1986-87

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Annual Report 1986-1987

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 on Australia’s eastern coast. The Gardens were officially opened in 1970 and now contain about 6 000 species of living plants. There were 368 000 visitors to the Gardens in Canberra in 1986-87 and about 20 000 to the Jervis Bay Annexe.

ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY

Advisory Committee

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment, the Hon Barry Cohen announced the membership of the ANBG Advisory Committee on
13 November 1986.

The Committee was established to advise him on matters concerning the roles and functions of the ANBG in Canberra and at the Jervis Bay Annexe. The first meeting of the Committee was held in Canberra on the same day. The membership is listed in Appendix 1.

On 11 arid 12 February the Advisory Committee visited the Annexe to inspect the site, familiarise themselves with the current layout and to consider its future development

The third meeting for the year was held in Canberra on 4 May. Significant matters considered by the Committee during the year included:

 

Finance

The Gardens was allocated $1 040 000 for on-going operational expenditure excluding wages and salaries and $110 000 for the purchase of plant and equipment.

An amount of $640 000 was provided in the Capital Works program:

Employment

The Gardens has an Average Staffing Level allocation of 87 comprising:

During the year 26 apprentices worked at the Gardens for periods of one or two months as part of the Department of Territories’ Land Management Branch Apprenticeship Scheme. Ms lnez Mahony, a participant in the Government’s Work Experience Trainee Program, gained practical experience at the Gardens for 17 weeks.

Staff at 30 June are listed it Appendix 2.

Community Employmenr Program (CEP)

One CEP Project, ‘Path Construction and Garden Bed Development’ continued from the previous year and was completed in January 1987. It incorporated a display of commercially available Australian native cultivars and employed seven people at the Jervis Bay Annexe.

The Gardens were not eligible to apply for CEP grants in 1986-87

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee provided a forum for joint consultation between management and staff on a wide range of health and safety matters relating to the working environment at the Gardens.

The OHS policies and programs developed throughout the year have focused on:

— an OHS Policy;

— a policy on smoke-free working environments;

Others matters considered by the Committee included the development of safety training courses for chainsaw use and use of 4WD vehicles; the use of vehicles and speed control within the Gardens and the storage of fuel. Liaison was maintained with the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment OHS Committee.

Industrial Democracy

A significant input of time and resources was devoted to determining the mechanism for implementing representational democracy at the Gardens. Two broad options were available:
— to establish a separate ANBG consultative committee consisting of representatives of unions and management; or
— to expand the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment Council to include an ANBG management representative and two representatives of unions not currently covered.

Discussions were held with the ANBG staff, the staff associations, the Department and the Public Service Board. Subject to the agreement of the Departmental Council, the option to be implemented will be to expand that Council. This will be undertaken within the first few months of 1987-88.

Participative democracy in the Gardens is covered by a system of monthly meetings which provide the opportunity for each employee to participate in discussion of policy, planning and management issues. An OHS Committee, a fortnightly Newsletter and a monthly Staff Awareness Program also contribute to the participative component.

Counter-Disaster Planning

The Minister, the Hon Barry Cohen, MP, requested each national collecting institution to prepare a counter-disaster plan. A Counter- Disaster Management Planning Group was set up by the Advisory Committee on National Collections to oversee this. The Gardens has representation on this group.

Work commenced on drawing up a counter-disaster plan for the Gardens on the basis that the greatest threat to the national collection is fire. Capacity to combat this threat has been improved over the past two years including the up-grading of the water supply and access roads for fire fighting. Work commenced on the installation of a perimeter drenching sprinkler system which will be used to saturate a 50 m wide strip in the event of a bush fire approaching the Gardens from the adjacent reserve.

Museum Review

The Gardens participated in the wide ranging Review of Commonwealth Involvement in the Development of Museums and Similar Collecting and
Exhibiting Institutions conducted jointlyby the Department ofArts, Heritage and Environment and the Department of Finance.

The review was established by Government to identify any duplication and scope for economies amongst institutions, both existing and proposed, and to examine ways to limit the call on the Commonwealth to meet recurrent funding of existing and proposed institutions.

The Museum Review Working Party held discussions with senior management of the Gardens on the terms of reference as they applied to this and other botanic gardens.

NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

The National Collections Section aims to acquire, identify, manage and preserve the national collections of living and dried herbarium specimens of Australian and related plants. The Section consists of three subsections. The Living Collections Subsection is responsible for the collection, maintenance and storage of plants held in the nursery and in the open ground in Canberra and at Jervis Bay Annexe, and for the Seed Store. The Herbarium Subsection is responsible for the collection, identification and storage of dried plant specimens. The Development Subsection is responsible for the co-ordination of planning and construction of major new works and redevelopment of planting areas in the Gardens. This Subsection is also responsible for ADP and the Gardens’ involvement in major overseas horticultural expositions.

