1985-86

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Annual Report 1985-1986

The functions of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) are to collect, study and display a national collection of living and herbarium specimens of Australian native plants and related species for scientific research, education, conservation and public enjoyment.

The Gardens occupy 90 ha on the slopes of Black Mountain in Canberra, with an 80 ha annexe in the Jervis Bay Territory of Australia’s eastern coast. The Gardens were officially opened in 1970 and now contain about 6,000 species of living plants.

There were 400 800 visitors to the Gardens in Canberra in 1985-86 and 20 000 to the Jervis Bay Annexe (400 500 in Canberra and 11,500 to the Jervis Bay Annexe in 1984-85).

Significant events

The most significant event for the year was the opening of the new Visitor Information Centre by their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales on 7 November 1985. Planning for the Centre commenced in 1983 with the National Capital Development Commission and consultant architect, Peter Crone. It was completed in late 1985 and includes two exhibition areas, a bookshop, a room for the public access herbarium and a theatrette on the ground floor, with administratio offices on the first floor.

The exhibition prepared for the opening ceremony featured floral emblems from all the Australian states and territories of Australia and appropriately reflected the national character of this Botanic Gardens.

After inspecting the exhibition areas and meeting staff associated with the building, their Royal Highnesses opened the Information Centre before an invited audience of about 300 guests, then walked through the Rainforest Gully with senior Gardens’ staff.

The Gardens obtained approval to commemorate the Royal Visit by naming a recently developed cultivar Helichrysum bracteatum Princess of Wales’. This form of the popular golden paper daisy was selected by horticulturists at the Gardens for its colour, habit and horticultural potential, and registered with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority which is based at the Gardens. It provided a spectacular display throughout the summer.

On 12 March 1986 the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment, the Hon. Barry Cohen, MP, visited the Gardens to launch a new series of postage stamps for the Australian Bicentennial Collection. The set of six stamps honoured Cook’s voyage and the plants collected by Sir Joseph Banks and illustrated by his artist Sydney Parkinson. The ceremony was organised jointly with Australia Post and the A.C.T. Branch of the Bicentennial Authority.

On 14 April 1986 the book Kakadu, A world heritage of unsurpassed beauty was launched at the Gardens jointly by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment, the Hon. Barry Cohen M.P., and the popular conservationist and singer Mary Travers. The book was written by Professor J.D. Ovington, Director, Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service and published by AGPS. An exhibition featuring Kakadu prepared by the Botanic Gardens staff provided an appropriate venue for the book launch in the Visitor Information Centre.

Two significant plant discoveries were made during the year. A new and extremely rare Eucalyptus species, as yet unnamed, came to the attention of a botanist in the Gardens’ Research Section after a visitor sought advice on the plant’s identity from the Horticultural Adviser in October 1985. Subsequent investigations have found only five plants in the Braidwood area of N.S.W., but research into its propagation at the Gardens is yielding promising results.

A second significant find was the rediscovery of the eastern Australian underground orchid Rhizanthella slateri after twelve years. A research horticulturist from the Gardens successfully located it by matching habitat preferences with a similar orchid found in Western Australia;

ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY

Departmental transfer

On 12 December 1985 new administrative arrangements were introduced to implement decisions on territorial government for the Australian Capital Territory. In recognition of its status as a national collecting institution the Australian National Botanic Gardens was transferred from the Territories to the Arts, Heritage and Environment portfolio. The Gardens are being established as an office within the Department.

All existing Gardens’ staff and seven support staff positions were transferred to the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment.

Some functions will continue to be carried out by the Department of Territories on a cost recovery basis until alternative arrangements can be implemented.

Advisory Committee

The Minister for Territories decided to establish a committee to advise him on any matters concerning the roles and functions of the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra and at the Jervis Bay Annexe.

Appointments to the Committee are being finalised by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment, the Hon. Barry Cohen.

Finance

The Gardens was allocated $786,000 for on-going operational expenditure excluding wages and salaries. Expenditure against this item included soil, mulch, electricity, travel, special duty vehicle hire, telephones, library requisites etc. An allocation of $103,000 was made for the purchase of plant and equipment. Items purchased include stereo microscopes, entomological cabinets, a tractor and small associated equipment

Employment

The Gardens has an AOSL allocation of 82.75. At 30 June 1986 this consisted of fourteen professional staff, twenty-one technical staff, seven administrative — clerical and keyboard operators, and forty exempt employees in the gardening and other trades area.

During the year thirty-seven apprentices worked at the Gardens for periods of one or two months as part of the Land Management Branch, Department of Territories Apprenticeship Scheme.

The Gardens’ Community Employment Program projects employed seventeen people for varying periods.

Community Employment Program

Four CEP projects were approved for the Gardens in 1985; two of these were for the Jervis Bay Annexe. Three projects continued from 1984-85.

The projects carried over from the previous year and completed were ‘Curation of Lower Plants from Papua New Guinea’ in Canberra, and ‘Public Use and Trial Plots’ and ‘Path Reconstruction and Sealing’ in the Jervis Bay Annexe.

