NewsletterNewsletter No.128No.136 September September 2006 2008 Price:Price: $5.00 $5.00 Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter 136 (September 2008) AUSTRALIAN SYSTEMATIC BOTANY SOCIETY INCORPORATED Council President Vice President Marco Duretto Peter Weston Tasmanian Herbarium National Herbarium of New South Wales, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Private Bag 4 Mrs Macquaries Road Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Sydney, NSW 2000 Tel: (03) 6226 1806 Tel.: (02) 9231 8111 Fax: (03) 6226 7865 Fax: (02) 9251 7231 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Secretary Treasurer Kirsten Cowley Michael Bayly Australian National Herbarium School of Botany GPO Box 1600 The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010 Canberra, ACT 2601 Tel: (03) 8344 7150 Tel: (02) 6246 5024 Fax: (03) 9347 5460 Fax: (02) 6246 5249 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Councillor Councillor Dale Dixon Tanya Scharaschkin Northern Territory Herbarium School of Natural Resource Sciences Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Queensland University of Technology Territory PO Box 2434 P.O. Box 496 Brisbane, Qld 4001 Palmerston, NT 0831 Tel: (07) 3138 1395 Tel: 08 89994512 Fax: (07) 3138 1535 Fax: 08 89994527 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Other Constitutional Bodies Public Officer Hansjörg Eichler Research Committee Kirsten Cowley Barbara Briggs Australian National Herbarium Rod Henderson (Contact details above) Betsy Jackes Kristina Lemson Chris Quinn Chair: Peter Weston, Vice President (ex officio) Grant applications close: 14th Mar/Sep annually Affiliate Society Papua New Guinea Botanical Society ASBS Web site www.anbg.gov.au/asbs Webmaster: Murray Fagg Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research Australian National Herbarium Email: [email protected] No loose leaf inclusions with this issue Publication dates of previous issue Austral.Syst.Bot.Soc.Nsltr 135 (June 2008 issue) Hardcopy: 1st August 2008; ASBS Web site: 3rd August 2008 Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter 136 (September 2008) From the President It was with great pleasure that I accepted the speak for the entire society [again] when I thank honour of serving as President of the Society. them for the excellent job they have done over As can been seen on the inside of the front cover the years for the Newsletter as well as the society. of this Newsletter this was one of a number of Good luck to the new editors! changes in the makeup of Council that occurred at the recent AGM in Adelaide. Firstly, three These are trying times for systematics in hard working members have left, these being Australia and the world. The number of practicing John Clarkson (former President), Darren Crayn taxonomists and systematists is becoming (former Vice President) and Anna Monro (former significantly smaller and funding is getting more Treasurer). I think I can speak for the entire difficult to procure. With a major global financial society when I thank them for the excellent job crisis underway I can not see it improving in they have done over the years. Their hard work the short term without significant additional and dedication will be missed and I wish them resources. Granting bodies no doubt will have to well in a Council-free world. make stronger cases to retain funding [or continue to exist] and/or look after investments etc more The Council for 2008/9 is: conservatively. ● Mike Bayly (Research Fellow, MELU) has What can ASBS do as an advocate for research, taken on the role of Treasurer. Mike’s research systematics and conservation? A number of things interests include Rutaceae, Plantaginaceae and are being done at the moment to raise the profile Gleicheniaceae. of the society which will assist in this role. The ● Kirsten Cowley (Research Assistant, CANB) recently completed brochure can now be found who was a Councillor in 2005/6 and continues at most universities and herbaria and has been her excellent work as Secretary (since 2006) and seen at some conferences. It can be downloaded ASBS’s Public Officer (since 2003). Kirsten from the society’s website or if you would like has a strong interest in plant nomenclature. a number of hard copies please contact Kirsten ● Dale Dixon (Deputy Director, Museum & Cowley. Websites are the first port of call of many Art Gallery NT) who has been a Councillor when investigating a society and it is important since 2006 and hosted the ASBS conference in that they are easy to use as well as inviting. The Darwin in 2007. His research interests, when website is currently being reviewed by Council. he has time, include the systematics of Ficus, Any suggestions for improvement would be most Cycas and Portulaca. welcome. ● Tanya Scharaschkin (Lecturer, QUT) joined the Council this year as a Councillor. Her main Conferences are an essential part of society life research interests include understanding the and the society does offer some, if meagre, support ecological and evolutionary