Living Collections

The Living Collections staff maintain a collection of about 75 000 plants representing about 6 000 species in Canberra and at the Jervis Bay
Annexe. Plants are grown under a number of different conditions:

 

No. of Specimens

No. of taxa

Open Ground

 

 

– Canberra

58 000

3 500

– Jervis Bay

11900

1 850

Under Glass

4 700

1 750

Permanent Pots

2 400

1 200

During 1986—87 an Endangered Species Collection was established. This collection provides material for research and education at the ANBG and for other Australian and overseas institutions, and could help reduce the pressure on wild populations. To establish this collection assistance was provided by the Herbarium and Research Section to refine procedures for the collection, propagation and cultivation of endangered plants. Using these procedures 20 different species were collected from the wild. During field surveys by the Gardens, additional populations of three of these species were found. These discoveries led to the conservation status of these species being changed from endangered to vulnerable.

These species are:

Localities of good populations of two other species are now known:

Further work is being done by Living Collections in the area of endangered species with funding provided by the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. The two projects are:

Within the Gardens, several areas of plantings were upgraded. These included the redesign of an area to display local grassland and woodland plants and a gully area for wet temperate forest plantings.

In July 1986, the Seed Store was transferred to the Nursery and a coolroom was installed allowing all seed to be housed at about 4°C. Ms Helen Thompson was employed for six months to collect and clean seed. She undertook a number of one day trips collecting seed in the local area.

During the year, plant material was donated to the Gardens by twenty individuals and organisations. Of these the most prominent were Mr R Burns of Tasmania, Mr L Bird of Queensland, the Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP) Grevillea Study Group, the ASGAP Prostanthera Study Group and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Plant material was also donated to a number of organisations by the ANBG. These included:

During the year, the Minister approved the establishment of a committee representing government and the nursery industry to advise the Director on aspects of the selection and distribution of plants from the National Collection to the nursery trade under the Native Plant Release Program.

Advice on both the propagation and cultivation of Australian plants was provided to many Australian and overseas organisations.

Jervis Bay Annexe

The Jervis Bay Annexe of the ANBG is situated on the New South Wales south coast. The Annexe is about 80 ha in area and has a staff of six. The Annexe was originally established to enable the cultivation of frost tender plants under more favourable conditions than those which prevail in Canberra. While this function continues it is being complemented by an increasing commitment to the cultivation of regional and endangered flora. The first plantings of endangered species have taken place in the trial plots constructed as part of a CEP project and will continue as the plants become available. The plots are a transitional phase for endangered plants prior to incorporation in the collection proper.

Public interest in the Annexe is indicated by the greater number of group tours and family group visits. There is a high incidence of repeat visits. The Annexe has been open on the first Sunday of each month and on all public holidays in 1987.

In response to the growth in public interest, increasing emphasis is being placed on development and plantings adjacent to the major pedestrian routes

A CEP project ‘Path Construction and Garden Bed Development’, which incorporates a large display of commercially available Australian native cultivars, was completed in January 1987. Other activities in the Annexe included work experience for secondary students from Nowra High School, field studies on ecology by students from the Canberra College of Advanced Education and postgraduate studies on the Long Neck Tortoise population in Lake McKenzie.
Minor new works projects undertaken were:

Communications between the Annexe and the Gardens in Canberra were improved with the installation of a facsimile machine in 1986.

Herbarium

The Herbarium collection contains both vascular and non-vascular (cryptogamic) plants, and there is an active exchange of replicate specimens and associated data with kindred institutions around the world.

Professional visitors from the local area, interstate and overseas made use of the collection during the year. In addition 57 loans, comprising 3 252 specimens in total, were sent to kindred institutions for use by specialists either preparing manuscripts for floras or revising groups. There were 38 loans comprising 1 601 specimens received from other institutions for study by the Gardens’ botanists.

Work towards the publication of the Catalogue of the Mosses of Australia and its External Territories in collaboration with the Bureau of Flora and Fauna is almost complete and publication is expected in 1987-88.

Production of typed labels for the collection has increased, allowing the filing of large numbers of specimens in the main collection and the addition of data to specimens in the Public Access Herbarium

A member of staff attended the Plant Taxonomy Workshop organised by the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria in Brisbane in mid- June, 1986.

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

Development

Major developments within the Gardens have proceeded in accordance with the Australian National Botanic Gardens Development Plan prepared and adopted in 1985.

Projects that commenced in the previous year and were completed this year are:

Work commenced this year included:

Some redevelopments have commenced, including:

Further assistance has been given to:

Mr Geoff Butler, Development Officer, visited the United Kingdom in May, to prepare a feasibility study on an Australian exhibit at the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988. He also visited the Chelsea Flower Show at the invitation of the Royal Horticultural Society to discuss the requirements for Australia to exhibit in 1988.

Data Collection

The portion of the Gardens’ databases that is automated is held on the Department of Territories mainframe computer. New terminals were
installed at the Gardens as the data was transferred to the new mainframe

The data on te horticultural database is being checked. This information will be used in the future to better manage the living collection, and to provide horticultural information to the public. Data related to the Gardens’ photographic collection continued to be added to the automated system.

Further reports were produced this year, enabling better monitoring of plants in the living collection. One indicates when a species becomes low in number, so that re-propagation can take place.

