The State Herbarium of South Australia published three articles in Vol. 35 of its journal Swainsona online, today, 16 August 2021.

(1) S. Dema, I.R.H. Telford, R.L. Andrew, D.J. Duval & J.J. Bruhl, Phebalium calcicola (Rutaceae: Boronieae): a species described as new, restricted to south-eastern South Australia, is proposed as Critically Endangered. (7.7mb PDF).

The authors describe a new species of Phebalium, which is only known from a small population near Mount Gambier. The species is described and illustrated in detail, and compared with its closest relatives. It grows on shallow soil over limestone, hence the name is derived from the Latin calx (limestone) and cola (dweller).

Phebalium calcicola, a new species for South Australia. Photo: D.J. Duval.

(2) T.A. Hammer & R.W. Davis, Ptilotus crinitus (Amaranthaceae), a new species from Western Australia’s Kimberley region. (1.1mb PDF).

Ptilotus crinitus, part of the type specimen. Photo: PERTH.

This new species from northern Western Australia is only known from one collection in a remote coastal area in the northern Kimberley. This study evaluates the morphology of this specimen and concludes that it warrants recognition at species rank. Its closest relatives are Phebalium distans and P. capensis.

(3) R.W.Davis, J. Palmer & T.A. Hammer, Gomphrena axillaris and G. longistyla (Amaranthaceae), new species of Gomphrena from central and northern Australia. (1.7mb PDF).

Gomphrena is one of the largest genera in Amaranthaceae. In this paper, several phrase names and manuscript names from northern and central Australia (WA, NT & Qld) are evaluated. As a result, two new species are described.

To access content of all volumes of Swainsona and the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens since Vol. 1 (1976), please visit the journal’s web-site at flora.sa.gov.au/swainsona or the Swainsona back-up site.

Herbarium specimen of Euphorbia davidii, collected west of Caltowie from a localised but substantial population that was spreading into paddocks from the roadside. Photo: C.J. Brodie.

The State Herbarium of South Australia documents all known plant taxa (species, sub-species, varieties and forms) native and naturalised (weedy) in South Australia. These are listed in the Census of South Australian Plants, Algae and Fungi. All newly discovered State and regional records are added to the Census throughout the year. These records are based on preserved plant specimens, verified by a botanists and housed in the vaults of the State Herbarium.

For all new records of non-native plants, an annual report is produced by Weeds Botanist Chris Brodie and colleagues from the State Herbarium. The report includes the list of new weeds recorded for South Australia with locations, descriptions and photographs. Also documented are updates to taxa that have had a change in distribution, weed status or name. Other activities carried out by Weeds Botanist are also summarised, such as field trips or presentations to community groups.

The latest report is now available online:

Brodie, C.J. & Lang, P.J. (2021). Regional Landscape Surveillance for New Weed Threats Project, 2020-2021: Annual report on new plant naturalisations in South Australia. (2.2mb PDF)

Also available for download are last year’s 2019-20 report (16mb PDF), as well as the reports for 2018-19 (4.2mb PDF), 2017-18 (4.5mb PDF), 2016-17 (3.8mb PDF) and a compilation of all reports from 2010 to 2016 (3.7mb PDF).

These reports highlight to land managers, which non-native plant species have recently been found in South Australia and where. New records are listed as either “naturalised/established” (*) or “questionably naturalised/established” (?e).

At the end of June 2021, there were 5144 vascular plant taxa recognised in South Australia, of which 1618 are weeds, i.e. 31%. This year, 8 new weeds have been added to the Census; and over the last ten years, Chris Brodie’s weed surveys have discovered 244 new naturalised plants.

Continue reading →