The project ‘Mounting of Donated Specimens’ employed one person for eighteen weeks in Canberra. A total of 1 400 donated specimens were mounted and incorporated into the Herbarium.

The project ‘Bushfire Hazard Reduction’ in Canberra employed nine people for twenty-six weeks to clear mulch areas of high-fire risk and to propagate and plant ‘fire-resistant’ species around sections of the perimeter of the Gardens.

The project ‘Field Recording and Labelling of Plant Species’ employed three people for twenty-six weeks at Jervis Bay. It enabled a complete stocktake of the collections of Jervis Bay to be incorporated into the Gardens’ computer system.

The project ‘Pedestrian Boardwalk and Footbridge Construction’ at Jervis Bay employed four people for twenty-six weeks. This project gives visitors greater access to the rainforest section of the Annexe.

NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

The National Collections Section consists of three subsections. The Living Collections Subsection is responsible for maintenance and curation of plants held in the Nursery, and in open ground in Canberra and at the Jervis Bay Annexe and is also responsible for the seed store. The Herbarium Subsection is responsible for maintenance and curation of dried plant specimens held in the Herbarium. The Development Subsection is responsible for co-ordination of planning and construction of major new works in the Gardens as well as redevelopment of planting areas within the Gardens. This Subsection is also responsible for ADP within the Gardens.

Living collections

During 1985-86 the Living Collections Subsection has been restructured. It is now headed by a curator and consists of three main units.

The living collection consists of about 73,000 plantsof about 6,000 species in Canberra and at the Jervis Bay Annexe. Pánts are grown under a number of different conditions.

 

No. of Specimens

No. of Taxa

Open Ground

- Canberra

- Jervis Bay

Under Glass

Permanent Pots

 

55 000

11 500

4 600

2 200

 

3 450

1 800

1 700

1150

Of the 4,600 plants grown under glass about 1,900 are epiphytic and lithophytic orchids.

The living collection also includes fifty-nine species of endangered Australian native plants.

Within the Gardens in Canberra several areas of plantings have been upgraded this year. The Anigozanthos section was redesigned and replanting is partially completed. Another area was redesigned to display plants that show variation within a species as well as hybrids. During the year, plant material has been donated to a number of organisations:

Jervis Bay Annexe

The Jervis Bay Annexe of the Australian National Botanic Gardens is situated in the Jervis Bay Territory. The Annexe is about 80 ha in area and has a staff of six. It was established to enable the cultivation of frost-tender plants under more favourable climatic conditions than those which prevail in Canberra.

Some planting has taken place in the rainforest area of the Annexe to complement the boardwalk, as well as the continuation of planting in areas of high public use. An area has been prepared for plants that require sunnier and drier conditions. A further area of lawn has been established adjacent to the shelter shed.

The increasing value of the area as a recreational and educational resource, has resulted in a continuing public pressure to extend the opening hours of the Annexe at weekends and public holidays.

Herbarium

The herbarium now contains about 176,000 specimens, of which 119,000 are vascular, and 57,000 are non-vascular (cryptogamic) plants. About 1,650 vascular specimens were obtained by exchange with, or as donations from other overseas herbaria, and about 1,570 replicate specimens were sent to kindred botanical institutions. Similarly about 3 500 non-vascular specimens were received and 10,000 replicate specimens were sent out.

Professional visitors from the local area, interstate and overseas made use of the collections during the year. In addition 71 loans, comprising 5,077 specimens in total, were sent to kindred institutions for use by specialists either preparing manuscripts for floras or revising groups.

Work is progressing toward the publication of the Catalogue of the Mosses of Australia and its External Territories in collaboration with the Bureau of Flora and Fauna.

Herbarium staff have assisted other organisations with a number of projects. These induded:

National collections fieldwork

Staff in the non-vascular herbarium have been active in the field this year. Two short trips to East Gippsland in the Bendoc and Orbost areas, including Mt Delegate and the northern part of the Erindundra Plateau, in collaboration with Dr J Elix, Reader in Organic Chemistry and lichenologist, of the Australian National University, yielded several rare moss species, a rare lichen species, a new species of Xanthoparmelia and several other lichen species previously recorded only for New Zealand.

Several visitors were taken into the field. Dr Goran Thor, Stockholm University was taken to Macquarie Pass, NSW, to collect material of the lichen genus Chiodecton. Dr Gerhardt Rambold, of Munich, collected material of the lichen genus Lecidea from the Tinderry Mountains and the Captain’s Flat area, NSW, for studies toward a Flora of Australia treatment and Dr Helen Ramsay, of the University of New South Wales, collected material of the moss genus Macromitrium from Monga, NSW, for chromosome counts.

In July 1985, together with Dr I Elix, staff collected in the Townsville — Mt Isa — McKay area in Queensland. This area is poorly collected for cryptogams. Specialist interests on this trip were the moss family Meteoriaceae and the lichen genus Parmelia in the broad sense.