Mr Keith Goddard, a Computer Systems Officer joined the staff for six months to carry out an assessment of the Gardens’ data in preparation for the Gardens having its own computer system.

National Collections Fieldwork

Mr Arthur Court travelled to Tasmania in November 1986 to gather information to prepare advice for the Commonwealth Government on the effects of logging on the forest flora in the Jacky’s Marsh area of north-central Tasmania.

A three week field trip to north-eastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland in December 1986 yielded material of rare and endangered species and increased the collection, both living and herbarium, of rainforest species. Endangered plants collected included:

Acronychia littoralis, Atalaya multiflora, Boronia keysii, Choricarpia subargenta, Diploglottis cam pbellii, Fontainea oraria, Planchonella eerwah, Randia moorei, Syzygium moorei, Uromyrtus australis, Xanthostemon oppositifolius.

Shorter trips of one or a few days duration were undertaken to collect particular plants or plant groups including:

Location

Main Species Sought

Wee Jasper, NSW

Grevillea iaspicula

Lake Burrinjuck, NSW

Grevillea iaspicula

Sydney Region, NSW

Acacia pubescens, Syzygium paniculatum, Eucalyptus camfieldii, Haloragodendron lucasii, Pimelea spicata, Pomaderris brunnea

Nowra Region, NSW

rainforest species

Ilford Region, NSW

Prostanthera stricta

Jervis Bay NSW

Syzygium paniculatum

Blue Range ACT

wet gully species

Errinundra Plateau, VIC

Ulota spp., Papillaria spp. and other rare cryptograms

 

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

The objective of the Public Programs Section is to provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn about and enjoy Australian and related plants through appropriate education, recreation and interpretation programs.

During the year a review of the Public Programs Section was initiated. The review was still in progress at the end of the year.

The three subsection heads, Education, Therapeutic Horticulture and Visitor Services, worked to the Director pending the outcome of this review.

Education

The national collection of Australian native plants in the Gardens is unique as an educational resource in plant biology and related subjects.
Education Service programs based on the collections were presented to community groups, teachers and teaching ancillary staff, tertiary education students and student groups from primary to tertiary level.

Mrs Sandra Farley was recruited to the position of Teacher Band 1 in January 1987 for a period of one year on temporary transfer within the Commonwealth Teaching Service, pending a review of the three teaching positions at the Gardens. Mrs Jan Dean was appointed to the position of Education Assistant on a permanent basis in December 1986.

In September 1986, a series of five community education programs was conducted as a celebration of wattle, the national flower. Entitled ‘Springtime is Wattle Time’ the program provided practical experience in the propagation of wattles followed by walks through the Gardens’ wattle sections.

Almost two thousand pre-school and primary school children entered the competition ‘A for Acacia’ also held in September. Individual and group entries were received from primary children in art, craft, creative writing and science and from pre-school children in a special age category. All entries were displayed in the Public Programs Building and each entrant was awarded a certificate and embroidered badge featuring Aacia pycnantha, Australia’s floral emblem. Prizes in each category were presented by Mr Pat Galvin, Secretary of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment and his wife, Dr Lenore Manderson, before a large gathering in an outdoor ceremony at the Gardens.

Selected entries in the ‘A for Acacia’ competition were displayed in the Belconnen Branch of the Canberra Library Service as part of Australian
Science in Schools Week.

General in-service programs for teachers included a series related to the ‘A for Acacia’ program and two based on the display ‘Eaten Alive!’ and the associated education materials.

Formal evaluation of Education Service programs continued with a high level of response from visiting teachers. There was strong support for the practice of giving students hands-on experience with plant specimens in the classroom. The majority of teachers favoured structured programs incorporating an introductory classroom session followed by outdoor observations recorded on worksheets.

Participants in the national seminar ‘Environmental Education, Past, Present and Future’ organised by the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment attended a field session at the Gardens to review education and interpretation programs in their environmental education context.

Work experience placements of secondary students were made in the Nursery, both horticultural maintenance depots and the Education and
Visitor Services Subsections. In addition, two disabled students were placed in the Education and Visitor Services Subsections. The Education
Service co-ordinated the four week visit to the Gardens by Ms Nilwan Sumlitdetkajon, Education Officer, Department of Agriculture, Thailand.

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

National finalists in the BHP National Science Competition for school students visited the Gardens to become familiar with its biological collecting role. Members of Double Helix: the Science Club (co-ordinated by CSIRO) visited the living collection with parents twice and later participated in an experimental horticulture program. Groups from both Australian Industry Development Corporation National Science

Summer Schools, in residence at Canberra College of Advanced Education, attended programs on the biology of Australian orchids coordinated by Mr Mark Clements.

Mrs Anne Boden judged the Australian plant section of Science Fair, the annual science competition arranged by the Science Teachers Association of the ACT.

Therapeutic Horticulture

The Banksia Centre provides horticultural programs to people both young and old with physical or intellectual disabilities and to people
undergoing rehabilitiation for physical or psychological reasons.

