Today, the State Herbarium of South Australia published two article in Vol. 33 of its journal Swainsona online.

(1) L. Haegi, Grammosolen (Solanaceae – Anthocercideae) revisited (6.3mb PDF)

Hon. Research Associate Laurie Haegi is an expert on the plant family Solanaceae and revises Grammosolen in this paper, a genus he erected in 1981. One new species is newly described and another species transferred from Cyphanthera to Grammosolen. The genus now consists of four species with non-overlapping distributions, from the Avon Wheatbelt through the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Mallee regions in southern Western Australia, to the Great Victoria Desert, western Gawler Ranges, Eyre Yorke Block and the Murraylands in South Australia.

Grammosolen archeri, a new species described by Laurie Haegi. Illustration by Fiona James.

(2) F. Tiver, Rytidosperma robertsoniae (Poaceae), a new species from southern Australia (1.3mb PDF)

State Herbarium Associate Fleur Tiver describes a new species of grass from southern Australia, Rytidosperma robertsoniae. It was first recognised as different from R. caespitosum by Enid Robertson, because of its different chromosome number of 2n=24. However, only now, there are enough specimens of the new taxon available to evaluate its morphology and segregate to as new. The typical form of R. caespitosum is also discussed and illustrated, and a lectotype is chosen for that 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.

Today, the State Herbarium of South Australia published one article in its journal Swainsona online.

D. Nicolle & M.E. French, Validation of four new combinations in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) from south-western Western Australia (80kb PDF)

In their new book, Eucalypts of Western Australia: The South-West Coast and Ranges (2019), the authors published new combinations for four taxa of Eucalyptus. By accident, the basionym was not cited correctly, rendering these new names invalid according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (current Shenzhen edition from 2018). Nicolle & French validate the names in this short communication.

This is the first time, a SHORT COMMUNICATION has been published in Swainsona. The Editorial Committee encourages authors who want to publish short papers with nomenclatural changes, typifications, systematic notes, new records of native or weed species, etc., to submit their manuscripts to the Editor. Short communications should not exceed four printed pages.

Eucalyptus redunca subsp. pluricaulis (Brooker & Hopper) D.Nicolle & M.E.French, one of the new names validated in this Short Communication. Image: Euclid/CSIRO.

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.

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 taxa 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. The records are based on preserved plant specimens, verified by a botanists, and housed in the vaults of the State Herbarium.

Acacia cardiophylla from NSW, naturalised in South Australia. Image by Bidgee (CC-BY-SA 2.5 AU).

For all new records of non-native plants, an annual report is produced by the 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 other 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. & Waycott, M. (2019). Regional Landscape Surveillance for New Weed Threats Project, 2018-2019: Annual report on new plant naturalisations in South Australia. (4.2mb PDF).

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

Callitris oblonga subsp. oblonga growing in the Adelaide Hills. Image by C.J. Brodie showing old fruits.

These reports highlights 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).

Naturalised plant taxa are those that have originally been introduced by humans to an area, deliberately or accidentally. They have self-propagated without aid where they are not wanted, possibly spreading by natural means to new areas. An example listed in the recent report is Atriplex amnicola (river saltbush; 365kb PDF) from W.A. or Callitris oblonga subsp. oblonga (South Esk pine), originally from Tasmania. Both of are examples of Australian plants that have become weedy (see also a 1985 article by P.M. Kloot; 733kb PDF).

Questionably Naturalised plant taxa (i.e. possible new weeds) are introduced non-native plants that may be self-propagating without aid, but are not well established or lack data to classify them as naturalised. An example of this are Aloiampelos ciliaris (climbing aloe) and the hybrid Eucalyptus steedmanii × Eucalyptus sp. (Steedman’s mallet hybrid).

Any unknown or possible new state or regional weed records should be reported to Chris Brodie (0437 825 685, chris.brodie@sa.gov.au).

Lepidium phlebopetalum growing at Innamincka Station. Photo: SA Seedbank.

The new, 5th edition of Flora of South Australia is published online in PDF-form. Today, the State Herbarium of South Australia released a first version of the chapter on the plant family Brassicaceae, describing the genus Lepidium.

Scarlett, N.H. & Hewson, H.J. (2019). Brassicaceae (partly) (version 1). In: Kellermann, J. (ed.), Flora of South Australia (ed. 5). 25 pp. (State Herbarium of South Australia: Adelaide). (8.6mb PDF).

Lepidium (peppercresses) is a cosmopolitan genus of around 220 species, of which 36 are endemic in Australia and 8 are introduced. Following recent molecular analyses, it now also includes Cardaria and Coronopus, which were formerly treated as distrinct genera. Neville Scarlett describes all 27 species that occur in South Australia in detail. Most species are illustrated with line-drawings and photographs.

The general link to the 5th edition of Flora of South Australia is flora.sa.gov.au/ed5, providing current treatments, glossary, introduction and cover pages for printing. Previous versions of Flora treatments are still available from our Superseded treatments page. Flora chapters are also available on Enviro Data SA and on this website under the “Flora of South Australia PDFs” link in the “Important Resources” listing.