Collecting of vascular material both for the Herbarium and for the living collection has been at a minimum this year. Several factors account for this — the concentration on preparations for the Visitor Information Centre in November 1985, the need to assess the capacity of propagation facilities in terms of both space and staff, and a need to review collecting strategies.

Day trips were undertaken: one to a property at Boorwa, NSW, to collect Fabaceae, and a second to the Blakney Creek area, NSW, to collect material for the Public Access Herbarium. A member of the Herbarium staff also collected on Lizard Island, off the Queensland coast, during three days recall to duty.

Developments and improvements

The Australian National Botanic Gardens Development Plan was completed and accepted by the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC), the Department and the Gardens. This plan is to guide the development of the existing Gardens over the next ten years. Design work on the southern extension has been suspended pending adequate staffing and funding. The works in the program are divided into four main categories; Services and Security, Public Programs Facilities, Botanical and Horticultural Features and Research and National Cbllections. Projects in Service and Security involve protection, water supply, vehicle and pedestrian routes and nursery facilities. Those in Public Program Facilities include facilities for Education, Therapeutic Horticulture and Visitor Services. The Botanical and Horticultural Features are for display of plant material. Projects for Research and National Collections involve extensions to the Herbarium and laboratories and office accommodation and research.

Preliminary hard landscaping was carried out around the Visitor Information Centre and the area was partially planted in March 1986. Stage 1 of the carpark extension was also completed in November 1985.

Work on Stage 1 of upgrading the water supply was completed. The Department of Housing and Construction has designed Stage 2 of this project, and a perimeter sprinkler system to be used when the Gardens are threatened by bushfire.

Design and implementation of projects in the Development Plan are carried out by the NCDC. Three projects were commenced this year:

Major works at the Jervis Bay Annexe are carried out by the Department of Housing and Construction. A Visitor Centre was designed to provide facilities for interpreting the Annexe to the public and for office accommodation. Construction was postponed pending further discussions with the Department of Defence. Preliminary work was carried out on a development plan for the Annexe

During the year the Development staff have assisted other organisations with advice on a number of projects, which included:

Data collection

Further development of the computer systems occurred and all data for the Living Collections are now on the system. This data base includes records of plantings for Canberra and Jervis Bay, and records of nursery holdings in Canberra, including permanent collections under shelter and in glasshouses. Terminals have been provided to all main buildings and the nursery. The terminal in the Visitor Information Centre enables the public to find the locations of particular plants which interest them in the Gardens. Unfortunately it is not accessible on weekends when most visitors are in the Gardens as the mainframe computer in the Department of Territories operates only on weekdays. Reports generated from this database are used as an alternative to provide information to the public on weekends and holidays. Reports are also used in field monitoring of plants in the Gardens.

Uplift of data, for the horticultural database was completed using a contract data-entry company, whilst data related to the Gardens photographic collection is gradually being input by a Gardens’ staff member.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

The position of Assistant Director of Public Programs remained vacant throughout the year. The officers heading the three subsections, Education, Therapeutic Horticulture and Visitor Services worked to the Director with weekly meetings to co-ordinate activities.

Education

Education programs in plant sciences and related topics were presented to student groups from primary to tertiary level, education professionals, departmental officers and the general public.

A general increase in the numbers of visiting students and other participants occurred and programs linked to ‘English as a Second Language’ at secondary and adult levels increased markedly.

Some groups were disappointed that they failed to secure bookings at the appropriate stage of their course of study, and so were unable to fulfil course objectives. There was also some reduction of educational effectiveness through the presentation of programs to excessively large groups compelled to economise on transport costs by making a single multiple-class visit to the Gardens.

Two additional teaching positions in the Commonwealth Teaching Service were created at the Gardens in April, 1985. Approval was given to recruit to one of these but recruitment delays meant that this had not occurred by the end of the year.

In September, 1985 there was a pleasing response to a public education program entitled ‘Springtime is Wattle Time’. This covered the botany, horticulture and folklore aspects of Australian wattles and included a walk through the Gardens’ extensive collection of Acacia species.

Following the Gardens’ transfer to the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment two series of plant propagation programs were offered to officers of the Department to help them acquire new skills and to assist in getting acquainted.

In-service programs for teachers included one related to the display ‘Floral Emblems of Australia’, and three series of plant propagation workshops also available to school-based ancillary staff.

Evaluation of programs continued with a high level of formal response from visiting teachers and some informal responses from students. Teachers generally supported the educational strategies of hands-on contact with plant specimens, group discussions and the use of worksheets, in preference to self-directed tours or other less structured approaches to education in the Gardens.

Work experience placements of secondary students were made in the Banksia Centre, Herbarium, Nursery, Public Programs and both horticultural maintenance depots.

Plant specimens for teaching purposes were provided to Woden College of TAFE and the Australian National University.