Programs are planned to meet four major goals, rehabilitation, recreation, vocational training and special education. They are designed to equip disabled people with appropriate skills and experience to lead a more fulfilling life.

The Banksia Centre garden displays a variety of Australian plants which are colourful, scented, textured and attractive to birds. Clients and visitors are encouraged to touch and smell these plants. Vegetables, flowers and herbs are grown in raised beds and containers for demonstration and training purposes by disabled people, enabling them to practice gardening skills using modified tools and techniques.

The Therapeutic Horticulture Officer, Ms Ricky Smith, left the Centre in July 1986 to take up a position with the Department of Territories and Mr John Pike supervised the Centre from that time.

John Pike spoke of the work of the Centre at the TADSEM seminar on sport and recreation for disabled people in Sydney in October 1986.

Staff participated in workshops conducted interstate at the Division of Health Promotion, Queensland Department of Health; the Bathurst Hospital; the Community Education Centre, Wodonga; and the Cumberland School of Health Sciences, Sydney

A two-week training program for staff and trainees from Tingowun Workshop, Kellyville, NSW, was conducted at the Banksia Centre.
Other workshops were run during the year for health care workers and TAFE students in sport and recreation courses. Students from Canberra
TAFE Special Care Course carried out placement training at the Centre. Staff continued to assist with advice to local and interstate health care
organisations.

About 1 700 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.

This year the Centre has taken part in a program with Woden Community Services mc, and other health care workers to integrate severely and profoundly disabled adults into the community.

Volunteers have played a major role in the activities of the Centre during the year. Mr Wayne Merryman has been conducting a Horticulture Therapy program at the ACT Mental Health Services Hostel at Watson for the last four years, and eleven other active volunteers have continued in their role of assisting disabled people with transport, garden activities, socialisation skills and caring. Banksia Centre volunteers for 1987 are listed in Appendix 3.

Visitor Services

The significant event for the year was the opening of The Botanical Services Bookshop at the Gardens in February. This completed the functions originally planned for the Visitor Information Centre and provided visitors to the Gardens with a much sought after facility. It also freed the Information Officer from sales and book-keeping tasks and enabled more time to be spent assisting visitors with information about the Gardens and other promotional activities.

Three major exhibitions were staged in the Visitor Information Centre during the year:

animals and their associated food plants, and skulls that could be handled to allow the teeth of herbivores and carnivores to be compared. The presentation of the concept of food chains made this exhibition especially relevant for students visiting the Gardens, The exhibition will continue until September 1987,

Small displays, changed more frequently, were also presented in the Visitor Information Centre, These enabled topical or seasonal issues to be promoted and six were arranged during the year:

On the weekend of 16-17 May the Gardens hosted an exhibition of native and exotic plants arranged by the ACT Chapter of the National Bonsai Group.

Smaller poster presentation displays were produced for the national seminar ‘Environmental Education, Past, Present and Future’ in February and the Australian Nurserymen’s Association conference in March,

An allocation of funds under the National Rainforest Conservation Program allowed planning to commence on the interpretation of the Rainforest Gully in the Gardens, Graphic signs and labels will explain the concept of species plantings along the length of the Gully to illustrate habitats in eastern Australia

The use of the Theatrette increased significantly during the year as it became more widely known. When not being used for staff awareness programs or by gardening or botanical societies it was made available for government sponsored seminars, often bringing an awareness of the Gardens to people who might not otherwise visit.

Herbarium and Public Programs staff assisted with the growth of the Public Access Herbarium. While it is a valuable resource for the Horticultural Adviser in answering public enquiries its incomplete state reduces its effective use by visitors.

The services of Mrs Effie Mullins, the Horticultural Adviser continued to be in great demand during the year. Advice was given to 2 360 people and a further 450 requests for horticultural information or plant identification were handled by mail.

Throughout the year, 188 guided tours of the Gardens were conducted for a total of 3 600 visitors by the Rangers and other Visitor Services staff. These included regular Sunday tours at 10.00 am and 2.00 pm and weekday tours booked by clubs, societies and schools.

The appointment in March of a part-time graphic designer within Visitor Services added considerably to the range of promotional and other graphic material produced for this and other subsections within the Gardens

Storage for photographic prints used in exhibitions was considerably improved by new shelving in the display preparation area, and the purchase of a small computer and laser printer resulted in more efficient production of display captions and information sheets in the later part of the year

Four officers from Visitor Services were involved with courses or seminars outside the Gardens. Mr Rodney Harvey attended the Council of Australian Museums Association’s annual conference in Perth in October 1986. Mr Murray Fagg attended the first national seminar of the Australian Photographic Access Network (APAN) in Sydney in February 1987. Mrs Jan Wilson attended a Desktop Publishing course in April 1987. Mr Ron Hotchkiss attended ‘Photographics 87’ in Sydney in May 1987.

