for knew him from 1947 to his death in 1951, consult the revised second edition of the Flora of South ing him on difficult determinations in her position Australia. This was rendered difficult by the exces of Weeds Adviser to the Department of Agriculture sive power of the microscope. He described the and Systematic Botanist at the Waite Agricultural shaky hands which plunged the needle into the Research Institute, taken up when Constance composite flower at just the right instance - the Eardley went on sabbatical. result of many years' practice. Enid's talk is not reproduced here. It is similar During the evening Shirley Clissold and Helen to the one she presented to the dinner on 21 July Poole told of their regular though infrequent visits 1978 marking the publication of the third edition of to Brougham Place from the country. J.M.B. read Part 1 of Black's Flora of South Australia. This to them from his high-armed wing chair. They talk was published in the Newsletter in 1978 (see confirmed many of Marjorie's childhood memo below). ries. As children all thought him to be very poor, To fete Black's systematic contribution we Shirley telling the tale of asking her grandmother have reproduced an edited version of the obituary for a stamp for a letter home.

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