Therapeutic horticulture

The past year has seen a consolidation of services and an established horticulture need for the Banksia Centre in the Australian community. The Centre is a special facility for disabled and elderly people. It offers a variety of services which include individually planned rehabilitation and assessment programs, group recreation and rehabilitation sessions, in-service work-shops to therapists, teachers and health professionals, consultation to organisations and work experience for secondary and postsecondary students.

The Centre is becoming well known throughout Australia. Therapeutic horticulture staff have conducted workshops and provided advice on the development of therapy programs and accessible gardens in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania. At present, the Centre is assisting twenty local and twenty interstate organisations.

About 1 800 disabled people attended specific programs and utilised services during the year. Over 500 non-disabled people sought training, advice or made a visit to the Centre.

The Centre also participated in disability and community awareness promotions by mounting displays for Information Technology Month and Senior Citizens week. A general publication on gardening for disabled and elderly people was produced.

Volunteers continued to play an important role assisting disabled people with transport, garden activities and socialisation skills. Fifteen volunteers worked at the Centre and some made home visits to help disabled people gain confidence in gardening at home.

The Banksia Centre Newsletter, a photocopied newsletter to keep volunteers and interested organisations in touch with Banksia Centre activities, continued to be produced during the year. About forty copies each of Nos 4-7 were distributed.

Visitor services

The first four months of the year were involved with the internal fitting out of the display areas of the Visitor Information Centre. The very short time between the hand-over of the building and the official opening made the task more difficult.

Two major exhibitions were produced during the year. ‘Floral Emblems of Australia’ was on display from the opening of the Visitor Information Centre on 7 November 1985 until April 1986. This exhibition covered the history and selection of national, state and territory floral emblems, and how thay have been used in popular culture. The exhibition complemented the book on floral emblems written by Anne Boden and produced by the Gardens in 1985.

The second exhibition, ‘Kakadu’, displayed the diversity of plant associations which contributed to the inclusion of this National Park on the List of World Heritage Properties. The human influences in the region, both by its traditional Aboriginal owners and later by Europeans were also outlined. This exhibition was opened for World Heritage Week beginning on 12 April 1986 and will continue until August 1986.

A small display was mounted for the launching of the Bicentenary series of postage stamps featuring botanical subjects associated with Sir Joseph Banks and his artist Sydney Parkinson. This display was staged for two weeks from 12 March 1986.

In June 1986 the Interpretation Officer spent several days in Sydney to arrange loan material for a display on the history of Australian gardening later in the year.

The new theatrette associated with the Visitor Information Centre proved a valuable addition to the Gardens’ facilities and has been used for government seminars and training sessions and as a venue for meetings of groups such as the Australian Systematic Botany Society and the Society for Growing Australian Plants.

The video presentation to introduce visitors to the Gardens was rescripted and updated jointly with Film Australia to include the Banksia Centre and Education facilities. This video is shown to small groups in the Information Centre and larger groups in the theatrette. It is sold commercially by Film Australia.

The additional staff to operate the Gardens’ Bookshop were not forthcoming and the shop remained closed during the year. Options for operating the Bookshop by contract are being investigated. Gardens’ publications, and the book Kakadu, A world heritage of unsurpassed beauty were sold from the enquiry counter in the Information Centre during the year. A total of 4 530 publications were sold.

The Public Access Herbarium in the Information Centre was available for use by visitors during 1986. It was commenced under a CEP project during 1984-85 and concentrates on the flora of south-eastern Australia. Much work remains to be done to complete the collection and as specimens become available they are added to it.

The location of the Horticultural Adviser in the Information Centre, together with the Public Access Herbarium and a computer terminal providing up-to-date information on plants in the living collection, enabled more assistance to be given to members of the public. Over 2 500 people sought advice from the Horticultural Adviser during the year and a further 300 requests for horticultural information or plant identification were handled by mail. The Horticultural Adviser also prepared the text for a new number of Growing Native Plants, to be published next year. Growing Native Plants No. 13 was released in May.

Throughout the year, 200 guided tours of the Gardens were conducted for a total of 3 850 visitors by the two Rangers. These included regular Sunday tours at 10.00 am and 2.00 pm, and weekday tours booked by clubs, societies and schools.

The Gardens were chosen as a site for wedding ceremonies by 89 couples throughout the year. It was necessary to reduce the assistance offered to wedding parties when this began to conflict seriously with other duties of the Ranger.

On 23 January the Gardens hosted the fourth Senior Citizens’ Australia Day Concert organised by the Australia Day Council and the Canberra Permanent Building Society with the aid of several business and community organisations. More than 1 000 people attended.

The first volunteer in the Visitor Services Subsection, Mrs Joyce England, provided valuable service by producing a regular information sheet, ‘In Flower This Week’. It was distributed to the public from theVisitor Information Centre.

Photographic collection

The Gardens has a collection of 15,500 35 mm colour slides, of which 7,400 are habit or close-up photos of Australian native plants and 4,000 are field records of those plants. During the year 900 slides were added to the collection either by Gardens’ staff or by donations from private photographers.