Volunteers continued to provide valuable service during the year. Mrs Joyce England’s ‘In Flower This Week’ sheet proved increasingly popular and this was continued during her three weeks’ absence from Canberra by Dr. Jeffery Clyde. About 150 copies were taken by visitors each week

On 22 January 1987 the Gardens hosted the fifth 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. The concert was opened by Mrs Jean Lane, wife of the United States of America Ambassador to Australia and member of the Board of the Pacific Tropical Botanic Gardens. Almost 1 000 people attended.

Photographic Collection

The Gardens has a collection of 15 750 35 mm colour slides, of which 7 600 are habit or close-up photos of Australian native plants and 4 000
are field trip records of those plants. The remainder include various lecture slides and records of Gardens activities.

A total of 198 slides were made available for use in government and non-government publications in 1986-87, a 100 per cent rise on last year. The collection was also used extensively for educational purposes and for the production of exhibitions at the Gardens.

Work continues on the incorporation of the records of the photographic collection into the Gardens’ automated data base. During the later part of the year the collection was transferred from timber cabinets to archival suspension folders housed in fire resistant steel filing safes.

RESEARCH

Research at the Gardens concerns the systematic botany, horticulture and biology of the Australian and related floras. The institutional structure reflects these three components of plant science. Systematic botany provides the phylogenetic and taxonomic framework upon which all of plant science is based. Horticultural research is essential to the successful introduction, propagation and long term maintenance of plants in cultivation. Basic biological information on the breeding mechanisms, genetic diversity and mycorrhizal associations of plant populations is an essential prerequisite toformulating conservation strategies. All areas of research at the Gardens are influenced by the urgent problem of conserving Australia’s endangered species. Staff have developed widely acknowledged expertise in three large families: the Fabaceae, Orchidaceae and Rutaceae. Research programs focus largely upon these families in order to amplify and refine this fund of knowledge. Much of the research is conducted in collaboration with kindred institutions.
Highlights for the year included international liaison by three staff members, (Dr Crisp, Mr Clements and Mr Telford) following invitations to present papers at conferences and carry out joint research in overseas institutions.
Major acquisitions were a second glasshouse to facilitate horticultural research programs and additional computing equipment for use in data analysis, storage and retrieval and preparation of manuscripts. A Science 2 position was created in Biological Research to allow development of a program for cryogenic storage of plant germplasm, primarily of endangered species. During the year, continuity of several research programs was interrupted by changes in personnel.

Botanical Research

The Botanical Research subsection is concerned with the systematics of the Australian and related floras. Activities include revisionary and
nomenclatural studies, phylogenetics, biogeography and flora treatments. These studies are carried out in a variety of flowering plant
16

families, with particular emphasis upon Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae and Rutaceae.

Horticultural Research

The Horticultural Research Subsection is concerned with the propagation and cultivation of the Australian and related floras, investigating both traditional and newly developed methods. This research is an essential basis for the successful introduction, establishment, maintenance and long term survival of species in the living collections.

Current Horticultural Research programs, each of which includes several projects, include:

Biological Research

The Biological Research Subsection was established with the aim of developing a more sophisticated laboratory-based operation for studying the biology of Australian and related plants. To this end, work over the past year was focused on study of the breeding systems and pollination biology of species that are endangered or belong to the families in the which the Gardens specializes.

Biological Research continued in the following major programs, each encompassing several projects:

Research Fieldwork and Conferences

Fieldwork to collect plant material for research on Orchidaceae and Rutaceae was undertaken in the Little Desert and the Grampians (Victoria) and on Eyre Peninsula ( South Australia). Several short trips were made to Braidwood ( New South Wales) to study a rare eucalypt. A trip to the D’Aguilar Range west of Brisbane ( Queensland) yielded material from which a rare new species of Isotropis (Fabaceae) was described and named, as well as being brought into cultivation.

Mr Mark Clements attended three international conferences, where he presented papers: the Sixth Asian Orchid Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in November; the 12th World Orchid Conference in Tokyo; and the World Orchid Hiroshima Symposium in Hiroshima, Japan in March.

Dr Michael Crisp travelled to USA in June and July 1986 where he made systematic studies on Fabaceae at the Missouri Botanical Garden. He also visited Professor T Duncan and Dr C. Meacham to carry out cladistic studies and discuss computer applications in botany.

Mr Jim Armstrong and Ms Karen Groeneveld presented papers at the Australian Pollination Ecologists Society Meeting held in August at the
Little Desert Lodge in Victoria.

Mr Mark Clements presented a paper at the 10th Australian Orchid Conference in Adelaide in September.

Mr Ian Telford and Dr Michael Crisp attended the Symposium on the Ecology of Australia’s Wet Tropics in August, where Mr Telford presented a poster paper on the biogeography of the Cucurbitaceae. Dr Crisp attended the Council and General meetings of the Australian
Systematic Botany Society.

LIBRARY

The Australian National Botanic Gardens Library has a collection of approximately 2 500 titles, 450 serials and 4 700 maps. Professional and technical services to the Gardens’ Library are provided by the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment’s Library Services Section.

During the year concerted efforts were made to improve the Library facilities and services. These included:

MAJOR OFFICIAL VISITS

Mrs Srimati Gandhi, wife of the Prime Minister of India visited the Gardens on 15 October. Mrs Gandhi inspected the Visitor Information Centre and met staff before touring the Gardens with the Director.

