The State Herbarium of South Australia published two articles in Vol. 38 of its journal Swainsona today, 2 Feb. 2024.

(1) J.L. Dowe & P.S. Short, The Gullivers’ travels: Thomas Allen Gulliver (1848–1931), Benjamin John Gulliver (1851–1938) and Susannah Gulliver (1857–1938): their contribution to Australian natural history and horticulture (7.6mb PDF).

Isotoma gulliveri from northern Queensland, named by Ferdinand von Mueller after Thomas Gulliver. Photo: D. Albrecht.

The authors report on the history of the natural history collections of the Gulliver siblings, who were active in the late 1800s. After a short biography of the family, they discuss the different periods in their lives: Thomas and Benjamin Gulliver provided plant and animal specimens for Museums and Herbaria. Their sister Susannah collected plants at a more limited scale.

The main focus of the article is the plant collections from New South Wales, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Queensland, which are now mainly found at the National Herbarium of Victoria (MEL) and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K), with lesser numbers at other institutions. Lectotypes are chosen for some names that were published from Gulliver collections.

(2) T.A. Hammer & R.W. Davis, Ptilotus ostentans (Amaranthaceae), a new species from Western Australia segregated from Ptilotus seminudus. (2.5mb PDF).

Ptilotus ostentans, newly described by Tim Hammer and Rob Davis. Photo: G. Krygsman.

A new species of Ptilotus from southern Western Australia is described. Distinguishing characters and photographs are provided to separate it from the related P. seminudus, which is now restricted to South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.

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.

Amanita muscaria in native vegetation on Kangaroo Island. Photo: J. Haska.

Today, 24 Jan. 2024, the State Herbarium of South Australia published the first article in this year’s volume of its journal Swainsona, Vol. 38.

T. Lebel, T.W. May, J.A. Cooper, D. Catcheside, P. Catcheside & J. Haska. Confirming the presence of five exotic species of Amanita in Australia and New Zealand (32.4mb PDF).

The authors of this study examined and viewed herbarium collections and citizen scientists’ records (e.g. iNaturalist, FungiMap) of exotic Amanita in Australia and New Zealand and undertook a molecular phylogenetic analysis of selected samples. They conclude that there are three introduced species in both countries and two more species in New Zealand only. Often other names of northern hemisphere taxa have been applied here, but these are considered misidentifications. Descriptions, notes, photos and distribution maps are provided for all five species. All five exotic Amanita species are considered toxic and not edible: Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) and A. phalloides (death cap) are the most well-known of these.

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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.

Amyema miquelii flowers. Photo J.G. Conran.

The State Herbarium of South Australia wishes all followers of the blog, its  volunteers, staff, Hon. Research Associates and Research Affiliates a very happy Christmas break and all the best for the New Year. We hope to see you all again in 2024.

The Herbarium also published two articles in Vol. 37 of the online version of its journal Swainsona today, Chistmas Eve, 24 Dec. 2023.

Ptilotus durus at Arckaringa Station. Photo: D.J. Duval.

(1) T.R. Lally, Ptilotus durus (Amaranthaceae), a new species from northern South Australia (3.3mb PDF).

The author from the Australian National Herbarium (Canberra) describes a new species of Ptilotus from Arckaringa Station in the north of South Australia. It is currently it is known only from a single population on a gypseous breakaway escarpment. The species was first recognised in 2010, during fieldwork of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre.

(2) P.J. Lang, J.G. Conran & T.D. Macfarlane, Alyogyne leptochlamys comb. et stat. nov. (Malvaceae): clarification and species rank for an often overlooked taxon from western South Australia and Western Australia (9.3mb PDF).

In this paper, the authors from Adelaide and Perth clarify uncertainties about a taxon that has been confused in South Australia with the Western Australian Hibiscus huegelii (Endl.) Fryxell. It was also known as Hibiscus huegelii var. leptochlamys Benth. and Alyogyne pinoniana var. microandra in the past. The taxon is published here at species level, described, illustrated and distinguished from related species.

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.