A total of 95 slides was made available for use in government and non-government publications in 1985-86 and the collection was also used extensively for educational purposes. Work continued on the incorporation of the photographic collection records into the Gardens’ data base.

RESEARCH

Following the institutional re-structuring in 1984-85, the work of the section has focused on botanical, horticultural and biological research. The inclusion of biological research into the research structure has enabled the Gardens to address seriously the problem of gene conservation of Australia’s endangered plant species. Basic biological information on the breeding mechanisms and genetic diversity of plant populations is an essential prerequisite to formulating conservation strategies. It is important that such research is a component of the institution’s total research program. A reduction in staff numbers and delays in substantive recruiting to a senior position necessitated re-assessment of priorities and curtailment of some projects.

A substantial grant of computer equipment was received from the Nell & Hermon Slade Trust and the Australian Orchid Foundation. This generous grant will enable the Research Section to effect efficient production of research manuscripts, eliminate manual sorting of research data files and streamline communications and data exchange between kindred research institutions. The Gardens are indebted to these sources and wish to express appreciation to them for their support.

1986 has seen the erection of the first of two glasshouses planned for the Research Section. The completed glasshouse is an insect-free environment designed to facilitate a program of pollination and breeding biology studies.

Botanical research

The Botanical Research Subsection is concerned with the systematics of research the Australian and related floras. Activities include revisionary and nomenclatural studies, cladistics, biogeography and flora treatments. These studies are carried out in a variety of flowering plant families, but with particular emphasis upon the Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae and Rutaceae.

The following outline presents the current botanical research programs and projects:

Horticultural research

The Horticultural Research Subsection conducts research on the horticulture of the Australian flora, using both nursery and laboratory based methods. Activities included research on in vitro seed germination, tissue culture, germ plasm storage, and haploid anther culture of herbaceous and woody plants, especially rare and endangered species.

The Seed Store function was transferred from the Subsection to the Collections Section in August 1985.

The following outline presents the current horticultural research programs and projects:

Biological research

The Biological Research Subsection was established with the aim of research developing a more advanced, laboratory-based operation for studying the biology of Australasian plants. To this end, work during 1985-86 focused on developing histochemical and microscopy techniques essential to the study of the breeding systems and pollination biology of Australasian plants, especially rare and endangered species.

Current long-term programs, each encompassing a number of short- term projects, are as follows:

Research fieldwork

Visits were made to Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney herbaria to study fieldwork orchid types and collect data for the forthcoming edition of the ‘Checklist of Australian Orchids’. Following the rediscovery of the eastern Australian underground orchid Rhizanthella slateri in November 1985, a trip was undertaken to Bulahdelah, NSW to study the biology of this species.

PLANT SCIENCES LIBRARY

The Plant Sciences Library at the Gardens has a collection of approximately 2,000 monographs, 450 serial titles and 4,700 maps. Following the relocation of the library to new accommodation in the Botany Building, transfer of the monographs and serials commenced. When transfer is complete, the collection will be more comfortably accommodated and access to the shelves will be much easier; the improvements in accessibility have already been reflected in greater use of the library by the staff.

Following the transfer of the Gardens to the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment, the library staff returned to the Department of Territories Central Library. We extend our thanks to the staff of Central Library for their support and assistance.

INTERNATIONAL LIAISON

The Director, Dr R. W. Boden represented the Gardens at the second meeting of the IUCN Plant Advisory Group and the ‘Botanic Gardens and the World Conservation Strategy Conference’ at Las Palmas, Canary Islands in November 1985.

The Gardens were represented at the thirteenth annual conference of the National Council for Therapy and Rehabilitation through Horticulture in Denver, Colorado.The officer in charge 01 the Banksia Centre. Ms E. Smith presented a paper ‘Understanding and Overcoming Burnout’ which dealt with the balance between therapist and horticulturist roles of horticultural therapists.

Mr A. B. Court , Assistant Director, National Collections, represented the Gardens at the first International Symposium on the Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants held at the International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands, in August 1985. He also attended an informal meeting of the International Commission for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants. Visits were made also to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England and to Frankfurt, West Germany where new conservatories were examined.

Dr M. Crisp, botanist, attended the Second International Legume Conference in St Louis, Missourri, U.S.A. in June and July 1986.

The Gardens donated plants for ceremonial plantings to Chong Peng, Vice Chairman Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of the Peoples Republic of China, and to UNICEF for a park in Genoa, Italy, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of UNICEF’s service to children.

CONFERENCES

The Gardens was represented at the 13th Biennial Convention of the Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP). The Convention was held in Brisbane in September 1985. At the Federal Council Meeting a number of items of business concerning the Gardens were raised, all of which showed ASGAP’s continued concern and interest in the future development of the Gardens.

The Banksia Centre’staff were involved in establishing the Australian Council for Rehabilitative Horticulture at a meeting in Canberra in September 1985. This council is to be a national organisation to promote the use of horticulture in the rehabilitation of disabled people.

The Gardens were represented at the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria meeting in Adelaide in October 1985.