Dr Dong Zhiyong, Chinese Vice-Minister for Forestry visited the Gardens with a party of officials from the Ministry of Forestry on 20 October. The Director welcomed the group which then inspected the Gardens.

Mr Liu Jiang, Chinese Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries visited the Gardens on 2 April accompanied by Mr Geoff Miller, Secretary of the Department of Primary Industry. Mr Liu was welcomed by the Visitor Services Officer who took him on a tour of the Gardens.

On 13 March 1987 the Gardens hosted a seminar by the internationally renowned conservationist, Dr Norman Myers, on the Conservation of
Threatened Species Habitats and the Protection of Wild Genetic Resources.

Ms Nilwan Sumlitdetkajon, Education Officer for the Department of Agriculture in Thailand, visited and worked in all areas during a four week traineeship at the Gardens in October.

A fourteen week visit by Mr Robert Mitchell of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, enabled him to learn new techniques in orchid propagation developed by the Research Section.

The Trustees and Fellows of the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Hawaii, visited the Gardens in November. The group was welcomed by the Director and guided around the Gardens by Public Programs’ staff.

The Australian Nurserymen’s Association visited the Gardens as part of their national convention in February. After addresses by several staff members, tours were arranged to the Nursery and glasshouses.

REPRESENTATION ON OUTSIDE BODIES

The Gardens’ staff have representation in the following organisations:

AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY

The Australian Cultivar Registration Authority (ACRA) was established in 1963 to register cultivars from the Australian flora. It has been based at the Gardens since 1973. ACRA has members representing botanical gardens, the horticultural industry and special interest groups. Members are listed in Appendix 4. The Secretary/Registrar of the Authority is Mr Geoff Butler. The Gardens also has one representative, Mr Arthur Court, on the Authority.

Twenty-six new cultivars were registered at the annual ACRA meeting in October. The cultivars are listed in Appendix 5. A further fifteen new applications were received during the year. Work commenced on the first of a series of booklets on registered cultivars.

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Armstrong, J.A. and Telford, I.R. (1986), ‘Rutaceae’, in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed.), ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part II, 4th ed., pp.768-783, Govt Printer, Adelaide.

*Beardsell D.V., Clements, M.A., *Hutchison, J.F. and *Williams, E.G., (1985), ‘Pollination of Diuris maculata R.Br. (Orchidaceae) by floral mimicry of the native legumes Daviesia spp. and Pultenaea scabra R.Br.’, Aust. J. Bot. 34, 165-173.

Boden, R.W. (1986), ‘Australian Endangered Plants’ in Burgin, S. (ed.) ‘Endangered Species; Social, Scientific, Economic and Legal Aspects in Australia and the South Pacific’, pp.27-3S, Total Environment Centre, Sydney.

Canning, E.M. (1986), ‘Family Rhamnaceae (except Pomaderris, Rhamnus, Trymalium)’ in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed.) ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part II, 4th ed., pp.807-808, 814-820, Govt Printer, Adelaide.

Clements , MA . (1986), ‘Pterostylis excelsa, sp. nov. P. ovata, sp. nov. and P. xerophila, sp. nov.’, in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed.), ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part IV, 4th ed., pp.2119 (footnote), 2124 (footnote), 2130 (footnote), Govt Printer, Adelaide.

Clements, M.A. and *Jones, D.L. (1986), ‘Pterostylis erythroconcha, sp. nov.’, in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed.), ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part IV, 4th ed., p. 2118 (footnote), Govt Printer, Adelaide.

Clements, M.A., *Muir, H.J. and *Cribb P.1. (1986), ‘A preliminary report on the symbiotic germination of European terrestrial orchids’, Kew Bull. 41 (2), 437-445.

Clements, M.A. and * Groves, J. (1987), ‘Rare and Endangered: Eastern Australian Underground Orchid’, Aust. Nat. Hist. 22 (4), 182-3.

Crisp, M.D. (1986), ‘Aotus subspinescens (Benth.) Crisp, comb. et stat. nov.’, in J.P. Jessop and HR. Toelken (ed.) , ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part II, 4th ed., p.658 (footnote), Govt Printer, Adelaide.

Crisp, M.D. (1986), ‘Neotype for Daviesia leptophylla Cunn. ex Don’ in J.P. Jessop and HR. Toelken (ed), ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part II, 4th ed., p. 663 (footnote), Govt Printer, Adelaide.

Crisp, M,D. (1987), ‘Daviesia Smith’, in N.G. Marchant et al ‘Flora of the Perth Region’, pp. 247-254, W.A. Dept Agric, Perth.

Crisp, M.D. and Taylor, J.M. (1987), ‘Notes on Leptosema and Mirbelia (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) in Central Australia’, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 10, 131-143.

Jones, DL. and Clements, MA. (1986), ‘Pterostylis dolichochila, sp. nov.’, in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed.), ‘Flora of South Australia’, Part IV, 4th ed., pp. 2117-2118, Govt Printer, Adelaide.

