AV1stval iaVJ S~stematic BotaVJ~ Societ~ NEWSLETTER No. 7 4 MARCH 1993
Price: $5. 00 Registered by Australia Post Publication No . NBH 8068 ISSN 1034-1218 AUSTRALIAN SYSTEMATIC BOTANY SOCIETY INCORPORATED
Office Bearers
President
Dr M.D. Crisp Division of Botany and Zoology Australian National University GPO Box 4 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Tel (06) 249 2882 Fax (06) 249 5573 Email [email protected]
Vice President Secretary Treasurer
Dr J.A. Chappill Dr C. Puttock Dr P.G. Wilson Department of Botany Australian Nation al Herbarium National Herbarium of NSW University of Western Australia GPO Box 1600 Mrs Macquaries Road NEDLANDS WA 6009 CANBERRA ACT 2601 SYDNEY NSW 2000 Tel (09) 380 2212 Tel (02) 246 5523 Tel (02) 23 1 8158 Fax (09) 380 1001 Fax (02)246 5249 Fax (02) 251 4403
Councillors
Dr T. Entwisle Dr J. Clarkson National Herbarium of Victoria Queensland Herbarium Birdwood Avenue P.O. Box 1054 SOUTH YARRA VIC 3141 MAREEBA QLD 4880 Tel (03) 655 2313 Tel (070) 92 1555 Fax (03) 655 2350 Fax (070) 92 3593
Affiliated Society
Papua New Guinea Botanical Society
Australian Botanical Liaison Officer
Dr P.H. Weston Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Richmond, Surrey. TW9 3AB. ENGLAND. Tel44-81-940-1171 Fax 44-81-332-5278 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc~ Newsletter 74 (March 1993) i
ARTICLES l Darnpiera fusee (Goodeniaceae): An extension of -range, conservation status assessment, _c:md identification notes
S. Alstonl, G. Chandler2, H. Lawley2,· D. Martfn3, S. Podreka1, S. Ri~hmond1, M. Ryan2, N. Taws1 1 School of Resource ~ Environm~ntal Science, U~iversity of Canberra, · ·· P.O. Box 1, Belconnen. ACT. 2616 ·
2 Division of Botany & Zoology, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 4, Canberra. ACT;- 2601 · .
3 c/o Ausfralian Natioqal Botanic Gardens Herbarium, G. P.O. Box J777! Canberra. ACT. 2601 ·
Abstract ·summit ri
growth only); inflorescences usually obvi~ Gardens Herbarium. ·ously pedunculate, flowers and subtending leaves not (or only loosely) clustered along. References · stems; I~aves linear to oblong, elliptical or . lanceolate in gross out! inc Briggs, J.D. & J.H. Leigh (1988) Rare or (then. resume key as published, at couplet 3). Threatened Australian Plants. Australian · National Parks & Wildlife Service Special Pub- . Acknowledgements . Jication 14, Canberra . Carolin, R.C. (1992) 143 Ooodeniaceae: In Thanks to Ian Telford, Bob Makinsqn and Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora 'of New South Wales, Andrew Lyne for 1,ruidance with.field work and the Vol. J.l)niversity of New South Wales Press, manuscnpt; David Albrecht and Neville Wals.IJ for Kensington. infoiTI)ation on the Victorian populations; Joy Rajput, M.T.M. & R.C. Carolin (1988) The genus . Everett for comments on the keying problems; and Dampiera (Goodeniaceae): systematic arrange the directors of the National Herbaria of Victoria ment, nomenclatural notes and new taxa. andNew South Wales forth.e loanofspccimcrts. Telopea 3: 183,216. This paper was prepared as part of work per Rajput, M.T.M. & R.C. Caroiin (1992) Dampiera. formed under the 199:3 Botanical Student Intern In: Flora of Au.~tralia, Vol. 35, pp. -34-80. · ship Program of the Australian National Botanic · AGPS, Canberra: I ·.. COMMENTARY
·Celebration .of botanists' the actual date of birth? My list is only a beginning, originally based on birthdays people who 'have contributed to the study of Eucalyptus·, with.suggestions for celebrations of On 13th February 1993 a rem em brancc gatlier some forthcoming anniversaries. However, there ing was held in. the Australian National Botanic could easily be smail remembrances more reguhirly Gardens, on the 250th anniversary of the birth of -"-perhaps with acake for morning tea, or a social Joseph Banks. Short talks were given by Hon. dinner, or even a mention iu a meeting. Rae Else-Mitchell CMG, FRAHS on Banks~ the · man. and byMrOcorge Chippendale On Banks' George Chippendale contribution to botdny. People gathered ncar the 4. Raoul Pla¢e . bust of Banks.ncar the. building, and there was a Lyons, A.C.T. 2606. · large.birthdaycakc with a portrait of' Banks in the icing. Very few botanists or members of ASBS were present. I hav.y a deep interest iri the history of botanists whose heritage ofachieveme.nrwe have inherited;· NeWsletter and I have long felt that simple celebrations such as this shquld. be made highlights of our systematics In his "recent repqrt about competency ratings society. With this in mind, I suggest-the following (Newsletter 73: 16-1.7), Jeremy Bruhl drew atten people for consideration:~ tion to the important role. that ASBS plays in bring Robert Brown, b. 2 i -12-1773, d. 10-6-1858 ing together people with an interest in plant 200th anniver~ai'J' in Dec~mber this year nomenclature, whether it be of a professionalm: an Alan Cunningham, b. 13-7-1791, d.27-6-1839 · amateur nature. George Bentham, b. 22-9-1800, d. 10-9-1884 Many rpembers, like myself, are not practicing Ferdinand Mueller, b .. 30-6-1825, d. 9~ 10-1896, systematists. Such.people rarely have thetime or 170thanniversary in 1995 . the resources to keep in touch with all of the rele Joseph Henry Maiden, b. 25-4-1859, d. 16-11- vant literature, but we all like the gossip of the . 1925 . . . "births and deaths" columns in the bota.nical William Faris Blakely, b. Nov.1875, d. 1-9-19~ll nomenclature field. ASBS is the major source that · 120th aruiiversary· in 1995. Does anyone know we have to find out about what is go\ng on in this 4 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993)
. complex and ever-changing field. The Newsletter year. .is always interesting to such members, because it~ contents are eclectic and informative. However, Article 2 this forum could be used even more effectively to Morgen, Outen (1981) A re-consideration of the keep the society's members in touch. gerius Welwitschia. J. NeWfoundland Bot, 18: Here are a few alternatives, listed according to 1F13... increasing merit and editorial input. No dou~t these suggestions could be improved on. Abstract • Reproduce the contents pages of the journals of The author, having seen this plant in its habitat the various Australian herbaria and the Flora of on a two-day trip in 1961, offers a rebuttal of work Austra/iq, and list titles of important revisions done at the University of Tuscaloosa. The genus is of Australian plants published in overseasjour restored to Its previous status; The genus Pinus is nals (titles supplied by the authors) also included within it, and 1,124 new combina- • Summarize the latest nomenclatural changes in tions are made. . · the above publications, concentrating on the best-known and most widely-dispersed taxa Article 3 • Reproduce the abstracts, or summaries, of all ·· Utro, Dobra (1982) What; if anything, is a papers listing new Australian species. Some Welwitschia? J. Plagiarized Studies 8: 119~ editorial comment could be given in conten 130. tious cases. Rather than falling entirely on the editors' Abstract shoulders, each herbarium could-appoint an ASBS A middle line in Welwitschia studies is pro Newsletter officer, or perhaps the task could be a posed. Pinus is restored to its previous status, and role for regional councillors. The cost of such an 1,826 riew combinations are made. exercise should not be a deterrent, as the Newsletter would then be more of an indispensable Article 4 reference and thus more valuable to subsci'ibers, Anon. (1982) Obituary of I.M. Filer (1924-1982) although it may need to be produced more often. to Science 227; 87. avoid heavy postage costs. Perhaps. this approach would also be of interest · Abstract to practicing systematists who, with other commit Dr Filer, an editor with Biological Abstracts, ments, inay find it difficult to keep up to date. was responsible for indexing new taxonomic com~ binations. The reason for his suicide is unknown. Gabriel Cro.wley Department of Environment & Heritage Reproduced from the Journal oflrreproducible P.O. Box 2066 . ·Results 28(4): 8 (1983). Copyright by The Cairns, Old. 4870. Journal oflrreproducible Results, Inc.; reprinted with permission of Wisdom Simulators.
D.C. Speir-s I never wrote :to the authors for Canada .. reprints of the following articles ! . Article 1 Yoreggelt, Magyar ( 1980) A revision of the genus Welwitschia. J. Tuscaloosa Bot. n: 8-119. Myoporum insulare
Abstract In days gone by the boobialla This genus, formerly considered as mono- Played its fair part in rural squaller, . typic, is divided into 2 new genera, 17 species, But on home gardens casts a pallor, and 8 varieties (one of them doubtful). The study Its pruned fram diseased, sere and yellow._ was based on 25 fragmentary herbarium specimens and2 cultivated seedl_ings. The author, a graduate Graham Calcutt student, hopes to study this plant in its habitat next Who Planted That Damned Thing? AustraL Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 5
A.S.B.S. Inc. BUSINESS
surely there cannot be much· to report. However, . Fifteenth the Society has beeri very active, especially inorga nizing symposia, which are one of our main activi ties. Last A1,1gust, some of us metwith the ·General American AIBS in Hawaii; arid this year we have the current meetingon "Southern Jemperate Eco~ systems", as well as . the symposium on Meeting. "Systematics, Ecology \lnd Conservation of .the Western Australian Biota" in Perth next· September. Meanwhile, planning is well. advanced for the meeting on "Origin and Evolution .of the A ora of · Minutes of the 15th General the Monsoon Tropics" next year. It is great to see MeeUng ·that meetings are being·held in some of the inost Hob:art, Wednesday 20 January 1993 far~ flung parts of Australia (although;that depends. upon your point of view). It gives all our members University of Tasmania a chance to participate. Hobart, Tasrriani·a. · It is just as well that our Society is.meeting ·Meeting opened at .5.36 p.m. every year, because we are now forced to do so · under the neW IncQrporated As.sociations legisla-. l. Attendance: 19 members were in rcpor.t Scriven of the ·University of Adelaide $50 each was presented by Michael Crisp. · towards their registration fees, plus free member After only nine months in the)ob, f[eltthat sh,ip of the Society for one year. Council also plans Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc, N.ewsletter 74 (March 1993)
to award prizes to outstanding underg·raduate per T,hree issues have been produced since the last fonnances in plant systematics in Australian univer General Meeting (28 March 1992, Sydney). sities. This should bring us prestige, as well as Newsletter No. 71 was a larger issue (40 pages) ·encouraging the best students to continue into post- than each of numbers 72 and 73, mainly because graduate degrees in our. field of research. eleven and a half pages were dedicated to the publi Finally,. I wish to remind you of a sad event· cation of the Minutes of the 14th General Meeting which occurred duringJhe last year. We. have lost and the associated Council Meeting. Nqmber.72 one of our most long-serving and most loved had 32 pages and no. 73 had 20 pages. An index to members: Hansjoerg Eichler. It was a great blow the Newsletter volumes 31 to· 50 was also pro ~specially for us in Canberra and Adelaide, who duced. · had benefited from his freely-given ·advice and The occasional late contributions continue to encouragement. He was a principal ·mover in cause difficulties, but we have generally been able getting the Flora of Australia off the ground, and he. _to include these In the current issue, while keeping. gave special encouragcmentto students, myself (more· or less) to the publication deadline. We included. · - thank all of those people who contributed articles . Michael Crisp made the following comments for the News(etter in 1992. Most of the contribu on the Student Travel Support Scheme and the Uni tions have arrived unsolicited. versity Undergraduate Prize, in response to ques We feeltnat the wide range of topics covered tions from the Meeting. Students who were either by these articles continue to make the NeWSletter a presenting posters or making oral presentations at a very worthwhile publication for the Society. · symposium ~ould be invited to apply forfinancial However, we would like to encourage a wider support. Each. application for support would be group of members to contribute. We would also · required to· include an Abstract of the presentation. encourage people to submit a computer disk copy Council would consider all applications, to deter of their contribution. Many of the contributions that mine the appropriat~ness of the presentations to .we receive have clearly been produced on a word plant systematics. . . · processor, and yet they have to be re-typed because . At the "Southern Temperate Ecosystems" sym only a printed version is supplied -this costs the posium, sele.cted students were chosen by Council Society money, as well as slowing down the pro- from a list of participants. This infonnal arrange duction process. · ment was used because the student participants had We also wish to thank the small group of con- not been·infonned of the Scheme prior to the Sym-. . scientious helpers at NSW who assist with the posium. insertion of pamphlets into the newsletters, and The University Undergraduate Prize that is to other maifing and handling procedures. Their assis . be offered to students attending Australian Univer tance greatly reduces the- work-load of Barbara, sities would not necessarily be a financial award. It who takes responsibility for this aspect of the pro would be more likely to be a prize, such as one of duction. · our published books. The rules and procedures for operating the 7. Future activities: . Student Travel Support Scheme and the Un.iversity Robart 1993- The Meeting agreed that the Undergraduate Prize have still to be finalized. Symposium was extremely well,organized,. and that Dr Bob Hill deserved acknowledgment for his 5. Treasurer's Report: The Treasurer's report effort. Michael Crisp informed the Meeting that the was presented by David Bedford (and is included at proceedings concerned. with conifers wjll be pub ·the end of this report). lished. N. Enwright and R. Hill have agreed to edit · With consideration for the errors in the this volume. Council has offered financial support summary of receipts and payments (made by the to the publication, and expect to invest about auditor), the Meeting was asked to accept the report $2,000 in this project The Society will be a joint ·as a true statement of our financial accounts (mo~ed publisher, and copies of the publication will be T. Entwisle; seconded J. Playford); unanimously available to the membership at a reduced rate~ The agreed to by the Meeting. systematic papers from this symposium will be published in Australian Systematic Botany, as long ·6. Newsletter Editors' Report (read by Barry as they meet the standards set by this journal. Conn). Perth 1993.,- Jenny Chappill summarized the David Morrison and Barbara Wiecek have con progress made in the preparation of the tinued to be editors of the Society's Newsletter. "Systematics, Evolution and Conservation of the Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 7
