Over 200 years ago the botanist Robert Brown, collected many specimens of Australian plants that were then new to science. One of those specimens, a plant to become known as a species of the genus Hibbertia or guinea-flowers (common name), was collected near Sydney.  Sadly, Brown was one of the first and last scientists to officially see that particular species alive, with the final recorded collection in 1823. An apparent casualty of the development of the Sydney area, it was subsequently and sadly believed to be extinct.

Hibbertia fumana, line-drawing by Gilbert Dashorst (scale bar: 1cm).

State Herbarium of South Australia’s Honorary Research Associate, 77-year-old Dr Hellmut Toelken, is an authority on Hibbertia. His taxonomic research on the numerous collected and preserved specimens held in Australian and overseas herbaria (remember Australia didn’t have any official herbaria in the early days of settlement, so all the original collections of Australian plants went to overseas herbaria, like the British Natural History Museum or Kew Gardens) lead him to re-examine these old specimens—one of the scientific benefits of having collected specimens stored in perpetuity—and to describe the plant as Hibbertia fumana in 2012 (Toelken & Miller, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 25 (2012) 71-96, 1.8mb PDF).

Hellmut had an inkling from past experience that once a species is properly described and published, it is often rediscovered. And sure enough, using his new identification key, a population of 370 plants was found in a small remnant of native vegetation on Sydney’s south-west fringe in late 2016, and provisionally listed as critically endangered in December last year. The discovery also generated some controversy, which demonstrates the importance of having up-to-date taxonomic knowledge (see also articles in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian).

Hibbertia fumana, flower and bud. Photo: A.E. Orme.

Taxonomic discovery can also teach us much about the evolution of our landscapes and past climates (and test our comfortable assumptions!). It also shows us how important it is to have well documented preserved specimens to refer back to, particularly when extraordinary discoveries require extraordinary proof.

Hibbertia hirsuta, showing the very reduced, small florwer. Photo: Key to Tasmanian vascular plants web-site.

A number of small scattered populations of another seemingly new species of South Australian Hibbertia were recently ‘discovered’ along Meadows Creek in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges. Hellmut investigated, and it came as a big surprise when the small, ground-hugging plant was identified as hairy guinea-flower or Hibbertia hirsuta, a species that was previously only know from Tasmania — or was it…

In writing the scientific paper announcing this discovery (Toelken, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 27 (2014) 35-39, 760kb PDF), research in botanical literature uncovered several publications by early botanists Ferdinand von Mueller and Ralph Tate in the late 1800s. Surprisingly these papers showed that the very same populations had been discovered then with collections made by Tate and Johann Gottlieb Otto Tepper in 1881 (the specimens proving this were housed in the National Herbarium of Victoria, Melbourne, as the South Australian herbarium didn’t exist then). For reasons unknown these collections were overlooked in subsequent botanical publications and the species was effectively ‘lost’ from South Australia until its rediscovery in 2014.

Hibbertia hirsuta with immature fruits at Kuitpo forest. Photo: SA Seedbank.

The other surprise of course is how a species came to occur in two such widely separated localities! Hairy guinea-flower has never been recorded in Victoria, even though it is geographically closer to Tasmania and has a similar climate. Unlike other hibbertias, hairy guinea-flower has very small non-showy flowers and being a ground-cover plant, it may yet lie undiscovered in other areas. At least now Hellmut has updated our knowledge and documentation, which will greatly increase the chance of this happening.

The research into the genus Hibbertia is a good example of how new species are discovered and the impacts that knowledge can have. Back when the last hard-copy edition of the Flora of South Australia was printed in 1986, about 110 species of Hibbertia were recognised in Australia, Madagascar, New Guinea and New Caledonia. As a result of this ongoing research the tally has now gone beyond 300 species in Australia alone and a new record for Fiji, but there is still much work to be done.

Contributed by Peter Canty, Manager, State Herbarium

The following article on the work of our weeds botanist appeared this week in Palya, the electronic newsletter of Natural Resources Alinytjara Wilurara (AW NRM)…

Contracted by AW NRM, land management experts from Rural Solutions SA delivered an Invasive Grass Workshop in the APY Lands late last year.

The group travelled in convoy from Ernabella to the Warru Pintji (fenced enclosure for black-footed rock wallabies). APY Land Management (APY LM) helped to organise and transport participants out to the site, and also assisted with workshop delivery.

Warru Ranger Magda Zabek talked to the group about the warru program and how her teams manage Buffel grass control inside the fence. The rangers spend around two weeks a year spraying Buffel grass using a mix of chemicals sprayed from back packs.

Chris Brodie (SA herbarium) explaining how to press grass species. Photo: Palya, AW NRM.

Traditional Owner, Donald Fraser explained how Buffel had spread rapidly since the 1970’s. He suggested that the donkeys that roam around the Pintji might be used to graze Buffel grass down.