*Ramsay, H.P., Streimann, H. *Ratkovsky, A.V. *Seppelt, R. and * Fife, A. (1986), ‘Australian alpine cryophytes’ in Barlow, B.A. (ed), ‘Flora and Fauna of Alpine Australasia. Ages and Origins’, pp. 310- 335, CSIRO, Melbourne.

Richardson, MM. (1986), ‘ Australian National Botanic Gardens, Jervis Bay Annexe’ Australian Parks and Recreation. 23 (1) pp. 26-27.

Streimann, H. (1986), ‘Catalogue of the lichens of Papua New Guinea’, Bibliotheca Lichenol. 22, J. Cramer, Vaduz.

Streimann, H. and *Nichols A.O. (1985), ‘Preliminary moss species list’, in Margules, C.R., ‘The Wog Wog habitat patch experiment: background objectives, experimental design and sample strategy’. Tech. Mem. 85/18, Appendix, CSIRO Division of Water and Land Resources, Canberra.

*Sutton B.C., *Pascoe IC. and Sharma, I.K. (1987), ‘Pseudocercospora correa sp. nov., a Leaf Pathogen of Correa Species from Australia’,Aust. J. Bot. 35 227-234.

Telford, JR. (1987), ‘Alania, Calostemma and Proiphys (Liliaceae)’, Flora of Australia, 45, 279-280, 376-379, 382-383.

Telford, JR. (1986) ‘Cucurbitaceae’ in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken (ed),‘Flora of South Australia’, Part II, 4th ed., pp. 883-889, Govt. and Theoretical Chemistry, Australian National University.

Printer, Adelaide.

*Walker J. and Sharma, 1K. (1986), ‘Leaf Rust on Swainsona galegifolia in Australia’, Australasian Plant Path. 15 (4), 85-86.

*Wheeler JR. and Crisp, M.D. (1987) ‘Aotus Smith, Jacksonia R.Br. and Oxylobium Andrews’, in NC. Marchant et al., ‘Flora of the Perth Region’, pp. 238-239, 270-275, 289-293, Dept Agric, Perth.

*External Authors

APPENDIX 1

MEMBERS OF THE ANBG ADVISORY COMMITTEE 1986-87

Chairman

Professor D P Craig, AO, FRS, FAA, Emeritus Professor of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Australian National University.

Members

Miss P M McDonald, BEM, Head of Education, Australian Museum, Sydney.

Mrs S C Parsons, Gardening correspondent and book reviewer for the Canberra Times.

Professor L D Pryor, AO, Emeritus Professor of Botany, Australian National University.

Dr L Evans, AO, FRS, FAA, CSIRO Division of Plant Industry and former President of the Australian Academy of Science.

Dr. R W Boden, Director, Australian National Botanic Gardens

Secretary

Ms K V Bailey (Tel (062) 67 1864)

APPENDIX 2

STAFF AT 30 JUNE 1987

DIRECTOR

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

CORPORATE SUPPORT

Executive Officer
 David Ward

Secretary to Committees
Kay Bailey B.A.(Hons) M.A.

Administrative Officer
Maree Miller

Purchasing Clerk
Kate Bayliss (a)

Accounts Clerk
Greg Sattler (a)

Switchboard Operator
Pam Horsburgh (a)

Word Processing Typist (In Charge)
Carol Spackman

Word Processing Typist
Mara Rogers (a)

Typist
Carmel Fardoulis (Part-Time)

NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

Assistant Director
Arthur Court , B.Sc,

Herbarium

Curator
Estelle Canning, B.Sc.T.P.T.C. (a)

Herbarium Botanist
Vacant V

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

Herbarium Assistants
Pam Beesley , B.Sc.(Hons)
Judith Curnow, B.Ed.
Faye Davies*
Muriel Rafferty
Margaret Winsbury,Inf.Teach.Cert., (a)

Development

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

Development Officer
Geoff Butler* **

Landscape Designer
Vacant

Clerk of Works
Bob Woodhams*

Bricklayer
David Hinchcliff

Plumber
Romeo Tomat

Trades Assistant
Paul Zeising

Living Collection

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

Planting Officer
Peter Ollerenshaw * **

Planting Assistant
Lyn Meredith

Plant Assessment Officer
Barbara Barnsley *

Plant Assessment Assistants
Corinna Broers**
Denis Mackay * **

Supervisor (Horticultural Maintenance)
Ross Hyland ** (a)

Overseers (Horticultural Maintenance)
Stuart Donaldson *
Suzie Walton (a)
[Janne Yardy, B.Sc.(Arch.) *;(long-term absence)]

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

Chief Propagator
Tim Mulcahy *

Glasshouse Manager
Irene Gleadhill, DipTeach. **

Gardeners
Tony Barbaro
Nazzarino Bono
Mimo Catanzariti
Terry Conway
Steve Dunne *
Keith Edwards *
Adrian Gallman *
Ruth Hallett, B. App.Sc.
Jim Hewat *
Paul Hewat *
Alan lones *
Dave Mallinson *
Ron Phillips
Rebecca Rudd
Mario Russo
Vince Russo
Colin Stoddart
John Treloar *