Western Australian Biota" symposium for30 Sep exchange of data". Since these topics were ohly tember- 2 October 1993 .. This symposium will be preliminary suggestions, further ideas should.be held at the University of Western Australia. The sent to Dr J. Ross (Symposium Chairman of orga organizing committee is made up of: S. Hopper nizing committee). (Chairman), J. Chappill, M. Harvey, N. Marchant, K. Aplin and B. Lamont. The sec·ond advertising 8. Constitution: Michael Crisp summarized tlie flier will be circulated soon. It is plann~d that the reasons why a new Constitution is required (as out proceedings of the symposium will be published in ·. lined in Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 71: honour of Sid James and Bert Main. Surrey Beattie 21-22), and listed the major changes to the pro have been approached to publish the proceedings. posed Constitution since those mentioned in Co-publication with the Society has not been Austra{ Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 73: 6~7. settled. The volume will be available to participat Council has decided that voting by proxy at meet ing members at a reduced rate. The Society will ings is not appropriate for the Society, and this has provide $1,000 to cover operating costs, and been removed· from· the ·constitution. Althpugh $1,000 (non-refundable) is to b'e offered to selected Council finds the rules and procedures dealing with speakers to subsidize their expenses in attending the disciplining of members unpleasant, it has been the symposium. . · · . reluctantly agreed that these should remain in the · . North Oueensla.nd (July 1994) - Michael Constitution. The. Meeting expressed some·concem Crisp summarized the progress made in the prepar as to the formality of the procedures for becoming a ation of the "Or\gin and Evolution of Monsoon new member of the Society. It was agreed that the Forests" symposium for 4-6 July 1994. This sym "nomination form·" ·should be renamed ·an posium will be held at Tina roo, North Queensland. "application fonn", unless.it did not meet the The organizing committee consists of John Clarke requirements of the Act. It was agreed that the Con son, Betsy Jackes, Bernie Hyland and Elizabeth stitutional Subcommittee be given the authorit'yto ·Brown. A three-day field trip will offer an excellent consider making changes to Rule 3 in line with the opportunity to view a cross-section of tropical eco sentiments of the Meeting and in accord with th~ systems. A bryological workshop will be orga A~ . nized to ·coincide· with this symposium. It w·as agreed not to include the subscription 1995 - No conferences were planned for rate in the rules of the Constitution. 1995. Therefore Council would be interested to Since more flexibility might be required should hear.from anyone who might want to organize a a meeting need to be re-convened, it was agreed conference during th
our current arrangement. _' - Treasurer's report for the financial Carolyn Mihaich moved thai this Constitution, year ended 31 December 1992 as amended (subject to requirements of the Act, to be considered by the Constitutional Subcommittee), An audited summary of receipts and payments be put to the member~ for adoption as the Society's for the year ended 31 December 1992 accompanies new constitution (seconded P. Heyligers). Unani this report. The summary, together with a copy of mously accepted by the Meeting. this report, will be lodged with the Department of Corporate Affairs in Canberra to fulfil ~ur obliga 9. Membership Subscription Rate: Since the tions under the Act covering our incorporation in financial accounts of. the Society have shown a theA.C.T. ·deficit for thelast financial year, Council proposed that the annual subscription be raised ,to $30 Membership of. the Society: Membership (Regular Member) and $15 (Student Member). Last stands at 426 members, including '16 student year's subscriptions raised $6,750,. but our members. Newsletter costs $6,233. This only feft the Society with $517 to cover other expenses. The Accounts: Except for-particular points, I will The issue of the value of our subscription to let the accounts stand for themselves, rather than FASTS was raised by J. Playford. She suggested spelling them ou.t. There is one correction immedi that if the Society did r~ot believe that membership ately apparent, as the auditor included one payment to FASTS was of sufficient value, then this would of $1,000 to the Southern Connections Conference be one. way of reducing the expenses of the under printing instead of under seminar-speakers; Society. It W
member, our 1993 subscription will increase lo Payineni;s over $1 ;600. · Artwork 150 CSIRO journals: Many members continue to Auditors. remuneration · take their time to respond concerning CSIRO ~ Audit 660 joumal subscriptions ·at concessionary rates .Bank charges 23 through the Society. As this service takes a consid Filing fee.s 36 erable amount of the Treasmer's time, the Society General expenses 60 should consider. adding a surcharge, to ensure that Postage 779 the Society gains mat.erial benefit from this work, Piinting 6,233 ami/or consider whether this service or its adminis Publications 310 tration should be modified in some way. . Returns - Maude Gibson Trust 6o7 Assets: There is a need to improve. control over ·- WR · & RM -Barker 485 the Society's assets, consisting of'merchandise, - P Short 837 books, and newsletters. Because .the stock is of. Search. fees 10 necessitydistributed widely, iris qif:ficult forthe Seminars Treasurer to keep track of it. .After discussion with ·:- Sp~akers · 4,390 our auditor, I suggest that Cou'ricil ins.titute a new Stationery 68 system for Stock control arid stocktaking. Subscr{ption.s . 3;118 Travel and accommodation 339 Farewell: When (accepted the position of Treas Typing 116 urer; I expected to fulfil the role for some years. However, changes in my life have made iliriappro TOTAL PAYMENTS ·18, 220 priate thatl continue. I wish the new Treasurer and Council well. · --·- NET DEFICIT 4, 548) D.J. Bedford . ·Treasurer, ASBS Inc. Australian Systematic Botany Society Inc. Australian· Systematic ·sotany Balance Sheet as at · Society Inc. 3t December 1992 $tatement of Receipts and Payments for the Year En~ed . TOTAL MEMBER' S EQUITY 40,239 31 December · 1992 · Current Assets :.
Receipts Cash ~ Bank a/c cheque . 14' 178 Do.nation. to Research· Fund 522 '- Bank a/c·- research fund 2,851 rnterest received Terril Dej:>osit 10,000 - ·Cheque account· 655 Teim Deposit 1.,400 Term Deposit 902 r'nventories . - Savings account 38 Society Newsle_tters 1,537 Sales - T-shi.rts, sweat shirts, mugs 4:,778 - H~story Symposium Boqk · · 9;n -Books- Evolution Flora &.Fauna 349 \- Arid Zone Symposium Prqceedings 25 - BookS - Sys):.ematic Botany 5,147 . - .T-shirtsj sweat shirts etc 15 · Subsc·'ripticins .. to ASBS .Inc 6,750 40,239 Subscriptions CSIRO Journals 2,851 Workshop 981 Cur.rent Ll.abilities
TOTAL RECEIPTS 13,672 0 10 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993)
' ' ' I NANCY BURBIDGE MEMORIAL·. LECTURE
Vegetation change in th~ Australian Tertiary in response to climatic and phytogeographic fordng factors
Elizabeth Truswell . Australian Geological Survey Orga.nisation
Abstract ofthe Nancy BUrbidge Memorial Lecture, long way: banksias in the Eocene may record the Hobart 1993. The full paper will be published in development of sclerophylly then; and the acacias Australian Systematic Botany. ·now go back nearly as far, and were well esta- blished in the Oligocene. . . By at least the mid Miocene there was heath It is more than ten years since there were major : like vegetation established locally in coal swamps, reviews of Australian Tertiary vegetation history. under particular fire regimes. Drier rainforests, Since then, information has accrued from both pal with abundant Araucaria, seem to haye been esta ynology and plant macrofossils, such that the blished first at inland localities, perhaps because the fossil evidence must now be considered a primary Nothofagus brassospora group couldn't compete source of data for understanding the evolution of effectively under more seasonal rainfall. there may the Australian vegetation during that formative have been wet scletophylL forests in the late· period. Miocene; grassland m1d sav<,mnah seem to have· . There have been major advances, too, in become established in the late Pliocene, but their . understanding'the framework against which the his_tory is sketchy and there are no data from north fossil data must be set. For instance, there have em Australia that can be linked in a continuous way · been comprehens~ve syntheses of Austr\llian Ter~ with modem savannah vegetation. tiary geology and palaeo-environments; and there No modem analogue can be found for the enig have been improvements in understanding the tec matic Pliecene and Pleistocene daisy-rich vegeta tonic relationship between Australia and regions to tion, such as at pres.ent Lake George. The its north, and between Australia and Antarctica. · expansion of the eucalypts - probably at the The timecscales against which changes must be expense of the drier rainforests and Casuarina measured have also been refined, as has our under woodlands~ is a more recent story; and its' possi standing ofthe climatic factors affecting the conti ble links with human land-management practices is nent during that interval. a separate issue not pursued here. A broad review and evaluation of the evidence In a phytogeographic sense, examination of the currently available, using this information, shows currently-available Tertiary record re-affirms that that shifts in community dominance during the Ter the history of the Australian flora is largely one of tiary can be linked to independently established differentiation from Gondwanic stock, It does, patterns of warming and cooling, and with precipi however'"indicatc that geographic isolation of the tation changes viewed at the regional level. · Australian continent was not as extreme as plant The record now available, in spite of its limita geographers have indicated in the past. Palynologi tions, and its bias towards wet habitats, gives a cal data clearly shows that there was a degree of general picture of ·a transition from widespread interchange of taxa across sea barriers to the north, very diverse, and complexly-patterned rainforests, probably. as far back as the Early Cretaceous. To to predominantly operi vegetation. with rainforest the south, rapidly-accruing information from Ant restricted to wetter regions. The rainforest Clements arctica shows· this region to have been both a identifiable in the early Tertiary are now segregated source area and a dispersal corridor for a number of out along a latitudinal gradient in eastern Australia. taxa that now have disjunct distributions in mid to This process of opening out rriay go back a low latitudes. · Austral. Syst .. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 11
REPORTS I
the floras of Christmas, Cocos (Keeling); Macqua Australian rie and Heard Islands, Ashmore Reef, ·and the Coral Sea !~lands Territory. We hope to have it in print by the end of the financial year. Biological A new round of recruitment is currently in train, with advertisements for Scientific Editor and Resources Assistant Scientific Editor closing on 5th March. Once these appointments have been made, we expect editing to proceed smoothly on Volume 49 Study (the second of the territories volume·s, covering Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands), Volume 55 (the ·second volume dealing with lichens), and Volume 59 (the introductory volume of fungi). These are currently scheduled .for publicatfon'in early 1994, The Aora Section ofABRS has been grad\lally mid-1994, and late 1994, respectively. A number re-building its staff resources after the loss in quick of other volumes, including Volumes 2, 5, 16, 17, . sucqession of Alex George, Paul Hatters ley, arid and 33, are also being worked on as time. allows . Savita Meek late last year. As a result of the recruit The Preferred Objectives for 1994 funding ing exercise in November/December ) 992, I was under the ABRS Participatory Program were listed appointed Execu.tive Editor, Flora of Australia, and in the last issue of the Newsletter, with applications Helen Thompson was promoted to Scientific for new projects and renewals of previous ones Editor. closing on 10 April. Applicants should note that I am acutely aware of the enormous gap left in new forms have been developed for this year's the organization bY the departure of Alex George, round, with the intention of making application and of the difficulties thatl shall be facing in trying simpler. These forms are obtainable from major to carry on the project to the high standards that he herbaria, museums, and universities, or direct from developed; His immediate input to the project will ABRS. be sadly missed in many areas:·editorial standards, It will be noted that the list of plant taxa is in-depth knowledge of authors and their research longer this year than in most previous rounds. This interests, nomenclature, and much more. reflects the expanding scope of the Flora of However, he will not be allowed to escape by Australia. In its infancy, it had only flowering moving back tci Perth; as we have his phone and plants, gymnosperms, and ferns within its immedi ·fax numbers! Helen Thompson's well-deserved ate goals: However, even then, it .was envisaged promotion should greatly assist the flow of manu that eventually it would expand to include various scripts through the Flora Section. She .has been cryptogamic groups. The' lichens were the first of given special responsibility for the linaltypeseuing these groups to get underway. Substantial work has arid layout tasks of volume preparation, and she also been· done on the introductory volume of will also be our main liaisonperson with the pub Fungi. Work on the bryophyte volumes is also well lishers. advanced, and we can expect the first of these to. be In the 'last few months, we have also been for in print by perhaps late 1995. The final major tunate. enough to recruit Tracey Rand and Katy group, the algae, is now in the planning stages. We Mallett as Temporary Assistant· Scientific Editors, hope to establish a classificatory framework for to help with basic editing processes; and Jane publication of this diverse assemblage of taxa Mowatt is at pre.sent acting in the position of Scien during the course of this year; and for the first time tific Editor that I vacated. With this supplementa we are offering funding for research and flora text tion of our staff resources, we are once again preparation of some algal groups in.the 1994 Pani almost back to full strength. Alex George has been cipiltory Program. · retained on contract until mid-March to see Volume ABRS has also let two major contracts during 50 through to completion. This is the first of the the last few months. The first of these, to CSIRO, off-shore territories volumes, including accounts of · is designed to facilitate the development of the 12 Austral. Sy~t. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993)
DELTA plant descriptive package, enhanting'its has.:maae me wonder whether more Australian already very useful features, makirig them more' fl~ti~e plants from the hight