In October 1985 two staff members from the Research Section attended the Labex 1985 International Laboratory Equipment Exhibition in Melbourne.

Three Research staff were invited to attend the Boden Conference at Thredbo on ‘The Systematic Status of Large Flowering Plant Genera’ in February 1986. Mr J . Armstrong presented a paper on ‘Pollination Syndromes as Generic Determinants’.

Staff from the Banksia Centre attended a seminar conducted by the Horticultural Therapy Association of Victoria in Burnley School of Horticulture in March 1986. Ms E. Smith gave a summary presentation.

In May 1986 two Research staff attended the ‘Pollination 1986’ symposium in Melbourne as part of their studies on pollination and breeding biology.

The planting officer and two nursery staff attended the International Plant Propagators Society conference in Adelaide in May 1986.

REPRESENTATION ON OUTSIDE BODIES

The Director of the Gardens (Dr R. W. Boden) became a member of the Advisory Committee on the National Collections at the invitation of the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment.
The Gardens’ staff have representation in the following organisations:
— The Director (ANBG) (Dr R W Boden) is a member of the Council of Nature Conservation Ministers (CONCOM) Working Group on Endangered Flora;
— The Director (ANBG) (Dr R W Boden) is a member of the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Advisory Committee;
— The Director (ANBG) (Dr R W Boden) is a member of the Australian National University Buildings and Grounds Committee;
— The Assistant Director, Collections (ANBG) (Mr A B Court) is a member of the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria;
— The Assistant Director, Collections (ANBG) (Mr A B Court) is a member of the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority;
— The Assistant Director, Research (ANBG) (Mr JArmstrong) is a member of the Australia Sub-Committee of the National Committee for Plant Sciences of the Australian Academy of Science;
— Research Botanist (ANBG) (Dr M Crisp) is a member of the Australian Systematic Botany Society Council;
— Research Horticulturist (ANBG) (Mr M A Clements) is a member of the IUCN Orchid Specialist Group;
— Research Horticulturist (ANBG) (Mr M A Clements) is a member of the Australian Orchid Foundation Research Committee;
— The Education Officer (ANBG) (Mrs A Boden) is a member of the ACT Schools Authority Senior Biology Accreditation Committee;
— The Therapeutic Horticultural Officer (ANBG) (Ms E Smith) is a member of the Australian Council of Rehabilitative Horticulture;
— Acting Planting Officer (ANBG) (Mr P Ollerenshaw) is a member of the Executive of the Australian Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society.

AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY

The Australian Cultivar Registration Authority (ACRA) was established in 1963 to register cultivars arising from the Australian flora. The ACRA has been based at the Gardens since 1973. The Authority has members representing botanical gardens, the horticultural industry and special interest groups (see appendix 2 for membership list). The Secretary! Registrar of the Authority is a member of the Gardens’ staff. The Gardens also has one representative on the membership of the Authority.

Five cultivars were registered during the year (see appendix 3 for list) with a further ten pending registration. A further fifteen new applications for cultivar registration were received during 1985-86. Applications, for registration are processed by the Registrar, ACRA at the Gardens’ address.

DONATIONS

The Gardens receives donations in two forms, firstly, as’ time contributed by volunteers in both the Therapeutic Horticulture and the Visitor Services Subsections (and mentioned in this report elsewhere) and secondly, in the form of funds or materials.

Mr Richard Burns of Penguin, Tasmania made valuable donations of plants, cuttings and seeds of Tasmanian plants to enhance the Gardens’ Tasmanian Section.

The Society for Growing Australian Plants, both the Tasmania Region and the A.C.T. Region, provided funds for Mr Richard Burns to travel in Tasmania while collecting for the Gardens.

The family of the late Mr Brian O’Brien donated funds to the Gardens for the purchase of a memorial collection of horticultural books to be permanently housed in the Plant Science Library at the Gardens.

The Nell and Hermon Slade Trust and the Australian Orchid Foundation made a substantial grant of computer equipment for use in research projects at the Gardens.

PUBLICATIONS

Growing Native Plants

Growing Native Plants No. 13 was issued during the year. The lead article for this popular publication is on climbing plants, with another fourteen articles on various native plants suitable for horticulture. All articles were prepared by staff at the Gardens.Due to public demand, work is progressing on revised editions of Growing Native Plants Nos. 1, 3 and 5, presently out of print.

Occasional publications

The Australian National Botanic Gardens’ occasional publication No. 7, Gardening For All by Erica Smith was published in November 1985. The booklet presents information to help make gardening accessible to all people, regardless of their age, physical limitations or disabilities.

Posters

One major poster was produced during the year in association with Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd. Titled ‘Floral Emblems of Australia’ it showed the flowers chosen for each state and territory as their emblem and was distributed, together with associated educational materials, to schools throughout Australia.

Two smaller posters promoted the Floral Emblems and Kakadu displays in the Information Centre.

Published papers

Armstrong, J.A. (1985) ‘Floral adaptations – their evolutionary significance’, in J.A. Johnstone (ed.) ‘Adapations’, Royal Botanic Gardens Education Unit, Sydney.