Horticultural Apprentices
Malcolm Copelin
Cathy Mann
Chris Ware

Senior Plant Operators
Dominic Catanzariti
Greg Small

Manager, Jervis Bay
 Fred Howe *

Overseer, Jervis Bay
 Roger Hart * (a)

Gardeners, Jervis Bay
 Jeff Knox
Jimmy McLeod
Max McLeod

Senior Plant Operator, Jervis Bay
 Phillip McLeod

Public Program

Assistant Director
Vacant

Public Programs Assistant
Jan Wilson (part-time)

Education

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

Education Officers
Sandra Farley, BA., B.A.(TAFE), (temporary transfer)
Vacant

Education Assistant
Jan Dean

Therapeutic Horticulture

Therapeutic Horticulture Office
 John Pike * ** (a)

Therapeutic Horticulture Assistant
Vacant

Gardener
Reg Taylor

Visitor Services

Visitor Services Officer
Murray Fagg

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

Graphic Designer
Karyn Mime, Dip.Art. (Graphic Des.), (part-time)

Display Technician
Ron Hotchkiss

Horticultural Adviser
Effie Mullins *

Desk Officer
Wendy Dossetor

Rangers
Kurt Thaler**
John Jervis **

RESEARCH

Assistant Director
Michael Crisp, Ph.D (a)
[Jim Armstrong, B.Sc.Agr. (long term absence)

Botanical Research

Research Botanist
Ian Telford (a)

Research Officer (Botany)
Joan Taylor (a)

Research Assistant (Botany)
Helen Thompson , B.Sc.(Hons) (a)

Horticultural Research

Research Horticulturist
Ish Sharma, Ph.D. (a)

Research Officer (Horticulture)
Vacant

Research Assistant (Horticulture)
Helen Hadobas*

Biological Research

Research Biologist
Mark Clements , B.Sc.(AppI.) Grad.Dip.Sc.

Research Officer (Biology)
Karen Groeneveld, B.Sc. (a)

Research Assistant (Biology)
Jacqueline Luttert, Ass.Dip.Tech.Biol. (a)

* 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 3

BANKSIA CENTRE VOLUNTEERS 1986-87

Betty Bedford

Jo Benyon

Judith Casey

Margaret Cowey

Amanda Edwards

Bunny Falkland

Heather Jansen

Anne Kennedy

Wayne Merriman

Shirley McLachlan

Harry Vivian

Scott Williams

APPENDIX 4

MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY 1986-87

Chairperson

Dr Ben Wallace
Royal Botanic Gardens
Mrs Macquaries Rd
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Secretary/Registrar

Mr Geoff Butler
Australian National Botanic Gardens
GPO Box 1777
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Members

Mrs Irene Bowden
(Representing the Australian Nurserymen’s Association)
62 Thomas St
JANDAKOT WA 6164

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

Mr Arthur 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 Bob Johnson
Director
Queensland Herbariuim
Meiers Road
INDOOROOPILLY QLD 4068

Mr Tony May
Superintendent
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Domain
HOBART TAS 7000

Mr Ross McKinnon
Curator
Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens
Mt Coot-tha Rd
TOO WONG QLD 4066

Mr Bill Payne
(Editor, Australian Plants)
860 Henry Lawson Drive
PICNIC POINT NSW 2213

Dr Jim Willis
(Private Member)
102 Male Street
BRIGHTON VIC 3168

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

Dr Paul Wycherly OBE
Director
Kings Park and Botanic Gardens
WEST PERTH WA 6005

APPENDIX 5

CULTIVARS REGISTERED WITH THE AUSTRALIAN CULTIVAR REGISTRATION AUTHORITY IN 1986-87

Acacia dealbata ‘Kambah Karpet’

Astartea ‘Winter Pink’

Banksia serrata ‘Austraflora Pygmy Possum’

Boronia megastigma ‘Jack Maguire’s Red’

Boronia muelleri ‘Sunset Serenade’

Boronia pilosa ‘Rose Blossom’

Brachychiton ‘Griffith Pink’

Brachychiton ‘Jerilderie Red’

Callistemon ‘Bob Bailey’

Callistemon citrinus ‘White Anzac’

Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’

Callistemon paludosus ‘Sallyann’

Callistemon ‘Red Reika’

Callistemon viminalis ‘Wilderness White’

Correa ‘Dusky Bells’

Crowea ‘Poorinda Ecstasy’

Eremophila maculata ‘Carmine Star’

Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’

Grevillea ‘Austraflora Bon Accord’

Grevillea ‘Austraflora Lyrebird’

Grevillea ‘Merinda Gordon’

Grevillea ‘Waverley Ghost’

Hakea salicifolia ‘Gold Medal’

Pultenaea ‘Wallum Gold’

Telopea speciosissima ‘Wirrimbirra White’

Tetratheca thymifolia ‘Bicentennial Belle’