in 1876 (Hepper 1982), and moved into the exist machine. that goes ping. The only piece of equip ing, "old" building in 1965 .. By 1987, when Proc ment that is notably missing is an automated DNA fessor Mike Bennett w;ts appointed as Jodrell . sequencer, but I would not be surprised if one Keeper, the existing premises had clearly become turns up soon, given Kew's impressive new· com inadequate. Since 1965, electron microscopy had rhitment'to molecular biosystematics. become essential in descriptive and analytical Each research scientist has·a roomy office, botany, personal computers and local area net complete with work-desk andergonomfc computer works had arrived, ·and molecular systematiCs . table. There is an open-plan office with piaces for · looked set to make the rest of us redundant. Thus, 20 research students, each provided with their own planning commenced for expanded and improved desk; filing cabinet, book-shelves, and computer.. lab facilities. Another room has' similar facilities for four visiting Professor Bennett· has just taken me for a scientists.. The computer and image analysis suite guided tour ofthe new~look Jodrell building, for will house up to 10 specialist workstations .. which "extension'' is something of a misnomer. Given the quality· and scale of these facilities, The total floor area has been expanded from 1,000 prospective·ABLOs ought seriously to consider to 3,000 m2, and all parts. of the old building arc basing their research proposals on laboratory work · progressively being evacuated and completely in the Jodrell. You are welcome to discuss such refurbished. In fact, the impression that one geL~ is ·proposals with Dr Mark Chase {molecular biosyste of a completely new building that has been matics), Dr Linda Fellows (biochemistry), and Dr designed from scratch as anintegrated whole. The.· David Cutler (anatomy). · new common room, seminar room, atrium and Another building undergoing major surgery is reception are central in the building andconnect the Natural History Museum, particularly the roof . directly to the existing lecture theat~e. providing Of the main phanerogamic herbarium,. which will be excellent conference facilities. Each floor is based replaced shortly. Workmen have just finished ··on a rectangular, "circulating'.' corridor that runs building a false ceiling in the herbarium, supported through. the inner side of each main laboratory. The by scaffolding, upon which the major building idea behind this design feature was to minimize work will be completed. As you can imagine, bota separation between different research groups, thus nizing in the herbarium has been difficult, due to fostering interaction. When the building is fin- . noise and the presence of numerous new obstacles ished, the main route from the Cumberland Gate to such as scaffold supports, which have prevented the Alpine House will nin alongside the large access to large sections ofthe collection from time windows of the westemwall or theJoarell, all owe. to time. Hopefully, the worst of these disruptions ,ing the public to watch the white"coated scientists arc now over. in their native habitat.. A fibre-optic network sup · . A major forthcoming Kew eve.nt is the plies multiple LAN connections to each room. "International Symposiurri.on the Classification and "Palatial" is the wrong word to describe the Evolution of the Monocotyledons", to be helq here building; given that. most of the >£2.5 million · frpm !8~23 July. Just about all of the big namesjn spent has been put into f1mctiori rather than super monocot systematics (and a few otbers. too) have ficial appearance. Nevertheless., most biologists ' been persuaded to contribute papers on. subjects will be green wi'th envy when they see·thc .space · ranging from fossil monocots to vascular Ofl~aniza and facilities available here. The new molccu'lar tion to rbcL sequence data, but primarily on the biosystematics lab; for example, has dimensions of · phylogenetic relationships of various monocot roughly 10 X. 20 in, an{.l comfortable working room groups. Write to Dr PaulaRudaU, Jodrell Labora-· for up to 20 scientists; Present! y, this section. has tory, if you want information on this rrieeting. two .full-time staff members. The neighbouring · I am off for three weeks from tomorrow (27-2- biochemistry lab is o.f similar size, and the two 93), for a week in Scotland (mostly holiday) and share a large prep room: Separate containm'ent and two weeks in Europe (mostly work), so I apologize PCR rooms are additional ·features. I lost track of in advan,ce for any delays in the pro,cesslng of ' the number of rooms devoted solely to .electron ABLO inquiries. That's all from. me for now. · microscopy. TI1ese labs are being supplied with state:,of-the Refen;mces
art equipment; inciuding machines for SEM, TEM, ' ' ' . HPLC, GCMS; NMR, PCR, centrifuges (both· Hepper, F.N. (1982) Royal Botanic gardens Kew high-speed and ultra), ultrafreezers, ultramicro - Gardens for Science & Pleasure. Her . tomes, growth chambers, cooi rooms, :ind a· Majesty's Stationery Office, l:ondon. 14 Aust~al. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 !March 1993)
Mabberley, D.J. (1985) Jupiter Botanic us: Robert that the Board would issue a series of press Brown of ·the British Museum. British releases on individual issues such as the environ Museum (Natural History), London. · ment, health, university research funding, etc, A Stearn, W.T. (1960) An .introduction to Robert challenge was also issued to Messe.rs ·Free and Brown's "Prodromus Florae Novae Hollan McGauran to debate the Science & Technology diae", pp. v-Iii Iri: R. Brown, Prodromus policies of their respective parties, but nothing has· Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae van come of that. Di'emen, facsimile ed. Wheldon & Wesley, FASTS, regardless of which party wins office Codicote. on March 13, will develop a National Science & Technology Policy to carry Australia into the 21st Peter Weston century: The Board was unanimous that it should ABLO . do this, building on elements of policy that are already in place. A proposal was made to adopt a process for policy-making that will probably be pui: in place, bearing in mind the timing of yearly federal government budget cycles. This probal;lly FASTS board· meetings and means a shift in dates for Board meetings, etc. I annual general meeting will keep you posted. Ih the meantime, I would be very happy to receive suggestions from· member Sydney 23 November 1992 societies and individuals for ·what the National and 15 February 1993 Science & Technology Policy should contain. · By the time that members of societies in the The last two Board meetings of FASTS were Plant and Ecology group read this, the election will somewhat dominated by discussion concerning the be behind us, and you can all take me to task. · row between FASTS' Executive Director, Dr David Widdup, and. the Minister for Science, Mr Free. . Christa Critchley . Although there was som.e agreement on the Board Board member for "Plants and Ecology" that David could have been more careful in his wording when responding to the Ministt:r's repeated attacks, the Board was Unanimous in A manifesto .for Australia's future defence of our right to criticize the Minister (or. · anyone else, for that matter) on issues of Science & · from tl'le Federation of Australian Technology poiicy. The White Paper was and .Scientific and Technological remains a damp squib; and the Minister completely Societies over-reacted, and that's all there is to it. The Coalition's Science & Technology policy Existing economic and industry policies in · has not even seen the light of day yet, and I don't Australia have clearly failed, and we now have one hold out much hope for what it will contain, given million unemployed and a balance-of-payments the drafts that I have seen. Simply claiming, as the disaster. We believe that future employment and draft policy does, that the private sector will pick future prosperity depend on the development of up the tab for Research· & Development in this innovative technologies and thcir·exports; ahd in country is silly in the extreme. In this context, I tum this will depend on a strong. national system note that such an industry-funding proposal has for research and development. Environmental pro been made for the Arts by the Coalition, 'an tection and the health and safety of people also rest equally-ridiculous suggestion. No wonder the Arts heavily on science ano technology. community loves Mr Keating! · Planning for Ol)r future cannot be left to just The FASTS Board has produced a Manifesto (I market forces. Few companies in Australia have did object to the term, but to no avail), and this is the resources to develop innovative products and attach~d at the end of this report. It is also trying to processes by themselves. They need financial help; get Science & Technology onto the election and they need guidelines from the community on agenda, but .I doubt th~t it will work. Unfortu the kind of technological future that will be in the nately, the GST and unemployment will probably best interest of Australia. FASTS ch,allenges the remain the only issues, although there is very little political parties to confront the problem, and w·e in those issues other than point-scori.ng, grand request of any future Government a comprehensive standing, and pork-barrelling. It was also decided plan that will address the following issues: Austra- Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 15 lia must identify key technologies that we need to Foundation Flora Malesiana have in place for the21st century; plan for these, and invest in them .. These industries must reflect The second meeting.of the Board. of Founda bothournational priorities and our comparative tion Flora Malesiana was held in Yogyakarta in advantages. Australia should become ohe of the September 1992. The CSIRO Division of Plant leading technological nations of the world. Industry is an institutional member of the Founda Other objectives arise-from this goal: tion, and Bryan Barlow is a member of the Board. ·adding value to our natural resources- food pro The Board meeting was held in conjunction with cessing; fibre processing, minerals processing, the Second Flora Malesiana Symposium; and the new materials, clean herbaria with universities, it should be· possible for contamination from. the lab (e.g. bacteria and us to foster postgraduate and post-doctoral work in fungi); Fred McMorris talked about the problems of our institutions, associated with formal training multiple sequence alignment, particularly the seem and the provision of formal qualifications. The inglycintractable problem of equally~optimal align Foundation is targeting a number of major intema ments; this topic was further amplified by Ingrid tional.agencies for funds, and it is hoped that any Rinsma-Melchert, who conCluded thatthe over Malesian botanists who come to work in our insti riding influence was of the a priori weights (for tutions would bring funding with them. On the insertion and deletion) rather than of the alignment other hand, finding funds to accelerate the Flora algorithm used; David Penny discussed the reliabil M(llesiana programme is going to be very difficult, ity (or rather, the lack ofit) of evolutionary trees· ·because of the highly competitive nature of the produced by different tree-building algorithms; funding sources, an.d any funds that Australian David Swofford talked about computer search strat institutions could raise to support the work would egies for optimal evolutionary trees, concluding be most welcome. . that there is no way of realistically finding the For further details, please contact: global optimum among the islands of local optima Bryan Barlow (other than by exhaustive enumeration); and Mike Tel (06) 246 5039 Fax (06) 246 5530 Clegg discussed his world.record attempt to Helen Hewson analyze the history of avocado domestication- he Tel (06) 250 9443 Fax (06) 250 9448 used the maximum likelihood program (DNAML) in the Phylip computer package to produce a tree B·ryan Barlow for 79 taxa, with the analysis taking 51 hours of Foundation Flora Malesiana CPU time on a Craysupercomputer! A Maori concert and .Hangi was held on the. Saturday night, which was much better than the usual commercialized presentation of "native Workshop on Molecular culture" that hardened travellers have become used to around the world. For the locals, it clearly Evolution brought back memories of their school days, as Maori culture is incorporated into their school activ · This workshop was sponsored by the United · ities in. a way that so far seems to have been States National Science Foundation (under the unthinkable for Aboriginal culture in Australian U.S.-N.Z. Cooperative Science. Program), and education. The Anglo-Saxon invaders clearly have . ·was held at the Fore'st Research Institute, Rotorua, a relationship with the indigenous people that has N,ew·Zealand on December 12-:-n 1992. It was not been achieved anywhere else on thls planet. organized by Bruce Weir (North Carolina State University) and Mike Clegg (University or Califor David Morrison nia at Riverside) as a satellite meeting to the Inter Department of Applied Biology national Biometrics Congress, and was designed to University of Technology, Sydney provide an opportunity for nine U.S. researchers in molecular evolution (Mike Clegg, Wen-HSi)mg Li, Fred McMorris, Pam Soltis, David Swofford, Marcy Uyenoyama, Tandy Warnow, Michael Forum on Phylogenetic Waterman, Bruce Weir) to meet with their N.Z. colleagues in a \YO(kshop environment. · . Methodology In the final analysis, there were at least 57 people there, including fiveAustralians and a porn. This forum was sponsored by the School of The rest of the participants represented most or the Mathematical & Information Sciences and the New Zealand universities, and there was a good F:wulty of Science of Massey University, and was sprinkling of postgraduate students. There were 17 held at this University, Palmerston North, New talks over the two days, and the published pro-- Zealand on December 15-18 1992. It was orga . ceedings will appear in the New Zealand :Journal qf nized by Mike Hendy and Mike Charleston as an Botany in August 1993. opportunity for small-group discussion and presen Of the more interesting talks, Pam Soltis dis tation following the Workshop in Rotorua (dis cussed the consequent difficulties or trying to get cussed above). Many of the participants from the usable DNA out of fossils, and the difficulties with Workshop attended, including several of the for- ·Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. ·Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 17 . . . . eigners (David .Blair, Wen-Hsiung Li, Fred the evenings, Drs Blair: McMorris, Morrison and · McMorris, David Morrison, David Swofford, Weiller repaired to Dr Morrison's room to consume Marcy ·uyenoyama, Tandy Warnow, Georg a wee dram of the excellent Islay malt that Dr Blair Weiller). had managed to .pick up in the duty-free shop at There was no formal pre~arranged programme, . Brisbane airport. One aftemoon,most of also went and an infoimal series of sessions was organized to the Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre-to look at by. consensus among the partiCipants. So, Mike the local birds and wettas, with .a side trip to a Hendy talked (at length) about his arid David brewery on the way home; everyone else spent that Penny's development ofspectral analysis- and the day at the wineries at Martinbbrough. closest-tree algorithm, which·look very much like . This was far-and~away the most pleasant subsuming all alternative variants of tree-building ·meeting that I have ever been to. Not surprisingly, techniques for molecular sequence data; Fred it was also the most productive.:.._ as one person McMorris talked abOut all of the innumerable alter commented·, we learnt more on any one day there natives for producing consensus trees; Wen- · · than we did on the two days at Rotorua. 