Chris Brodie (State Herbarium) demonstrated how to collect and press samples for identification and showed the group different grass species that grow/could grow in the APY Lands. The group then discussed any weeds that participants had or hadn’t seen on their country.

James Kidman (APY LM) demonstrated how to most effectively dig up Buffel plants to minimize the spread of seeds. Each plant can contain thousands of seeds. Participants collected wood and burnt the plants they had removed. James emphasised that it was important to have the fire really hot in order to kill the plant and destroy the seeds.

The workshop was funded through the Federal Government Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper.

From time to time, we get enquiries from students about our job as a botanist.  State Herbarium of South Australia staff member Chelsea Novice answered these questions recently…

What qualifications do you need to become a botanist?

Botanists Peter Lang and Chelsea Novice working late nights during the Bush Blitz expedition to Lake Torrens in 2016. — Click on images to read more.

Our botanists have a range of backgrounds and qualifications. An education in science is typical and beneficial. Some individuals, however, have interests in a particular group of plants, leading them to a lifelong passion and profession in botany.

Personally, I studied a Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) with Honours. This lead to an opportunity to work as a researcher in marine botany at the State Herbarium. Now I am employed as a qualified researcher and curation officer, working with many botanists and helping out on amazing projects.

Does botany as a profession allow you to branch out to other jobs if you wanted to?

It is common for a botanist to become very specialised in their area of work. We have botanists who focus on weeds, native terrestrial flora, marine algae, mosses, lichens and fungi, to name a few. This is because some species or groups of plants may be very complex, they may require intensive study to understand them. There are many questions Botanists work on and think about, for example:

• What species is it?
• Is it a new species?
• How does it grow?
• How does it reproduce, how is it pollinated and by whom?
• Has its structure and appearance changed over time?
• Is it native or an introduced weed?

Answering these questions builds new knowledge that can, and are, be used in many other areas of science.

Goodenia valdentata, a new species from inland South Australia, described by Peter in 2014. Photo: SA Seedbank.

Approximately how many hours does a botanist work per week and how long have you been working in this field?

Botany is a mixture of love and full time dedication. Most of our botanists are full time workers. We have retired botanists who continue to work in their retirement years, as the job can become very addictive and there is just so much more to discover.

For me personally, full time is 37.5 hours a week. I have been in this field for 6 years, working on a variety of projects.

Leading up to the position, I undertook full time study with lots and lots of work experience.

Some of our botanists also like to ‘botanise’ in their personal time, it depends on each individual.

Chelsea in the herbarium vaults, with a very large algae specimen.

What are some daily activities of a botanist?

A daily routine can have many different tasks and is generally based on what needs the most research. These can include:

• Field work and collections, e.g. the Bush Blitz expeditions to Lake Torrens (2016) or Hiltaba Station (2012)
• Recording information on the specimens collected, i.e. location and habitat
• Drying and pressing specimens
• Taxonomy skills in identifying, using identification keys, microscopy work or DNA extraction (lab-work)
• Data analysis and writing up research results in reports or papers for scientific journals (e.g. our Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens)
• Growing specimens of interest in a nursery
• Answering queries on plants from the community
• Working with the community and educating people about your discoveries.

What school subjects should be chosen to get a job as a botanist?

Anything-science related is a positive start, e.g. biology or chemistry. Art subjects are also great, as science and art can go very well together. English would be beneficial as good writing-skills are needed.

I chose biology, chemistry, art studies & English, and was luckily enough to have subjects such as agricultural science, when attending Urrbrae Agricultural High School.

Many of our botanists also have continued their studies to complete postgraduate degrees in science such as Masters or PhD programs. This involves several years of intensive research study at a recognised University.

Peter with his plant presses, waiting to board the helicopter during the Bush Blitz expedition in 2016.

What are the challenges faced working as a botanist?

Botany, like most jobs, can sometimes involve very tedious work. For example, in the herbarium we undertake a lot of information-recording and recording of data. Botanists also spend time writing reports or research papers to share their work with others.

As is the nature of science, sometimes the work botanists undertake can be complicated as research doesn’t always discover the answers you thought you would find – leading to more questions.

2016 State Herbarium Summer Scholarship students Sarah Harvey & Jessica Burdon

What are the positives of the job?

The job involves many different skill-sets and can include both field work and office work, it rarely gets boring.

You are also surrounded by similar-minded people, all on a mission to discover the secret life of plants (or other flora) and that can be very special.

Do you have any advice for young inspiring botanists?

Having an interest in botany and nature is a fantastic start. Take up as many opportunities as you can through work experience or volunteering to get a feel if the career path is right for you.

From Buzz Hoot Roar.

World Taxonomist Appreciation Day, March 19, was created in 2013 to make a point that the work of the world’s biological taxonomists was largely unappreciated, even though it underpins our fundamental understanding of the diversity of life (click for two portraits of Museum taxonomists from Victoria and Western Australia).