biology of plants for student attendance. There are conferences across varying temporal and spatial scales. planned for Armidale (2009) and New Zealand ● Peter Weston (Senior Principal Research (2010). The latter will tie in with the planned Scientist, NSW) joins the team as Vice affiliation of ASBS and the New Zealand Plant President and has previously been on Council as Radiation Network. The up and coming IBC in a Councillor (1996-1999) when he chaired the Melbourne (2011) will be an excellent opportunity inaugural Eichler Research Committee. Peter’s for the society to play an active role in promoting research interests include the systematics of systematics. Maybe some serious student support Proteaceae, Orchidaceae and Rutaceae. can be offered to ensure that many of our student ● Lastly, myself (Senior Curator - Botany, HO); members experience an IBC early in their careers. I have been a Councillor since 2003 and am Of course there are other things the society can now the President. My main research interests and will do at the IBC and any suggestions would include the systematics of Rutaceae while the be welcome. Flora of Tasmania Online Project consumes a significant percentage of my time. Are there other things that you think the society Another significant change for the society this should be doing or could improve on? Please do year will be a change of editors for the Newsletter. not hesitate to contact any member of the Council Robyn and Bill Barker have decided it is time to about issues you may have or with suggestions hand over the presses [more details elsewhere in of where the society could improve etc. I look this issue]. The first newsletter they edited was forward to catching up with many of you soon. No. 108 (Sep. 2001) and they will finish on this Marco Duretto one (7 years & 29 issues later!). I think I can 1 Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter 136 (September 2008) ASBS Inc. business 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Australian Systematic Botany Society, Inc. 4:30 pm, Tuesday 30th September, at Bragg Lecture Theatre, University of Adelaide, South Australia Present: John Clarkson (President), Darren Crayn extended to the Barkers for the Newsletter, (Vice-President), Marco Duretto, Dale Dixon seconded by Barbara Briggs. Motion carried. See (Councillor) and 45 members, including two Attachment 3. ASBS life members Robyn Barker and David Symon. Web Page: report not provided. Murray Fagg was absent. John Clarkson has contacted. A vote 1. Apologies of thanks to Murray for his work was moved Anna Monro, Kirsten Cowley, Bob Chinnock, by John Clarkson, seconded by Robyn Barker. Graham Bell and Jeremy Bruhl. Motion carried. 2. Minutes of the 2007 Annual General 7. Eichler Research Fund Meeting As per power point presentation by Darren Proposed that the minutes of the 29th Annual Crayn. Karen Wilson moved that a vote of thanks General Meeting (as published in The Australian be extended to the committee, seconded by Bill Systematic Botany Society Newsletter Number Barker. Motion carried. 133 be accepted. 8. Any other business Moved Michael Bayly and seconded Wayne International Botanical Conference (IBC) – update Gebert. Motion carried. by Judy West. Article on update to be presented in the Newsletter. Professional conference 3. Business arising from minutes company appointed - ICMS Australasia selected Nil as conference organiser. Expecting 3,000-4,000 4. President’s report people. Tim Entwisle head of Science committee. Judy West chair of organising committee. Karen Presented by John Clarkson. John’s last report. Wilson is the Secretary General. Field trips – to Copy will be printed in the ASBS newsletter. be coordinated by CHAH: State and Territory Accepted with acclamation. See Attachment 1. herbaria have agreed to provide leaders. Dale 5. Treasurer’s report Dixon asked who needed to be approach for ASBS to run a program (answer - ASBS to approach Tim Prepared by Anna Monro and presented by Entwisle). Robyn Barker asked what the venue is Marco Duretto and to be printed in the ASBS – new convention centre. newsletter. Robyn noted that newsletter mail out did not appear to match actual member numbers. 9. Election results Judy West asked how the ASBS brochures were President: Marco Duretto being disseminated. Annette Wilson asked if Vice president: Peter Weston applications for memberships could be included in the brochure. Secretary: Kirsten Cowley Treasurer: Michael Bayly Acceptance moved on behalf of Anna Monro by Marco Duretto, seconded by Judy West. Motion Councillor: Dale Dixon carried. See Attachment 2. Councillor: Tanya Scharaschkin The new president, Marco Duretto, moved a 6. Newsletter & web page report vote of thanks for the outgoing ASBS Council Newsletter: Robyn to supply newsletter report. members. John Clarkson moved that a vote of thanks be Meeting closed: 5:41 pm Attachment 1 - President’s report th Welcome to the 30 Annual General Meeting of Since it was formed in 1973, ASBS has held the Australian Systematic Botany Society.