'If more HsiungLi 'and Mike Steel talked about" phyloge meetings were organized like this t)1en biology netic invariapts; David SwoiTord showed us the would nave made a lot more progress than it has. . latest version of the MacChide computer program; Since I was in New Zealand anyway, I also and Georg Weiller showed us his new program for hired a car while I was there,- and had a look ·interactive analysis of sequences, around for a few days·-:- this part constitutes a However, the main objective of ·the exercise holioay. And to cap it· all off, my plane ticket was was to give everyone. the opportunity to talk to the upgraded to business class on the way over-it . others about any topic that they cared .to ritise.- This sure beats walkirtg. · · · objective was facilitated by t)1e University's staff club, which was conveniently located just opposite David Morrison the Mathematics building. The University itself Department of Applied Biology . was originated as an agricultl)ral university, and · Universityof Technology, Sydney the staff club is the original homestead of the farm that was purchased for the University grounds. This extensive building is 1ight on the edge of the hill that overlooks the city, and is surrounded by A.S.B.S. Melbourne Chapter' anelegant English garqen. The lawn and the stone .terrace are liberally festooned with tables and . .· A.S.B.S. ·Melbourne Chapter seminars· are umbrellas, strategically phtced to enjoy the sun held at6 pm on the f1rst monday of each month. shine and the view, and the fridgefull of beer is ' They are held at the National Herbarium of only a few steps away. · Victoria, corner of Birdwood Ave and Dallas So, each day began with a quiet stroll through Brooks Dve, South Yarra. the leafy unive~sity grounds down to the staff club Refreshments are available from 5.30 pin. All forbreakfast. This was followed by a rigourous members and visitors are welcome. session where someone tried to explain some a,bstruse mathematical concept to (he rest oj"us, with much waving ofthc hand~ am! despairing Sen1inar Progr.amme, March-July 1993 looks. ·when the concept h'act finally sunk in, we adjourned to the staff club for lunch. Those people Monday, March I. · · who made it back from lunch were subjected to Tom May another rigourous session of mathematics, while National Herbarium of Victoria those who didn't had to endure an even more rig~ ~"Classification and identification of species which ourous discussion of baseball and/or politics on the 'lack distinguishing characters --:- focusing· on terrace of the staff club. !ilccaria (Fun!,ri:)" The evenings we. h;id off. These evenings included a reception in the staff clyb,_a trip to the Monday, April5 local Globe Theatre for a. musical of Ellie Green Michael Bayly wich's early 60s songs, and an evening of excel School of Botany, lent blues music -from David Swofford on piano University of Melbourne and Peter Lockhart on just about everything else - "Cladistics and. biogeography of Eriostemon Peter also provided the dinner that night. Later in · (Rutaccac)" · 18 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) Mo(lday, May 3 sions covering conservation materials used for Trevor Whiffin mounting specimens (paper products, tapes, adhe Department of Botany, sives, etc.), herbarium pests and their control, th.e LaTrobe Univesity volunteer specimen mounting· programme, loans "Development of a computer-based key to Austra procedures, specimen collecting for the herbarium lian tropical rainforest trees"· ·and living collections, photography, the scanning . electron microscope, systematics, the International Monday, June 3 Code cif Botanical Nomenclature, pollen analysis, · Philip Moors the DELTA system, and pronunciation of. botanical Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne names, as well as sessions where NSW staff ."Beyond the Roaring Forties: New Zealand's sub- spoke· about some of. their research (e.g. antarctic islarids" · Eucalyptus, ferns •. Scrophulariaceae, water-lilies, Westringia, and Xyris). We were also shown Monday, July 5 around the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, the Bill Molyneux Sydney Tropical Centre, and the Mount Annan Austriitlora Nursery Botanic Gardens. · "An indirect road to txitany" Criticism of the Workshop was minor, and is limited to there being simplynot enough time for Further information qm be obtained from me participants to engage in much discussion after a· on (03) 655-2313. talk. The half hour allocated to speakers proved to be too limiting in many cases, with speakers often Tim Entwisle running over time or being cut short. There needed Convener to be more time available for participants to speak about their own institutional practices, and then.to exchange ideas and information. However, morning and afternoon tea and dinner allowed for ·The Council of Heads of much discussion and debate. The valtie of getting together with those other Australian Herbaria Herbarium people who do the same work cannot be over Technicians Workshop stated: The Workshop is really the only opportu nity to meet our opposite numbers and discuss the National Herbarium of New South ways in which our work is done .. The Workshop Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens, generated much discussion about hoW things are. Sydney done, why things are done in a particular way, and · 24th-28th Augus_t 1992 how to improve what is done. We returned to CBG with renewed enthusiasm and ideas on how to improve what we do! The CHAH Herbarium Technicians Workshop is a biennial event hosted by herbaria around Aus Andrew Lyne, Corinna Broers, tralia. To date it has been held at BRI (1988), AD Faye Davies, Wendy Dossetor, (1990) and now NSW .. Seven technicians from the Helen Hadobas, Susan Walker, Australian National Botanic Gardens. were able to and Paul Ziesing · attend. Other technicians from AD, BRI, CANB, Australian National B_otanic Gardens CHR,DNA, MEL, MELU, NSW, PERTH, QRS, University of Western Sydney Herbarium, and WELT also attended. . · ANBG participants agreed that the Workshop was a success. From the beginning.it was obvious Southern Temperate that many people at NSW had spent many hours organizing and working towards making it so. Ecosystems: Origin and Many thanks are due to those people, and in ·partic Diversification conference ular David Bedford, Barry Conn, and Anna-Louise Qui rico. If' you are intrigued by the puzzle of closely The Workshop covered many topics: or rele related plants living in pockets of land separated by vance to herbar.ium workers and p'rovidcd an the vast southern ocean~. then this was a meeting insight into all of the workings of NSW, with ses- for you. Austral. Syst. Bot. soc. Newsletter 74 (March·1993) 19 Ever since Joseph Hooker first raised. this Michael Archer: on recent finds of early mammal enigma in. the· introduction to his Flora fossils in Argentina was a highlight. · NovaecZelandieae 150 years ago, systematists and An organisational plus was the sponsoring of. ecologists have sought to explain the intriguing many delegates to attend: Most of these came [rom biogeographic pattern, invoking land bridges, southern American and southern African coun.tries, sunk~n continents, migratory birds, continent~! where science is. not well supported. · ASBS drift and even an expanding earth. Since then, assisted Jeremy Midgely from South Africa, Mary many advances have been made in our understand Kalin Arroyo from Chile, arid Inna Gamundi de ing of southern biogeography. Today we· accept Amos from Argentina. Also, there was a huge con that the southern continents were once joined in tingent of Kiwis, the most I have ever seen in one one super-·contirient, and the vicariance caused by place this side of the Tasman, except perhaps at a the breakup of Gondwana explains much of Manly rugby league match. Rubbing shoulders Hooker's enigma. · with colleagues from the far-flung southern coun However, in some ways we have progressed tries ·was one of the highlights of .the conference, little since Hooker's lime. Most of the details, as and I shall look forward to future Southern Con well as much of the big picture, remain unex nectionmeetings. The next one will be held in Val plained, Few biologists today have Hooker's divia, Chile, in 1995, and I for one will be trying to global perspective of distributional patterns gained attend. Meanwhile, I shall have to persuade my through direct experience. Moreover, the Hobart Ph.D. studentto teach mt;: Spanish. . conference made it clt:"!ar that there is still little The main emphases of the conference were agreement about biogeographic processes and the ecology, botany, and palaeontology. In such a consequent assumptions (if any) .made in explain" large meeting, there were inevitably concurrent ses ing the distributional patterns. The lack of extant sions, and r ·attended those with a systematic vegetation in Antarctica, which was the very .core theme. For instance, I am unable to report on the of Gondwana, leaves a glaring and penn anent hole "Ecology and sustain ability". sessions. ih our knowledge, and we must rely on those few Papers were the usual conference mixture, fossiis that may be eked out of an inaccessible imd from "just~so" stories to outstanding original con hostile continent, even if some arc amazingly tributions, many of the latter from students ·and . good. young scientists, and too many of the fonner from Four symposia comprised the· conference: established professionals. Some palaeontologists "Ecology and sustainability of southern temperate produced outstanding new fossils, beautifully pre ecosystems", "Conifer evolution and and ecology pared and presented, but they appeared unsure how in the southern )1cmisphcrc", "Biology of to synthesize their data into a cogent systematic or Nothofagus-dominatcd ecosystems", and "Evol biogeographic hypothesis: In particular, there is ution and biogeography iri the southern hemi still a tendency to reconstruct evolutionary history sphere". These reflected the interests of the three just from the stratigraphic sequence of fossils at a . sponsoring organisations: ASBS, the Ecological particular place, rather than using all of the data, Society of Australia, and Southern Connection. . both extant and extinct, to reconstruct a phylogeny The last is a group that arose out of a recent of a taxonomic group before inferring historical and ineeting in Hawaii, with the aim .of fostering biogeographic patterns and processes. However, research on the biology of southern continents there were honourable exceptions, such as recent because biologists are thin on the ground there, work on Nothofagus (see below). and to provide those few biologists with opportu · A succession of illegible pollen diagrams left nities to communicate: Thus the southern connec some of us groaning. There was some interesting tion is twofold: biological and human. Bob Hill stuff on the ecology of Nothofagus and conifer h~s been producing the Southern Connection dominated forests, including lots of palaeoecology, Newsletter, which no doubt many of you have . but the palaeosystematics was mostly disappoint~ been seeing. ing. I was delighted when Bob Hill and Mary Bob also organised the meeting in Hobart, and Dettman presented a cladogram of Nothofagus, its high attendance (2(X)) and smootn running were includh1g both fossil· and extant taxa, based on great credit to him. The subject matter of the macromorphology. It was congruent with the meeting largely ,reflected Bob's Gwn interests, and recent classification using pollen morp]Jology for me personally, it was good to sec so many bot (i·ather surprisingly; because pollen characters are ·anists together in one place. However, zoologists notoriously homoplasious): in particular the Sl!b and· geologists allended too, and a public lecture by gcnera were supported. Deciduousness was shown. 20 Austral. Syst, Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) to be badly homoplasious; perhaps unsurprisingly, more interchange between continents than would'be ex.ct . DETERMlNAVIT SLIPS C.SIRO- BAVARIAN .. CLUNIES ROSS STREET BLACK··.MOUNTAIN ACT 2601 We have observe.d that hyrbari~a~e interesting places becauscnhey are populated by human beings. Appar ently, the people outside are rather similar. CANB has previously been referred to as the "CSIRO . Hibernian", but this particular geographical anomaly is more serious. It was supplied by Bre;:ndan Lepschi. Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 21 REVIEWS Plant Taxonomy: The Systematic big task, as.he unambiguously sets out to provide a Evaluatio~ of Comparative. Data. rep1acementfor Davis.& Heywood's Principles of Angiosperm Taxonomy (1963), claiming that the By Tod F. Stuessy. Columbia University Press, recent books by Radford, Sivarajan, and Stitce New York. 1990. xvii+514 pp. ISBN 0-231- (reviewed earlier) "lack the detail of coverage of 06784~4. $100. . most topics". Indeed, the most-cited reference in the early chapters is in fact. Davis & Heywood's ·. This review concludes the series started in book, and Stuessy by and large makes a pretty eaitier issues of the Newsletter (70: 30-33, 71: 32- good fist of updating it. This is' certainly the best 36, 72: 24-27), assessing the ability of.thc current exposition of the principles of systematics in any of crop of plant taxonomy textbooks to present syste the books reviewed, and it is far more readable matics as an exciting modem science, rather than as than the similar book by Sivai"ajan. However, the simply a traditional scholarly exercise. Therefore, I trade-off is that the practice of systematics (e.g. am interested in their ability lb. present' taxonomy as · ndmendaturc, identification) is largely ignored. a search for general truths based on explicitly-stated In many ways this book is a successful attempt testable hypotheses, rather than simply as the to present systematics as.a science-'-- Stuessy cere acceptance of pragmatic. solutions that a'rc not too tainly has a grasp of his subject, and he has clearly inconvenient. thought long and hard about where it has been and where it is going. The intellectual debates are pre This particular book is explicilly aimedat uni sented as fresh and stimulating, and the revolutions versity undergraduate and postgraduate students that have occurred in the last 40 years are seen as undertaking a subject covering plant systematics. It having advanced systematics several light years would thus be completely unsuitable for the general from the old-world attitudes of the flrst.half of this public, as it assumes a (air knowledge of introduc . century. Indeed, comments such· as the following tory biology. It is .concerned with the by leading systematists are given short shrift:- "I "philosophical and theoretical aspects of plant tax would suggest that instead of having further con onomy" rather than the practical parts, and so there ferences of this kind to discuss taxonpmic philoso is no mention of identification techniques, there arc phies, that we forget about taxonomic philosophy no family descriptions, and there is no list of termi arid go back to. doing taxonomy." Such an appeal nology. for the dark ages of stamp collecting has little rele- · The book is organized into 25 chapters iri two vance for systematics today. · parts (Principles of Taxonomy, Taxonomic Data) Unfortunately, each chapter in the book ends and five sections (The Meaning of Classification, with recommendations for current taxonomic pnic Different Approaches to Biological Classification,. tice, all of which imply that the changes are now .Concepts of Categories, all in Part One; Types of over and that we can now settle down into a new Data, Handling of Data, both in Part Two), plus an comphicency. In other words, systematics need Epilogue. The publication quality is generally good, progress no. further. This may not be Stuessy's - · with typographical errors rciatively rare (although intention, and if so then it is flaw in the organiza Table 25.1 needs some considerable help). The text · tion or the book. It 'would have been nice,, is broken up with numerous tables and figures •. however, to be left with aJeeling that there are new either providing an overview of topics not covered horizons to reach for, and that- a new generation of in the text or providing specific examples of tech taxonomists would be attracted to the work because niques. The subject index is relatively poor, cover of its intrinsic fascination rather than because it's a ing major subject headings only, although there arc cosy refuge from the world. separate taxon and author indexes, The bibliogra Furthennore, in the process of providing a phy covers just over 2,900 references, mostly from detailed discussion of taxonomic principles, the period 1968-1986, and the illustrative examples Stuessy inevitably (and quite consciously) comes are fairly cosmopolitan, covering all continents but down in favour of particular approaches to taxon focussing on North America (where Ohiogetsmorc omy as a scientiJ1c exercise. In particular, he is.an mentions than its intrinsic interest warrants). ardent supporter of phyletic (or evolutionary) tax in ~fiting this book Stuessy has set himself a onomy, rather than of cladistic or phenetic taxon- . 