–––– (1985) ‘New directions in research at the Australian National Botanic Gardens’, Australian Horticulture, 83, 11, 85-87.

Bailes, C., Clements, M., Cribb, P. and Muir, H. (1986) ‘The cultivation of European orchids’, The Kew Magazine, 3(1), 8-13.

Bailey, K. (1986) ‘Phebalium squamulosum subsp. parvifolium’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, pp. 321-322, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Beardsell, D.V., Clements, M.A., Hutchinson, J.F. and Williamson, E.G. (1986) ‘Pollination of Diuris maculata R.Br. (Orchidaceae) by floral mimicry of the native legumes Daviesia spp. and Pultenaea scabra R.Br.’, Australian Journal of Botany, 34, 165-173.

Boden, A. (1986) ‘A national resource for the national biology course,’ Proceedings of the Museum Education Association of Australia Fourth Biennial Conference, Canberra 1983.

Butler, G. (1986) ‘Pandorea pandorana ‘Golden Rain’,’ Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 321, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Clements, M.A. (1985) ‘Two years research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,’ Proceedings of the Orchid Workshop, Macquarie University, The Orchid Society of New South Wales Ltd. and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

–––– (1985) ‘The conservation of Australian orchids,’ Kiat W. Tan (ed), ‘Proceedings of the Eleventh World Orchid Conference’, Eleventh World Orchid Conference, Inc., Miami, Florida, U.S.A., pp. 138-141.

–––– and Hatch, E.D. (1985) ‘Corybas acuminatus (Orchidaceae) — a new name for the species previously considered to be Corybas rivularis’, New Zealand Journal of Botany, 23, 491-494.

Crisp, M. (1986) ‘Myoporum bateae’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, pp. 311-312, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Donaldson, S. (1986) ‘Grevillea confertifolia’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 310, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

–––– (1986) ‘Prostanthera teretifolia’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 318, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Hadlow, B. (1986) ‘Enchylaena tomentosa’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 309, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Hughes, A. (1986) ‘Baeckea ramosissima’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 307, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Hughes, S. (1986) ‘Cyphanthera albicans subsp. notabilis’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 308, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Martin, P.G., Dowd, J . and Crisp, M.D. (1986) ‘A phylogenetic study using protein sequences of families putatively related to legumes’, in Abstracts for 2nd International Legume Conference, Missouri Botanic Gardens, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Meredith, L. (1986) ‘Helichrysum apiculatum (decumbent form); Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 313, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Mulcahy, T. (1986) ‘Veronica formosa’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 322, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Mullins, E. (1986) ‘Climbing Plants’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, pp. 298-305, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

––––‘Hoya macgillivrayi’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 314, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

––––‘Kunzea affinis’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 315, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

––––‘Nematolepis phebalioides’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 317, Aust. Nat. bot. Gdns.

––––‘Olearia erubescens’, Growing Native Plants No. 13, p. 316, Aust. Nat. Bot. Gdns.

Telford, JR. (1986) ‘Dioscoreaceae’, Flora of Australia, Vol 46, DAHE, Canberra.

––––(1986) ‘Stemonaceae’, Flora of Australia, Vol. 46, DAHE, Canberra.

 

APPENDIX 1 — STAFF AT 30 JUNE 1986

DIRECTOR
Robert Boden, B.Sc.For., M.SC., Ph.D., Dip.For.

ADMINISTRATION

Executive Officer
David Ward

Administrative Officer
Maree Miller

Clerk
Kate Bayliss

Clerical Assistant
Rosalind Saunders

Word Processor Operator
Carol Spackman

Typists
Carol Minto (part-time)
Bonnie Gilbert (part-time)

NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

Assistant Director
Arthur Court , B.Sc.

HERBARIUM

Curator
Estelle Canning, B.Sc., T.P.T.C.

Curatorial Officer
Heinar Streimann, B.App.Sc., Cert.For., Cert. Wood Tech.

Herbarium Assistants
Pam Beesley, B.Sc.(Hons.)
Judith Curnow, B.Ed.
Faye Davies*
Muriel Rafferty
Jan Ward, B.Sc.

DEVELOPMENT

Senior Development Officer
Leslie Lockwood, B.Sc., Dip.Teach.*

Development Officer
Geoff Butler **

Landscape Designer
Vacant

LIVING COLLECTIONS

Curator
Mark Richardson, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc.