Why does this matter and what does it mean for the State Herbarium of South Australia?

In case you’re not even sure what taxonomy is and why it is a core part of the Herbarium’s role: taxonomy is the practice and science of classification (taxonomy really began as a science in the 18th century, with the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, whose naming system is still used).

Linnaeus’ SPECIES PLANTARUM (1753) is the starting point of botanical nomenclature.

For biologists, taxonomy means the classification and naming of organisms in an ordered system that is intended to indicate natural relationships, and especially evolutionary relationships. This process uses a combination of the form, shape and structure of an organism (its morphology), and behavioural, genetic and biochemical observations. Taxonomic scientists follow rules that govern this process to ensure that their work is able to be adopted anywhere in the world.

Herbarium taxonomists also seek to meet high scientific standards and use an evidence base that can be built upon in the future. They work to develop identification keys which can be reliably used by others and come to the same conclusion (which means the identification of a unique organism).

The different kinds of animals, fungi, plants and microorganisms are referred to as ‘species’. A species is often defined as a potentially interbreeding group of organisms that can produce viable offspring. This may be because the two different species cannot interbreed and produce viable offspring or that they live so far apart they cannot either.

Caloplaca aggregata, a new species of lichen from Kangaroo Island, described in 2016. Photo: G. Kantvilas.

Taxonomists provide unique names for species that allow us to study them in more detail and ensure that we are all recognising the same thing. To describe a new species to science,  taxonomists first sort specimens into separate sets they believe represent potential species. Once the specimens are sorted the next job is to see whether or not they already have names. This may involve working through identification guides, reading descriptions written perhaps 200 years ago, and borrowing named specimens from museums or herbaria to compare with the sample. Such comparison may involve external characters, the need to dissect internal structures, or even molecular analysis of the DNA. If there is no match, the specimens may represent a new species, not previously given a name. The taxonomist then has to write a description, including ways in which the new species can be distinguished from others, and make up a name for it, in a Latin format. The name and the description must then be properly published so that other taxonomists can see what has been done, and be able to identify the species themselves. From finding the specimens to the name appearing in print can take many years!

Specimen boxes in the vaults of the State Herbarium of South Australia.

Comprehensive collections of identified specimens and their collection information, curated in perpetuity by museums (for animals) and herbaria (for plants, fungi and lichens), form the evidence for the identity and occurrence of each species. The ‘type specimen’ is particularly valuable as it represents the actual specimen used as the reference for a new species name.  Interestingly, most new species are not discovered in the field, but during the painstaking process of examining already collected material in herbaria and museums.

The type specimen of Spyridium parvifolium, from the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London.

Global literature shows about 1.1 to 1.5 million described species, with estimates for the total number of species in the world ranging from 5 to 10 million. With all that taxonomic work to be done, it may come as a surprise to learn that taxonomists themselves are endangered (see also Wägele et al. 2011). In Australia, we know we are losing taxonomists at the rate of two to three per year, and the workforce is definitely ageing (as a local example, the average age of the State Herbarium’s taxonomists is 60 years and most of them are volunteers). Worldwide, we are unarguably well shy of the effort needed to catalogue Earth. It has been estimated that to discover and describe all species would take 300,000 taxonomists some 1,200 years, at a cost of more than $350bn. And this is a conservative estimate.

We are deep in a taxonomic crisis. Our own species created the planet’s sixth major extinction event (see also Hance 2015) and we are lacking the expertise to understand what we are rapidly losing. Taxonomic work is the foundation for understanding how to save what we can and make plans for the future. Any fix to the taxonomic crisis requires a recognition of the essential nature of the work of taxonomists, the value of the herbarium and museum collections and those who use them to explain our world.

Do we need to describe everything? With extinction running at 100–1,000 times what is called the ‘natural rate’, you could argue that we are fighting a losing battle and should cut our losses. But if we are to direct our limited resources into conserving the most important parts of our biological diversity, how do we know which species and systems are the most important? Taxonomy is the first big step in that process.

Solanum osteocarpum from Central Australia, newly described in 2016.

In Australia, we have an immense job ahead of us documenting life on our 7,000,000+ square kilometre continent, where more than three-quarters of the native plants and animals are found nowhere else on Earth. In just over 200 years, we have described about a quarter of the estimated half a million or so species. Are there new sources of food, medicine or building materials out there? Of course. Which species can we afford to lose if life as we know it, and pertinently human life, is to continue? What relatives of crop plants will help us survive climate change? How many and which plants do we need to produce oxygen for us to breathe?

Taxonomy is critical for almost everything we do in biology, and as a community, we need to support taxonomy and its practitioners – if not to make our life better, then because our life depends on it.

Contributed by Peter Canty, Manager, State Herbarium