22 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) SYSTEMATICS ,0 :i Sources df variability. Divergence and/or development m Organization of genetic variability of all groups: -;g in populations. Mode, Time,- Place. ~ Differentiation of populations .. ~ Reproductive isolotion.ond the i.Jl origin of species . .q_ Hybridization . . «'.t, cr.v;- . /0 IV The tri-partite nature of systematics. From Stuessy (1990). omy. This needs.. to be made clear, because such a fact that the book is more out-of-date than its publi~ viewpoint unavoidably.colours almost everything cation date would suggest. The cut-off date for new in the book, and the book will therefore continually literature additions is stated in the Preface to be annoy anyone who disagrees with this stance. This mid-1988, and yet the peak of the bibliographic is not necessarily a bad thing, because science (in citations is 1983-84 (see graph). This means that practice) is basically one long argument between the coverage of topics like cladistics. and genomic competing points-of-view, each of which has sequencing are quite out-of-date, and this seriously adherents ·who seek to express their ideas as con limits .the utility (and fairness) of the discussions. It vincingly as possible. However, Stuessy's is also interesting. to note from'the graph that there attempts' at "a balanced presentation" of alternative· are actually. three peaks of reference citations, philosophies are not always successful, although 1971-72, 1978,-.79 and 1983-84, although it he is to be commended for his laudable .attempts to seems unlikely that this should coincide with the make it clear when he is expressing a personal appearance of important papers in 'the literature. opinion. Unfonu·nately, most of the summary and The dip of citations in 19.73 (a drop of 20% com~ conclusion sections. for each chapter arc biased by pared to the years either side of it) also seems odd, personal opinions, and this is not necessarily presumably telling us more about the behaviour.of obvious to theuninitiated. Tod Stucssy at that time than of botanists in This bias in view-point is compoundcdby the general.· Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 23 160 140 en Q) ·0 c:: 120 Q) 1.... Q) 100 -....,Q) 80 -0 1.... 60 _Q) ..a E 40 z:::1 20 0 38 43 48 53 58 63 68 . 73 78 83 88 Year Frequency histogram of the references from 1938 on~ards cited by Stuessy (1990). Stuessy's personal opinions also creep into the ical detail obscure the expected synthesis of con illustrative examples, The author index reveals that cepts. This is not to imply that the historical he cites his own work tWice as often as his nearest reviews are not good, as indeed they are mostly rival (Vernon Heywood), which is perhaps going a excellent, but it is meant to suggest that a long list bit too far even allowing 'for a normal degree of of unintegrated definitions (no maner how clear pride in one's own work. Stuessy also favours tne they are) is rather boring to read. use of the older (and less consistent) family names, · ·Chapter two, on The Relevance of Systematics unlike any of the other authors reviewed. Indeed, (6 pages), provides some interesting views on he several times points out that he is using older what contributions we have made to· the world, and/or less appropriate terminologysimply because although its concentration on evol';ltion is not it "has been used extensively in the literature", and necessarily strictly relevant to the focus on classifi at least once he uses terms in ways that blatantly cation in the rest of the book. The ensuing chapters contradict their traditional usage in other disciplines on The Importance and Universality of Classifica (while complaining about other people doing the tion (7 pages) and Characters (16 pages) are good same thing to biological terms). Surely the best introductions to their topics, although the discus- . way to get rid of inappropriate (and thereforecon sion of cladistic characters suggests that fu.sing) terminology is to eliminate. it from the text "generalized vs. specialized" is synonymous with books; so that the next generation of taxonomists is ''general vs unique". not handicapped by it? Section Two, on classification, begins with an The book starts with A Few Dcrinilions (9 unusually brief historical introduction, The . pages), which sets the scene for Part One. Unfortu Anatomy of Classification and the Artificial nately, the scene is not all good. Stuessy takes the Approach (6 pages), although any more detailed nine pages to define only eight terms, doing so by coverage would perhaps simply duplicate Core's providing a seemingly endless series of alternative Plant Taxonomy (1955). The chapter on Natural definitions with very little attempt 'to· synthesize and Phyletic Approaches (8 pages) covers the them. This is symptomatic of the rest cifthis Part, intuitive approaches Of the last 100 years, but it where large amounts of_seemingly irrelevant histor- tends to ignore the current pra.ctitioners of this 24 Austral~ Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsl~tt~r 74 (March 1993) scho~I. which is not helpful to the stude~ts,wh~ technique in science will ever b.e a final answer, will encounter their works. . and therefore we must make conscious decisions The chapters on the Phenetic Approach (34 about what aspects of reality we are trying to incor pages) and the Cladistic Approach (42 pages) are porate into our reconstruction of the world. far and away the longest ones in .the book, indicat The section on cladistic classification is also ing their influence on taxonomic principles. Unfor ·rather brief and inaccurate. The comment is made tunately, phimetics is treated as an established that "paraphyletic groups to some cladists are not technique While cladistics is treated as a newComer, useful for classification"; which seems to be a little in spite of the fact that thdr inception was very disingenuous, since most cladists s.eem .to accept nearly contemporaneous. This means that phcnct this. The argument for· accepting paraphyletiC . ics. gets a more bahinccd presentation as an esta . groups is based on ttie use of both patristic (degree blished discipline, while cladistics is. presented as of divergence) and cladistiC (branching pattern) still waging· a "battle" for recognition. This is information. If the patristic data are included, then mainly a product of the out-of-dateness of the ref some of the descendants of an ancestor may be erences - cladistics in the last few years has plaeed iil a. separate group in the classification rapidly.become the mode of choice for the presen (because they have diverged sufficiently from the tation of phylogenetic information. Therefore, the other desq::ndants), leaving the remainder of the· discussion of phenetics and its impact on systerriat~ descendants as a paraphyletic group,This classifi jcs is very good,· while that ·of cladisticsleaves cation will then con.tain more infonrtation (patri-stic .. something to be d.esircd. Nevertheless, cladistics is +cladistiC) than the equivalent purely cladistic one. presented as an explicit science, which is· a refresh However, the point is not which Classification con ing change. from most of the other books that I tains more information, but which orteallows you have reviewed. to retrieve that information. A cladistic classifica" One of the biggest difficulties in the cladistic tion allows you to retrieve all of t:h~ c.ladistie iilfor- · · chapter is that Stuessy tends to treat cladistics as .mation that has gone into it, but t~e alternative synonymous solely with the parsimony· approach, classification does not allow you to retrieve any which may have once been true but is no longer infolination, since yoti don't' know whether. any very accurate: He thus produces long discussions one part of the classification was based. oil the of material that is now'irrelevant (or at least Jess patristic or the eladistiC information .. Consequently, imponant than it once was). For example, all cla it is difficult to be a cladist and to accept paraphy~ dograms are treated as necessarily being rooted, so lctic groups at the same time. that character polarities mu~t be decided first, and It is also worth noting that nqt all of the this is treated as peing a major'problem. However, . branching.pattcm needs necessarily to. be incorpo functional outgroup anillysis can be used, where an . rated into the classification, as im.plied by Stuessy. · unrooted tree is firstproduced using unordered -Thus, not all of the dichotomies of the cladogra~ characters, and then the character polarities arc have to represent groups in ttie classification; determined by rooting the tree with an outgroup. however, all groups in the classification should This possibility is treated as an aside towards the represent ·a bninch on the cladogram .. Similarly, end of the chapter, whereas it is the fundamental . parts of the cladogram that are not fully resolved basis of all parsimony analyses of molecular into dichotomous branches allow the formation of sequence data. The discussion ofcharacter polari- · 0 so"called metaphyletic groups, which' are not ties is .thus nothing more than a long self rt;solvable into either monophyletic or paraphyh!tic justification for the ideas presented in the paper by groups given the current data set.· . Crisci & Stuessy. ( 1980), which moves well The assessment of the impact of cladistics. on out.Side generally-accepted cladisti.c prac;tice. tiu<.ononiy is mimed by a confusion of phylogeny The balance of topics is less than felicitous · and classification. Cladistics is a method of recon~ elsewhere in the chapter, as well. For example, the · str~cth1g the phylogeny of a group of organisms, longest section is on clique techniques (which ar~ and this phylogeny may (cir may not) then be used rarely used these days),. while distance tree tech to construct a classification. Consequently; cladis niques and maximimi likelihood techniques arc tics· produces an explicitly-stated and testable . hardly mentioned at all. The discussiop of the effi hypothesis concerning the phylogeny~ it does not caCy ofthe tree-building algorithms is thus rather produce a testable classification, as claimed by weak. A better fnimewbrk for this section w_ould Stuessy. The production ofa classification is thus a be to compare the likelihood that the model on· by-product.of the phylogeny, rather than an integral which each algorithm is based is in· fact real. No part of it (other potential by-products include the Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsle~ter 74 (March 1993) 25 analysis of evolutionary patterns and the analysis fore'the weakest part of the book by far.' of biogeography). This same confusion. of tre~s The third sectiori covers the categories 'Used in and classifications carries over into the next chapter taxonomy. It begins with The Taxonomic Hierar as well, to its considerable detriment. Stuessy also, chy (5 pages), foliowed by chapters on Species (21 strangely enough, considers that cladistic analysis pages), Subspecies, Variety and Form (12 pages), is "most useful" at the specific and generic levels, Genus (13 pages), and Family and Higher Catego" although there is no clear justification for this con ries (7 pages). Each chapter starts with an historical clusion. overview, followed by a discussion of relevant The final chapter in this section, Evaluation of points; ending with a·recommendation for usage. the Three Major Approaches: The New Phyletics Most of the discussion is very good, but there are a · (19 pages), is an attempt to synthesize the best bits number of points where issue can be taken. For of the phenetic, chi.distic, and phyletic approaches example, Stuessy suggests that classifications · to classification. As far l!S I can make out, the New based on ordination analyses· do not have the Phyletics is something like a cladistics analysis "pl,'edictive characteristics of classes that result from where plesiomorphies tum out to be useful after hierarchical. classification". However, this will not all. Unfortunately, determining precisely when be true if evolution is reticulate, as he daims else thesepleslomorphics arc useful docs not appear to where in the book {dichotomous speciation is be able to be made explicit, thus leaving a very referred io as "a most dubious assumption'') ~ large subjective component in an otherwise lauda . under these circumstances then ordinations will be ble attempt to be objective. more predictive. However, one of the main justifications for the The discussion of species is suitably detailed New Phyletics is that the resulting classifications. given the amount of time that biologists have contain more information (patristic + cladistic, as devoted to the concept, but it is marred by loose discussed above), and so they suffer the problem thinking in. places. For example, the discu·ssion of of inadequate information retrieval. They are thus whether species are cla$ses or individuals. shows less predictive than the equivalent cladistic classi fi- considerable confusion of transformational versus . cation, not more predictive as claimed by Stuessy. variational evolution (Charles Darwin's contribu Phyletics is also claimed to have more "efficiency" tion to biology was to point out that individuals when produCing clasSitications compared to cladis; undergo tran.~f'ormational evolution while classes tics, although this concept is equated solely with undergo variational evolution). Furthermore, the the speed ofintuitive judgements. This is like pre c;hapter eri.ds with a recommendation for using the ferring Newton's equations for planetary motion to biological species concept, which Is at odds with those of Einstein - they prodoce answers faster, the claim that species ".have evolutionary reality". even if these answers are known to be inaccurate. As Ernst Mayr has repeatedly pointed out, the bio Much is also made in this Ch\lpter of the number of logical species concept is aterriporal; and thus has characters used to construct classifications (more is no evolutionary derivation. Its use in a phyloge ·better), ,but it is clear that it is the congruence of the netic context is thus meaningless, and it is therefore characters rather than their qua:ntily that is respon or doubtful utility if the taxonomic hierarchy is to sible for the stability of the resulting classifica reflect phylogeny. The biological species concept is tions.