Planting Officer
Peter Ollerenshaw (a)* **

Planting Assistant
Lyn Meredith

Plant Assessment Overseer
Barbara Barnsley (a)*

Plant Assessment Assistants
Corinna Broers**
Rebecca Rudd

Supervisor (Horticultural Maintenance)
Janne Yardy (a), B.Sc.(Arch.)*

Overseers (Horticultural Maintenance)
Stuart Donaldson*
Ross Hyland (a)* **

Overseer (Nursery)
Barry Hadlow, B.Sc.*

Gardeners
Tony Barbaro
Stephen Beckett, B.Sc(Hons.)
Nazzarino Bono
Steve Dunne*
Keith Edwards*
Adrian Gallman*
Irene Gleadhill**
Jim Hewat*
Paul Hewat*
Andrew Hughes*
Alan Jones*
Denis Mackay*
Dave Mallinson*
Tim Mulcahy*
Mary Nazer, B.Sc.
Brenda Rimes*
Mario Russo
Vince Russo
Greg Sattler
Peter Shumack, B.App.Sc.*
Colin Stoddart
John Treloar*
Suzie Walton

Horticultural Apprentices
James Andrew*
Suzie Fletcher*
Jason Mitchell
Lawrence Smith

Senior Plant Operators
Dominic Catanzariti
Greg Small

Clerk of Works
Bob Woodhams*

Tradesmen
David Hinchcliffe
Romeo Tomat

Overseer Jervis Bay
Fred Howe* **

Gardeners Jervis Bay
Jeff Knox
Jimmy McLeod
Max McLeod

Senior Plant Operator Jervis Bay
Phillip McLeod

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Assistant Director
Vacant

Public Programs Assistant
Jan Wilson (part-time)

EDUCATION

Education Co-ordinator
Anne Boden, B.Sc., B.A.**

Education Officer
Vacant
Vacant

Education Assistant
Jan Dean (a)

THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE

Therapeutic Horticulture Officer
Erica Smith, B.A.*

Therapeutic Horticulture Assistant
John Pike*
Gardener
Reg Taylor

VISITOR SERVICES

Visitor Services Officer
Murray Fagg

Interpretation Officer
Rodney Harvey, B.Sc.(Hons.), Dip.Ed., Grad. Dip. Mus. Stud.

Display Assistant
Ron Hotchkiss

Horticultural Adviser
Effie Mullins*

Desk Officer
Wendy Dossetor (a)

Rangers
Kurt Thaler**
John Jervis**

RESEARCH

Assistant Director
Jim Armstrong, B.Sc.Agr.

BOTANICAL RESEARCH

Research Botanist
Michael Crisp, B.Sc.(Hons.), Ph.D.

Research Officer (Botany)
Ian Telford

Research Assistant (Botany)
Joan Taylor*

HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH

Research Horticulturist
Mark Clements, B.App.Sc., Grad.Dip.Sc.**

Research Officer (Horticulture)
Vacant

Research Assistant (Horticulture)
Wendy Whitby, Dip.Ag.Sci.

BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Research Biologist
Karen Ellis, (a) B.Sc.

Research Assistant (Biology)
Ish Sharma, B.Sc.(Ag.), M.Sc., Ph.D.

* the officer holds a Horticultural Certificate or Award
** the officer holds a non-Horticultural Certificate or Award
(a) the officer was acting in the position at 30 June 1986.

APPENDIX 2

MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY 1985-86

Mr Peter Lumley
(chair person)
Curator of Horticultural
Collections
Royal Botanic Gardens
Birdwood Ave
SOUTH YARRA VIC 3141

Mr Geoff Butler
(Secretary/Registrar)
Australian National Botanic Gardens
P0 Box 1777
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Mrs Irene Bowden
(Representing the Australian
Nurserymens Association)
62 Thomas Street
JANDAKOT WA 6164

Mr George Brown
(Darwin Botanic Gardens)
P0 Box 4341,
DARWIN NT 5794

MrA.B. Court
Australian National Botanic Gardens,
GPO Box 1777
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Dr Laurie Haegi
Horticultural Botanist
The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide
North Terrace
ADELAIDE SA 5000

Mr David Hockings
(Representing the Society for
Growing Australian Plants)
41 Oxford Street
WAVELL HEIGHTS QLD 4012

Dr R.W. Johnson
Director
Queensland Herbarium
Meiers Road
INDOOROOPILLY QLD 4068

MrA.P. May
Superintendent
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Domain
HOBART TAS 7000

Mr R.D. McKinnon
Curator
Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens
Mt Coot-tha Road
TOOWONG QLD 4066

Mr W Payne
(Editor, Australian Plants)
860 Henry Lawson Dr
PICNIC POINT NSW 2213

Dr Ben Wallace
Royal Botanic Gardens
Mrs Macquarie’s Road
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dr Jim Willis
(Private Member)
102 Male Street
BRIGHTON VIC 3186

Mr John W Wrigley AM
(Private Member)
P0 Box 1639
COFFS HARBOUR NSW 2450

APPENDIX 3

CULTIVARS REGISTERED WITH THE AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY, FOR 1985-86

Banksia spinulosa var cunninghamii ‘Lemon Glow’
Eriostemon ‘Poorinda’
Grevillea ‘Austraflora Jubilee’
Helichrysum bracteatum’ ‘Princess of Wales’
Melaleuca hypericifolia ‘Ulladulla Beacon’

Updated October 17, 2006 by Webmaster (anbg-info@anbg.gov.au)