· also different depending on whether it is defined in Unfortunately, Stucssy's attempt to produce a a nc·gative manner (species do not interbreed with new science of taxonomy are thus weakened each other) or in a positive manner (speci,es are col~ because he apparently cannot give up the traditional lections of interbreeding populations)- oiological . aesthetic subjective judgements that he presumably species are thus units of convenience based on learnt to use during his· own training. His comment pragmatism. that "the majority of practicing taxonomists, · The discussion of genera is another area that despite the furor of past decades over phenetics suffers from out-of-date references, notably· in the and cladistics, still·make classifications phyleti claim that "orily a Jew studies so far of plant groups cally" is more a reflection of the general demo have dealt with determining generic limits using graphic aging of the taxonomic population than a cladistics". Stuessy disparagingly refers to the justification for current taxonomic practice. The "dogmatic cladistic view" that regards genera as New Phyletios thus turns out to be a way for tradi natura:! only if they arc based on synapomorphies, tional taxonomists to pretend that they are keeping preferring to give formal taxonomic recognition to up-to-date without actually changing their bchavf groups that are "conservative in size and shape of our in any substantive way. This chapter is there- certain features reflecti'ng clear morphological dis- 26 AustraL Syst .. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 199;3) continuities". At the higher taxonomic levels he ·the fact that "Sclerophyllous vegetation!' is also a also refers to "the evolutionary value of paraphy map unit); and l:le suggests that hybridization . letic groups", although he never presents any between introduced weeds and native plants is not "value" other than pragmatic utility. He also mis "natural" (thus ignoring the dynamic nature of the represents the arguments aboutthc paraphylctic relationships between species). His (brief) discus nature of montypic genera, since their sister groups sionof biogeography also presents the vicariance are not necessarily paraphyletic. · · ver~us dispersal debate as a discussion of "whether Part Two of the book discusses taxonomic one or the other is the all-inclusive general explana data. This part has no real explanation of the tctmi tion" rather than a diBcussion of whether one or the nology used (unlike Part One), and there is no sys other produces tcst~ble hypotheses explaining plant tematic survey. It is mainly a brief introduction to distribution. The same confusion m;1rs the equally ·each ofV1e types of data used by taxonomists, with brief discussion in the chapter on cladistics, where comprehensive references to other works that dispersal is referred to as "non-informative" rather provide more details, followed by many illustrative . than "untestable". examples of their uses and usefulness in classi fica The book ends witn twopractical chapters on Lion. It covers Morphology (15 pages), Anatomy Gathering. of Data (8 pages) and Presentation of· ·(i8 pages), Embryology (16 pages), Paiynology Data (15 pages), which are unique to this book (21 pages), Cytology (25 pages), Genetics and among all of those reviewed. These chapters open Cytogenetics (16 pages), Chemistry (22 pages), up a whole new area of offering advice on the prac Reproductive Biology ( 13 pages);. and Ecology ( 16 tical aspects of being a taxonomist, which coUld be pages), the relative chapter lengths accurately usefully expanded into a book in its own right. . reflecting the amount.of detail presented. However, I don't think that I'd recommend Sokal However, the arrangement of the information & Rohlfs Biometry (1981) as.a "starter" for data among the chapters is not always reasonable. For analysis, as it is too detailed; perhaps their example, the discussion of DNA sequencing is in Introduction to Biostatistics (1988) would be more the chapter on chemistry, while allozymes arc dis appropriate. cussed in the chapter on genetics. The argument All in all, I enjoyed this book, in spite of my presented for this arrangement is an example of the criticisms. This is partly because Stuessy has pre out-of-date nature of a number of the concepts in. sented enough of each concept to stimulate debate this section. This is highlighted by the extremely while having the forthrightness to make his own inadequate nature of the description of DNA opinions clear, and partly because it avoids most of sequencing techniques: with polymerase chain the "boring" bits of taxonomy. However, I can't reactions not even being mentioned. Furthctmorc, help being disappointed with the conservative Stuessy trie~ to convince us that "phenetic algo nature of ttic pragmatism that creeps into all of the rithms are best [fori base pair sequence data", conclusions that are reached. In the final analysis, which must come as a shock to those of you who the book is Stuessy's magnum opus, where he pro~ have been happily doing cladistic analyses on .these vides a justification for the attitudes that he holds data for years. His discussion of. the utility of and the work that he has done. As a university text cytogenetics in cladistic analyses is also very con book, therefore, it has serious flaws, because it still fused, because he fails to acknqwledge that cladis points towards the recent past rather than the recent tics deals only with cladistic information not-with future. Anyone who is determined to play an active patristic information (knowledge of inter-taxon · ·part in the future development of systematics will crossability is useful for the latter but not for the thus lind this book very annoying, since it has the former). · overall flavour of a current pause in progress rather The chapter on ecology also has a few minor than of a continuing advance. inadequaci'es. Stuessy manages .to list several works on plant population ecology without refer So, what conclusions can !.come to about all of ence to Harper's Popu(ation Biology of Plants the books reviewed in this series? The book by (1977) or to Silvertown's Introduction to Plant Charles Jeffrey is the most "traditional" of them all,. Population Ecology ( 1987); and G rcig-Sm ith's concentrating on nomenclature rather than on prin Quantitative Plant Ecology ( 1983) is also ignored ciples, although it is in the process of being use completely. He also reproduces what looks like the fully updated. The book by Clive Stace has rather most outrageous vegetation map or the world that I too much of a hangover froin the intcrest·in biosys have ever seen (the entire cast coast of Australia is tcmatics that grew in the 1960s and 1970s, and occupied by "Temperate rain forests", in spite of rather too little about modem principles. The book Austral.' Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 27 by Samuel Jones & Arlene Luchsinger is th'< most· detailed accou.nt of the distribution of colour in the readable general introduction to taxonomic princi f1ower, flowering time, ecology; uses, reference to ples and especiallypractice, but its almost exclu other illustrations, discussion of variation, and a sive focus on American plants means thilt at least .distribution map. Identification of the species is via half of the book is of dubious value. The book by a key to 11 artificial groups, but the species them Albert Radford is far and away the best compen selves are arranged in "natural" groups concerning dium of taxonomic principles and practice, but it is which there are further notes included iri an appen .almost unreadable as a textbook and so is more dix. The synonymy and typifications of all species useful as a n!ference source. The book by V.Y. is removed to a separate nomenclatUral section at Sivarajan is a good introduction to the principles of the back. · taxonomy, but.no-one should pay good money for . Illustrations of species are by excellent colour such poor publishing quality. Finally, the book by photographs, coupled with line drawings to help in . Tod Stuessy is the most readable introduction to interpretation. Layout has ensured that there is a the principles (but not the practiCe), provided you map, line drawing or colour photograph on every realize (and to some extent agree with) his personal double page, greatly adding to the overall appeal of viewpoint. So, if you're looking for a book to con~ the.book. There are 65 species that are not illus vi nee someone else that systematics is a modem trated by a line drawing or photograph; 30 of these . sCience, then Stuessy's . book comes closest to have references to illustrations elsewhere. The other what you want, but I don't think you'.]] really con 35 specie·s are usually only represented- by a small vince anyone. number of collections, e.g. G. gr~nuiosa McGilliv ray, G. rosieri McGillivray, G. pinifolid Meisn., David Morrison and G. disjuncta F. Muell. - Department of Applied Biology · Very seldom these days would a revision of University of Technology; Sydney such a large Australian genus appear without a con siderable number of. new species. This one offi-· · cially has only one (G. suhteriineata R. Makinson), since all of McGillivray's new names were pub lished in 1986. It is, however, tbe first time that Grevillea (Proteaceal~). these new species (53 in all) and subspecies (34) A Taxonomic revision. have been described in detail. A half-sized repro duction of "New Names in Grevillea", the 1986 By D.J. McGillivray, assisted by R.O. Makinson. publication in which they were formalized, is· Melbourne UniversityPress. 1993. 480 pp. ISBN included as an appendix. . . 0-522-84439-1. $225. . The introductory chapters are brief, consisting of a short introduction, a chapter on morphology, The name Grevillea commemorates Robert · the method for preparing descriptions, and a glos~ Greville, "a gentleman eminently distinguished for · sary to special terms. The seven pages on morphol his acquirements in natural history, and to whom ogy have a great deal of detail for each organ of the the botanists of this country are indebted for the genus, and are followed by two detailed pages on introduction and successful cultiVation of many how measurements of some of these organs such as rare and interesting native phinl~". So wrote Robert the perianth, pistil, nectary, fruit and seeds have : Brown when he took up Dryander's name :for the been made. genus in 1809. Nowadays, if you wish to find out The part_of this re'vision that will no doubt more about Grevillc, he is better known for his role receive the most usc is the key to species, in con- · as ''protector" of the lady whom he later prevailed . junction with the glossary and the chapter on mor upon to marry his uncle and become th.c notorious phology. Any mat.erial that is purely vegetative or Lady Hamilton. That same uncle was repute\! to only with fruits will be impossible to identify; since have been responsible for· introducing into England the key to groups requires a knowledge of floral the process of lithography, No doubt both would characters. My testing of the key was performed in be amazed. at the sight of the new Grevlllea book. two ways, the first by using the descriptions as The size is large coffee-table format, .with an they appear in the revision, and the second by . eye-catching colour reproduction or the flowers of - taking a box of backlog material. from AD. · G.tripartita on the front cover. Coverage in a two From thedescriptions: On the whole, by taking. cohimn format is of 253 species.~each with a com a species !\Tid keying it out from the written descrip~ prehensive c. 500-word description, a separate and Lion most species of those tested.appeared in all of 28 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 7 4 (Ma:r:ch 1993) the groups that they should have done.· However, Grevilleas, although having access to McGillivray's G. thelemanniana should also be inciuded in those . new names, chose to .retain a number of species species in the key to Group .3, and G'. argyrophylla sunk here by McGillivray (e.g. G. ninghanensis, G. should be included in the key to Group 10 .. rogersii); since he considered that ihey "deserved From specimens: In keying out a box of separate. recognition, at least horticulturally;" Simi backlog specimens of Grevillea; it was found that larly, it is W.R.. Barker's intention. to continue once one became familiar with the terminology, (Barker 1989) to leave G. -rogersii (equivalent to the · with the help of the glossary and the detailed mor "small-leaved form" of G. lavandulacea, and con phology chapter, there were usually Jew prQbiems. fined to the western end of Kangaroo Island) in the The inflorescence shape, often difficult to discern South Australian Census as it·is counter-productive · from dried material, probably caused the .most to merely sink it into the great morass of variation headaches; an understanding ofthe term "secund" of the parent species. · is assumed as it has not been defined in t!)e glos Although I would agree with the outcomes sary or in the descript.ive characters. Either m·y from the nomenclature chapter, there is room for determination was wrong or the accuracy· 6f the . controversy.· :Some of the decisions made would distribution map for G: junc(f'olia is suspect1 as a surely have occupied the "consistent pedant''· for specimen that keyed out this species came from 70 sqveral agonised pages of. Kew's unofficial miles S of Darwin, which is ·outside -the area Notnenclatural Forum, and were perhaps deserving shown fo'r -the distribution of that species. . of some discussion in the introduction. These H should 'be noted that within the group keys 'include the-decision to use the term leci'oparatype reference iS to the species number rather than the {or ?paralectotype), and to refer to the duplicate page numi?er. As each page has t)Je species name sheets of the lectotypes, which may or may not and. species number at the top, this aids in finding have been seen by the' author and thus form pan of the relevant speCies quickly. the protologue, as "parts of the type collection". Probably the most controversial aspect of this What, one wonders, is the imnotation onthe type work is the decision not to recognize much of the sheet? Similarly, on p. 430 there is a rejection of. infraspecific. variillion ·formally. Where the~e is the earner name Lysanihe podalyriifolia Knigh~ for variation, and 'this applies to a great many of the · G. mi.tcronulata R.Br; on the basis of not being able .species, there is an extremely detailed discussion, to prpduce a neotype, and also so as not to It would.appear to' this reviewer, particularly where "promote the principie of priority.beyond its proper .taxa have been described, mapped or keyed ouL bounds". But what are those bounds? (e.g. under G. hookeriana, G. tetragonoloha, G. I would take issue with the -statement that fasciculata, G. hrachystylis, G. pityophylla, etc., invalid names are not mentioned as they are best etc.), that fn.the Interests of stability of the broad forgotten. Iiwalid names include manuscript names, species conce·pt adopted, it might have been prefer and in a work such as this; yvhich is after all a revi- . able to formalize them. The usc or multiple terms ··sian of the genus, a true history of the species (forms, races, elements of the appendix,· species 48-52 correspond to alone. None of them produce fruits, and their Group 6), and it also needs considerably more pollen is sterile. G. banksii .arid G. pteridifolia both information as to character states. This would have forms ranging from prostrate to small trees, perhaps have been best supplied by producing a just as in H. prostrata: Variation in leaf structure key to the natural groups, as in the traditional con · within a species is a feature of a number of species. spectus.·· in both genera, e.g. 'G. leptohotrys, G. ilicifolia, From my point of view· as part of the team and H. varia. . · . responsible for tevising the sister genus Hakea, With the documentation of the variation within reviewing this book has been afascinating exer~ Grevillea, )he time has almost arrived for a cladistic cise. The terminology used .differs slightly· from analysis of the two genera to determine whether thatused for Hakea, a problem that will need to be they are each truly monophyletic. · overeome forthe forthcoming treatment of the two A number of chapters that are usually features genera in the Flora of Australia, and also for any of modem revisions have obviously no( been cladistic analysis of the two genera. undertaken because of the health of the ·author. I In contrast toHakea~ where the diversity tends was personally sorry to see that there was no to be in both the flowers and the fruit, in Grevillea; chapter on the history. of the genus, since I was where the fruit is usually not retained, the greatest very conscious that the ground trodden in prepara diversification appears to be within the. flowers. tion of the Hakea account had been well and truly · . Colour and its distribution within the nowe.r tends explored previously by Don. However, the frame to be more yariable than in Hakea, easily justifying work is now in place for studies on pollination, dis the treatment of the flower colour as a separate persal, reproductive biology, and evolutionary heading at the ·end of each description. Black· fea biology of the genus; and it. is hoped that Bob tures in a number of species restricted in their dis Makinson, who has steered much of this book tribution, e.g. G. benthamiana has a black pcljanth through its final stages, will undertake these ..It is . and G. scortechinii and G. hookefiana have black not quite clear just how much Bob's contribution styles, .and it would bC interesting to kpow whether has been, ·as the acknowledgements have all been this has any significance in. the pollination of these done iri tirst person singular, arid nor am I quite . species. sure whether the book's author should be cited as Other parallels seen within the two genera can McGillivray or McGillivray & Makinson. . . be found in perianth shape. Within Hakea there is. a . Notto mention the price of this book would be group in which the tepals remain coherent except remiss. It may be a product of the large size, pro along the dorsal surface. All have large red flowers lific use of colour and small print run, but the figure and are bird pollinated. However this same coher- quoted seems inordinately high and more in line . ence of the tepals withinGrevillea seems to have with that for a limited-edition work. Unfortunately, arisen for a different pu.rpose, as here the flowers it probably puts it beyond the reach ,of those are relatively small and not red~ Both genera have a "interested amateurs" for which the media release group of species with straight. puds, Section says it is a must, and it certainly makes it difficult to Manglesia of Grevillea (12 spp.) and Section· justify more. than one copy per institution where Manglestoides of Hakea (4 spp.); allspecies ,with budgeL~ are tight. the ·exeeption of G. anethifolia, arc. confined io It was a great pleasure to review this book. I southern Western Australia: Pendent inflores am sure thar the .whole of the botanical community, cences are found within G. ihelemanniana and also particularly within Australia and at Kew where Don in Hakea pendens: was very highly regarded during his term as Aus · Within the fruit, similar excrescences and tnilian Liaison Officer, will derive a similar senseof shapes are found in· Hake a rhomhales and G. satisfaction to sec it. Despite all the difficulties he pectinata, but no mature fruits of Hakea arc known has had to face, Don, with Bob Makinson's help; to produce sticky exudates ;Is in G. petropholoides has been able to produce a magnificent tome on the and other Grevillea species. G. annulifera and G. grcvilleas. · glauca exhibit the same rol)nd fruit with displaced apex as in H. incrassata and H. platysperina. .References . Vegetatively, there arc also a number of para!- · leis that can be made between the genera. G. Australian Network of Plant Conservation (1993) A infecunda resembl~s H. aenigma of Kangitroo Preliminary Listing of the Naiional Endangered Island and H. pulvinifera of New South Wales. by Species Collection. . . · . maintaining .its populations by root suckering Barker, W.R. (1989) Proteaceae. In: J.P. Jessop 30 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) (ed.) A list of the vascular plants of South says, "go with the crowd and admit that many a Australia (Edition III). J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. good rule allows occasional exceptions" is up to 12: 8-9. . us. Makinson, R.O. & ·Olde, P.M. (1991) A new The second major section of the book lists all species of previllea (Proteaceae) from south~ of the names in use at the time this book went to west Western Australia. Telopea 4: 351-5. press (lacking only A. hulgaensis and A. matthewii; McGillivray, J. (1986) New Names in Grevillea published late last year). Each entry gives binomial (Proteaceae). Published and distributed by the . (or trinomial for subspecific or varietal taxa), author, Castle Hill, N.S.W. · . author, common name; guide to pronunciation; and' Wrigley, J. & Fagg, M.A. (1989) B an,ksias. derivation of epithet, whether from a classical Waratahs and G.revilleas, and all other plants {n source, a personal name or a geographic name. In the Australian Proteaceae family. Collins, the latter cases, brief biogr-aphical of locality infor Syd11ey. mation is given. Although restricted in scope, this section covers such a wide-range of epithets that it Robyn Barker ·would be infor-mative to any reader interested in the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide . formation of plant names. · and State Herbarium The book also includes a short glossary and bibliography, brief biographical note'S on the authors of names in the book, and an illustrated guide to the groupings of species used in the Flora of New South Wales. · The Names of Acacias of New South The book is attractively presented and produc Wales. With a Guide to Pronunciation .tion standards are high. ·I could find little in the way of Botanical Name~?. of errors or omissions, except that the treatment of stibspeci fie and. varietal taxa is somewhat inconsis By Norman Hall and L.A.S. Johnson. Royal tent and the author of A. leiocalyx [(Dbmin) Botanic Gardens, Sydney. 1993. 69 pp. ISBN 0- Pedley] is omitted. · . . 7310-0118~:4. $15. In conclusion, this is a useful book that would be a valuable addition to any personal or institu- · This slim v.olumc contains far more than an tiona! library. initial glance at its main title implies. It is of rele vance to all of those people with an interest in Peter Wilson botany, both professionals and non-professionals, National Herbarium of N.S.W. regardless of the state in which they live. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney The book is divided into two major parts, an introductory section dealing with the history of wattles· and the formation and pronunciation cif their names, and a· section dealing specifically with the names of all New South Wales taxa. · Flora of New Sooth Wales, Volume 3. · The first section contains a brief but compre hensive explanation of the "how and why" of the · Edited by .Gwen· Harden. University of NSW formation of botanical names, followed by a Press, Kensington. 1992. 717 pp. ISBN 0-86840- detailed exposition on the pronunciation of botani 172-2. $89.95. . cal names. The latter' is the fruit of the second · author's long interest in matters linguistic and This brief review should be largely a matter of nomenclatural. In the concluding paragraph, h'e preaching to the converted, as. the Flora of New states the "the foregoing may seem formidable at South Wales is shaping tip as a great improvement first sight", and this is indeed the case: but closer in our understanding of the regional flora, and as a examination of the texl shows that there are numer stepping stone in the direction of an adequate ous examples .that enable the reader more easily to knowledge of plant systematics in Australia. grasp the point being 'made. This approach is a The volumes of the Flora of New South Wales consistent one, but many will find, as I did, that have appeared in an amazingly short period of time some of'their present pronunciations do not foliow since the inception of the project in 1982. This the tniditionat principles outlined here. ,Whether we important volume runs from Balsaminaceae to strive to follow such guidelines or, as the writer· Larriiaccac, and thus contains many sizable fami- Austral. Syst .. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 31' lies, including Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, Bruhl, J.J. and Quinn, C.J. (1990) Cypsela Epacridaceae, Rubiaceae, and Lamiaceae. anatomy. in the 'Cotuleae' (Asteraceae As is perhaps inevitable with a work of this Anthemidae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc.·l02: 37-59. size and detail, Volume 3 does contain a few minor Bruhl, J.J. and Quinn, C.J. (1991) Floral mor- . shortcomings. There are a few speJ.ling mistakes, phology and a re-assessment of affinities in the e.g. p. xx "Nooteboon" should read "Noote 'Cotuleae' (Asteraceae). Aust. Syst. Bot, 4: boom". There are some annoying couplets in the 637-54. . keys, e.g. p. 3 Polygalaceac "2 leaves always Gadek, P.A., Bruhl, JJ. and Quinn, C.J. (1989) alternate· ... 2* leaves alternate or occasion~lly ... ". Exine structure in the 'Cotuleae' (Anthemidae, Some of the keys arc tricky, e.g. p. 198 Conyza. · Asteraceae). Grana Palynalogica 28: 163-78. · Unsupported relationships are· indicated 'in the Asteraceae by the placement of Ceratogyne (p. Jeremy J. Bruhl 289), Centipeda (p: 293)~ Abrotanella (p. 294), Department of Botany and Herbarium NE lsoetopsis (p. 295), and Elachanthus (p. 296) with ·· University of New England the Anthemid&e genera (Eriocephalus to Artemisia, pp. 284-295): This is despite some clear evidence - to the contrary (see Gadek et at: 1989; Bruhl & Quinn 1990, 1991; Anderberg 1991). Some ofthe keys are set out incorrectly, e.g. p. 419 Monotoca Recent Publications ' "2 M. scopai-ia" is aligned against "1 * .... ", but should be set against "2* ... ~·.The statement in the CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants glossary (p. 677) that "Kranz anatomy ... [is] of Australia. found in some grasses (Poaceae) and chcnopods Edited by M. Lazarides and B. Hince. CSIRO, ... " is. ambiguous; Kranz anatomy also occurs in Melbourne. J 993.' 344 pp. ISBN 0-643~05240-2 . other families, e.g. in the Cyperaceae. A few of the $50. ' . black-and-white drawings adjacent to the text are of variable quality and usefulness; however, it is Flora Neotropica, Volume S7. Rollinia. great to have every species individuaUy illustrated. By P.J.M. Maas, et al. New York Botanical Now for the good news. The keys generally Garden, New York. 1992. 192 pp. ISBN 0• work very well, even in the case of the large and 89327-370-8. $50. difficult families (e.g. Astcraccile). The descrip tions, togeth.er with the illustrations, work well to Flora Neotropica, Volume 58-9, confirm the results of the keys. The colour photo Calymperaceae and Leucophanaceae. graphs are generally excellenL The glossary is By William D. Reese and Noris Salazar Allen. well-illustrated and useful, and the general quality New York Botanical Garden, New York. 1992. of the volume is high. In summary, this (and its 120pp. ISBN 0-89327-372-4. $35. companion volumes .1 and 2) is a great tool for regional identification. It will promote a better The Conservation Atlas ofTropical understanding and a greater appreciation of our F As this issue of the Newsletter was going to voted to formally.accept the new Constitution. The press, we were informed that the membcn;hip of new Constitution is therefore now in effect. :the Australian Systematic Botany Society Inc. has 32 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc; Newsletter 74 (March 1993) · Jlndex to A.s.s~s. Newsletter Numbers 70~73, 19921 ·Articles Fourteenth General Meeting treasurer's report 71: 12 . . A new method for .increasing the robustness of Election of officers 70: 23 cladistic analyses, by David Morrison 71: 2 ·· Nancy T. Burbidge meinoriallecture 73: 6 An examination'ofDomin's missing_grass types, New Public Officer 72: 20 · · by Bryan Simon 72: 1 · Southern Temperate Ecosystems'conference. 72: Autonyms and author citations- surely there's a 21, 73: 6 . better way to combine the two, by Rodney • Subscription warning 70: 23 J.F. Henderson 73: 1 Symposium in far n'Orth Queensland 71: 22 ·Guidelines for the preparation of requests to the The proposed new ASBS Inc .. Constitution- cor Australian Botanical Liaison Officer at Kcw, rections. 73: 6 by G.P. Guymer 71: 6 MemOries of J.M. Black, by Constance M. Commentary . Eardley arid Marjorie Andrew, compiled by · W.R Barker· 70: 2, 72: 30 Authorship of the Compositae of Plantae ·Memories of some collecting trips in central. Aus Muellerianae; by Philip Short, Dick Brummit tralia, by George Chippendale 72: 7 and HansjorgEiehler 70:.19 Robert Mudie (i777-1842) and Australian botany, Further applications of the;data enrichment method, orThe saga of the Black Bean, by David Mab- · by Peter Jobson 72: 18 · . · berley ·70: 13 · . ·· . Proposed revisions to the International Code of Senecio lautus se,nsu lato _:_ an unresolved · · Botanical Nomenclature, by Thomas B. Wid- complex, by Peter W. Michael 72: 10 dowson and Louis D. Druehl 72: .18 The Australian Museum icthyology databases-..,. a Systematic science, by Davidl\1orrison. 71: 8 . national perspective, by Mark McGrouthcr Systematic scientism, by A. Hay 71: 7 n: 16 Taxonomy, patronyms and immortality, by The correct author citations for Calotropis gigantea Vincent H. Resh 73: 3 · ·· and C. procera (Asclepiadaceae), by Paul I. 'The Casuarinaceae: Allocasuar{na is unsupported•. Forster 71: 5 by Yee H. Hwang 70: 16 The need for an international interchange standard - how international is HISPID?, by Barry Determinavit slips conn 72: 14 · · Towards ecological databases for a .conservation Collecting Eriocaulon 73: 5 organization, by Murray Ellis 72: 17 Muniria integerrima 70:24 Using computers to save sanity, by Barbara R. Randell 72: 11 Editorial . U3A, or botany after retirement, by George Chip- . penqale 73: 3 David Morrison 70: I Barbara W\ecek and David Morrison 71: I ASBS Inc. Business· Member personal profiles ASBS Constitution and the new A.C.T. Incorpora- tion Act 71:21 Bed.ford, David 72: 20 Cotnicil elections 72: 20, 73: 6 Bruhl, Jeremy 73: 7 · Council meeting minutes 71: 19 Crisp, Mike 71:22 Council meeting notice 73: 6 CSIRO sCientific journal subscriptions 72: 20 Notices Fifteenth General Meeting riotice 72: 20, 73: 6 Financial statement 1990 71: 14 ABRS publications- buy how·! 73: 19 Financial statement 1991 71: 16 Australian Flora Foundation grants 70: 37 . Financial-statement 1992 71: l3 Australian· Flora Foundation research pfans for· Fourteenth (jenera! Meeting ~inutes 7i: 10 1993 73:19 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc~· Newsletter 74 (March 199:3) 33 . Australia's biota and the national interest: The role "A Distant Island" 71: 38 of bioiogical collections 70: 36 "Advances in Legume Biology" 70: 28 Back issues of Taxon 70: 38 "An Introduction. to Plant Taxonomy" 70: 30 Conserving biodiversity: threats and solutions 72: "Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney" 70: 29 33 Cycad 93 70: 37 "Flora of New South Wales, Volume 2" 73: 17 Help sought 72: 29 . · "Fundamentals of Plant Systematics" 71: 3i Journals for sale 73: 19 "Introduction to the Principles oJPlant Taxonomy" Plant taxonomists onlihe 70: 38 72:24 Proposed. taxonomic databases meeting 72: 28 "Pioneer Priest and Botanist. Benedetto Scorte- Request 73: 19 chini" 72: 28 Request for material 70: 37, 70: 38 "Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics"· 70: 30 Requests for material: Clematis fruits 71: 39 ''Plant Systematics" 71: 32. Requests for· m;lterial: Erysiphales (powdery "Rainforest Fungi of Tasmania and South-east· mildew fungi) of Australia 71: 39 Australia" 71: 36 Southern Connection Newsletter 70: 38 "Solanaceae III. Taxonomy, Chemistry, Evolu- XV International Botanical Congress, 1993 73:20 . tion" 70: 34 "Syms Covington of Pambula" 72: 28 Personal News "The Story of the Flinders Ranges Mammals" 70: 35 Arthur Cronquist 71: 31 "Vegetation Description and Map, Ipswich, South- Hansjorg Eichler 71: 1 eastern Queensland" 72: 27. · · Terry Macfarlape 70: 27 General · Reports Andrew, Marjorie and _Eardley, Constance M., ASBS Adelaide Chapter 71: 28 · compiled by W.R. Barker: Memories of J.M. ASBS Melbourne Chapter 71: 27 Black 70: 2, 72: 30 ASBS participation in AIBS meetings inHawaii ASBS Chapter conveners 70: 40, 71: 40 72:23 . ASBS Publications 70: 39 Australian Biological Re~ources Study 70: 25, Aston, Helen:·. Back issues of Taxon 70: 38 71:26, 72:22, 73:8 Australian Biological Resources Study flora grants Bachmann, Konrad: Request for material 70: 38 1993 73: 11 Barker, Bill and Barker, Robyn: Report from Australian Biological Resources Study flora grants ASBS Adelaide Chapter 71: 28 preferred .objectives 1994 73: 13 Barker, Robyn and Barker, Bill: Report from Australian Botanical Liaison Officer 70: 27, 71: ASBS Adelaide Chapter 71: 28 26, 72: 22, 73: 9 ·Barker, W.R., compiled by: Memories of J.M. · Co-ordinating research on molecular evolution or Black 70: 2, 72: 30 · plants '70: 25 · Bierce, Ambrose: 'The Devil's Dictionary 71: 6, Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria, 19th 30, ·72: 32 . annual meeti.ng 71: 28 Bruhl; Jeremy: Report on. FASTS meeting 73: 16' Herbarium ceiling as plant press 70: 26 Brummit, Dick, Short, Philip and Eichler, International Organization for Plant Information Hansjorg: Authorship of the Cornpositae of 71:30, 72: 22, 73:'15 Plantae Muellerianae 70: 19 International Transfer Format-'-- an update 72: 23 International Transfer Format- further news 73: Calcutt, Graham: Who Planted That Damned. 15 Thing? 73:2 Nancy Burbidge honoured 73: 16 Chippendale, George: Memories of some collect Report on FASTS meeting 73: 16 ing trips in central Australia 72: 7 The Second Flora Malesiana Symposium 73: 14 Chippendale, George: Nancy Burbidge honoured 73: 16 Reviews · Chippendale, George: Review of "A Distant Island" 71: 38 "Acacias of Southeast Australia" 73: 18 Chippendale, George: Review of "Pioneer Priest 34 Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) and Botanist. Benedetto.Scortechini" 72: 28 George, Alex: Report from International Organiza Chippendale, George; Review Of "Syms Coving . · tion for Plant Information 71: 30,_ 72: 22, ton of Pambula" 72: 28 73: 15 ·Chippendale, George: U3A, or botany after retire- Gilymer, G.P.: Council of Heads of Australian . ment 73:3 . · . . . Herbaria, 19LI1 annuill meeting report 71: 28 Complanatus: Herbarium ceiling as plant press Guymer, G.P.: Guidelines for the preparation of 70:26 requests to the Australian Botanical Liaison Conn, Barry: .Intema~jonalTransfer Format- an Officer at Kew· 71: 6 update 72: 23 Conn, Bar,ry: · Inte.mational Transfer Format' ,.c_ · Hay, A.: Systematic scientism 71: 7 . further news 73: 15 . Henderson, Rodney J.F.: . Autonyms ·and author Conn, BaiJ)': Introduction to Selected papers from · citations -:'- surely there's a better way to · the Database· Developments and Data Sharing combine the:two 73: ·1 · Workshop 72: 13. · Hewson, Helen:· ABRS publications~ buy now! . Conn, Barry: The need for an international inter 73: 19. change standard ~ how international ·is Hewson, Helen: Re.quest 73: 19 . .HISPID? 72: 14 . ·. Hill, Bob: Southern Connection Newsletter 70: Conn, Barry: Review of "Acacias of Southeast 38 ··Australia" 73: 18 · Hill, Ken:· Cycad 93 . 70: 37 Crisp, Mike:. ·Review of "Advances in Legume · Hwang, Yce H.: TheCasuarinaceae; Allocasuarina Biolqgy" 70; 2.8 is unsupported 70: 16 Crisp, Mike: . XV International. Botanical Con· gress, 1993 73: 20 Jobson, Peter: Further applications of the data· enrichment method 72: 18. · · Database Developments. and Data Sharing Work shop, selected papers 72: 13 Katchalsky,Aarori: Quotation 70: 22 Druehl; Louis D. and Widdowson, Thomas B.: Proposed revisions to the International Code of . La Duke, John: Request for material 70: 37 Botanical Nomenclature 72: 18 Lazarides, Mike: Journals for' sale 73: 19 Lepschi, Brendan and Eichler, Hansjorg: Requests Eardley, Constance M, and Andrew, Marjorie, ·for material: Clemittis fruits 71: 39 compiled by W.R. Barker: Memories of J.M. Blackc 70: 2, 72: 30 . Mabberley, David: Rol)ert Mudie (1777-1842) and Eichler, Hansjorg and Lepschi, Brendan.: Australian botany, or The saga ofthe Black Req11ests for ma.terial: Clematis fruits 71: 39 Bean 70: 13 · · Eichler, Hansjorg, Short, Philip and Brummit, Macfarfane, Terry: Proposed taxonomic databases Dick: Authorship of the Compositae ofPlantae meeting ·72: 28 Muellerianae 70~ 19 Martin, Peter: Co-ordinating research on molecular Ellis, Murray: Towards ecological databases lor a cvolutiof) of plants 70: 25. conservation organization 72: 17 May, Tom: Review of "Rainforest Fungi of Tas Entwisle, J'im: Repor:t from ASBS Melbourne mania and South~east Australia"· 71: 36 Chapter 71: 27 ·. McGrouther, Mark: . The Australian Museum icthyology databases- a national perspective Forster, Paul I.: The correct author citations for . 72: 16 . Calotropis gigantea and C. procer:a (Asclepiad .··Michael, Peter W.: Senecio lautus sensu lato- an aceae) 71:5 unresolved complex 72: 10 Morrison, David: A new method for increasing the George, Alex: Australia~ Biological R~sources robustness of cladistiC analyses 71: 2 St\ldY flora grants.1993 73: U · Morrison, David:. Review of." An Introduction to · · George, Alex: Australian Biological Resourcqs. Plant Taxonomy" 70: 30 . Study flora grants preferred objectives 1994 Morrison,· David: Review of. "Fundamentals of 73: 13 . Plant System11tics" 71: 32 George, Alex: Report from Australian Biological Morrison, David: ·Review of "Introductiqn to the · Resources Study 70: 25, 71: 26, 72: 22, . Piinciples of Plant Taxonomy" 72:24 73:8 Morrison, David: Review of "Plant Taxonomy and Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) 35 Biosystematics" 70: 30 . missing grass types 72: 1 Morrison, David: Review or "Plant Systematics" Simon, Bryan: Report from the Second Aora: Mal 71:32 esiana Symposium 73: 14 Morrison, David: Systematic science 71:-8 Sivertsen; Dominic: Review of "Vegetation· Myerscough, Peter: Review of ''Flora or New Description and Map, Ipswich, South-eastern South Wales, Volume 2" 73: 17 Queensland" 72: 27 Stop Press 71: 1 Pascoe, Ian: Requests for material: Erysiphales Symon, David: Review of "Solanaceae III. Taxon . (powdery mildew rungi).of Australia 71: 39 omy, Chemistry, Evolution"_ 70: 34 Symon, David: Review of "The Story of the Hind · Radford, Ian: Help sol!ght 72: 29 : ers Ranges Mammals" 70: 35 · Randell, Barbara R.: Using computers to save sanity 72: 11 Telephone and .fax numbers for major Australian . Recent publications 70: 35, 71: 38, 73: 18 herbaria .70: 40, 71: 40, 72: 32, 73: 20 Reed, ·Ma1colm: Australian Flora Foundation grants 70: 37 . West, Richard: Reprint from the Sydney Morning· Reed, Malcolm: Australian Flora Foundation Herald. 73: 5 research plans for 1993 73: 19 Weston, Peter: Report from Australian Botanical Resh, Vincent H,; Taxonomy, patronyms and Liaison Officer 73: 9 immortality 73: 3 · Widdowson, Thomas B. and Druehl·, Louis D.: Russell, Bertrand: Quotation 73: 20 Proposed revisions to the International Code _of Botanical Nomenclature 72: 18 Short, Philip, Bruinmit, Dick an(! Eichler, Wiecek; Barbara:· Review of "Field Guide to the Hansjorg: Authorship of the Compositac of Native Plants of Sydney" 70: 3~ · Plantae Muellerianae 70: 19 Wild, Lynda: Conserving biodiversity: threats and Short, Philip: Report from Australian Botanical solutions 72: 29 Liaison Officer 70: 27, 71: 26 Wilson, Peter: ASBS participation in AIBS meet- Simon, Bryan: An examination of Domin's ings in Hawaii 72: 23 · · Jtu.strafian Systematic 13otan.y Society . ·. 36 · Au~tral. Syst. Bot. Soc. N~wsletter 74 (March 1993) A.S.B.S~ CHAPTER CONVENERS Adelaide Oarwin MoJly Whalen · · Clyde Dunlop School of Biological Sciences Darwin Herbarium 'Hinders University of South Australia Conservation Commission of the N.T. BEDFORD PARK. S.A. 5042. P.O. Box 496 Tel; (08) 201-2723 PALMERSTON. N.T. 0831. Tel: (089) 89-5511 Armidale Jeremy Bruhl · Melbour.rie . Departinent of BQtany · Tim Entwisle University of New England National Herbarium of Victoria ARMIDALE. NSW. 2351. Birdwood Avenue Tel: (067) 73~2429 SOUTH YARRA. VIC. 3141. Tel: (03) 655c23l3 Brisbane Laurie Jessup Perth Queensland Herbarium Jenny Chappill Meiers Road Department of Botany · INDOOROOPILL Y; QLD. 4068. Umversity ofWestem Australia Tel: (07). 371-3511 NEDLANDS. W.A. 6009. Tel: (09) 380-2212 Canberra Carolyn Mihaich Sydney Australian·National Herbarium· · Barry Conn . GPO Box 1600 National Herbarium of New South Wales . CANBERRA. A.C.T. 2601. Mrs Macquaries Road Tel: (06) 246-511 3 SYDNEY N.S.W. 2000. · Tci:(02) 231~8131 Telephone_ and.· Fax Numb_e.rs for Major Australian Herbaria . . Iritemational dialling sequence from outside Australia:- add .the Australian couritry code 61.and omit lhe leading zero of lhe area code . . AD BRI · HO MBA . Ph; (08) 2282311 Ph: (07) 8779325 Ph: (002) 202635 Ph: (070) 921555 Fax: (08) 22318()9 ·Fax: (07) 3716655 Fax: (002) 207865 Fax: {070) 923593 CANB CBG ·.MEL NSW Ph: (06) 2465ll 3 Ph: (06) 2509450 . Ph: (03) 6552300 Ph: (02) 231Slll Fax: (06) 2465249 · Fax: (06) 2509599 Fax: (03) 6552350 · Fax: (02) 2517231 DNA FRI PERTH QRS · Ph: (089) 894516 Ph; (06)2818211 Ph: (09) 3340500 Ph: (070) 911'755 . Fax: (089) 323849 Fax: (06) 2818312 ·. Fax: (09)-3340515 Fax: (070)_ 913245 This list will be kcpll,lp to date; and will be pubfish(!d in each issue. Please inform Da')'id Bedford (NSW) of' any changes or additions. The Society The Australian Systematic Botany Society is an incorporated association of over 300 people with professional or amateur interest in botany. The aim of the Society is to promote the study of plant systematics. Membership Membership is open to all those interested in plant systematics. Membership entitles the member to attend general meetings and chapter meetings, and to receive the Newsletter. Any person may become a member by forwarding the annual subscription to the treasurer. Subscriptions become due on January I each year. The Newsletter The Newsletter appears quarterly, keeps members informed of Society events and news, and provides a vehicle for debate and discussion. In addition, original articles, notes and letters (not exceeding ten published pages in length) will be considered. Contributions should be sent to one of the editors at the address given below. They should preferably be submitted as:- an unformatted word-processor or ASCII file on an MS-DOS or Macintosh diskette, accompanied by a printed copy; as an unformatted word-processor or ASCII email file, accompanied by a fax message reporting the sending of the file; or as two typed copies with double-spacing. The deadline for contributions is the last day of February, May, August, and November. All items incorporated in the Newsletter will be duly acknowledged. Authors alone are responsible for the views expressed, and statements made by the authors do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Systematic Botany Society Inc. Newsletter items should not be reproduced without the permission of the author of the material. Notes ASBS annual membership is $25 (Aust); full-time students $12. Please make cheques out to ASBS Inc., and remit to the treasurer. All changes of address should be sent directly to the treasurer, as well. Advertising space is available for products or services of interest to ASBS members. Current rate is $100 per full page, $50 per half-page or less. Contact.one of the Newsletter editors for further information. Editors Ms B.M. Wiecek Dr D.A. Morrison National Herbarium of NSW Department of Applied Biology Royal Botanic Gardens University of Technology, Sydney Mrs Macquaries Road PO Box 123 SYDNEY NSW 2000 BROADWAY NSW 2007 Tel (02) 231 8130 Tel (02) 330 4159 Fax (02) 251 4403 Fax (02) 330 4003 Email [email protected] Cover David Mackay Austral. Syst. Bot. Soc. Newsletter 74 (March 1993) CONTENTS Articles Dampierafusca (Goodeniaceae): An extension of range, conservation status assessment, and identification notes by S. Alston, G. Chandler, M. Lawley, D. Martin, S. Podreka, S . Richmond, M . R ya n, N. Taws ...... Commentary Celebration of botanists' birthdays by G. C hippenda le ...... 3 Newsletter by G. Crow ley...... 3 I never wrote to the authors for reprints of the following articles by D .C. Speirs...... 4 Australian Systematic Botany Society Business Minutes of the Fifteenth Genera l Meeting ...... 5 Treasurer's report for the financial year ended 31 December 1992...... 8 Nancy Burbidge Memorial Lecture E lizabeth Truswell...... 10 Reports Australian Biological Resources Study ...... 11 Australian Botanical Liaison Officer, Kew ...... 12 FASTS board meetings a nd an nu al gene ral meetin g ...... 14 A m anifesto for Australia's future fro m FASTS ...... 14 Foundation Flora Malesiana ...... 15 Workshop on Molecular Phylogeny ...... 16 Forum on Phylogenetic Methodo logy ...... 16 ASBS Melbourne Chapter ...... 17 The CHAH Herbarium T echnic ian s Works hop ...... 18 Southern Temperate Ecosystems Conference ...... 18 Determinavit Slips ··· ····· ········ ···· ··· ··· ········ ···· ······ ··· ··· ···················· ····· ··· ······ ······················ ·· ·· ······· 20 Reviews Plant Taxonomy: The Systematic Evaluation of Comparative Data ...... 21 Grevillea (Proteaceae). A Taxonomic Revision ...... 27 The Names of Acacias of New South Wales ...... 30 Flora of New South Wa les, Volume 3 ...... 30 Recent Publications ...... 31 Index to A.S.B.S. Newsletter Numbers 70-73, 1992 ...... 32 A.S.B.S. Chapter Conveners, and Herbaria Phone Numbers ...... 36