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24.01.2022 28/50 Creeping Brown Pea | Bossiaea reptans (Fabaceae) A first-rate botanical treatment not only captures existing knowledge of a plant group but highlights information gaps to inform and direct future research. An exceptional example of this can be found in Jim Rosss landmark conspectus of the legume genus Bossiaea in Western Australia, which was published in 2006 in Muelleria, the journal of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Material of the Creeping Brown Pea was sent ...to Jim in 2005 following its discovery by Libby Sandiford in near Frankland. He suspected it was a significant collection but, with only a single specimen at his disposal and without having seen it in the field, he was reluctant to formally describe it. But he published his preliminary research findings, providing a full description and illustration a decision that has proven fundamental to its protection. Terry Macfarlane picked up the trail, joining forces with DBCA regional Flora Conservation Officer Jo-Anne Smith and then regional ecologist Roger Hearn to obtain more collections and conduct taxonomic research to confirm its distinctness. Their on-ground surveys unearthed additional populations and enabled a detailed conservation assessment to be conducted, resulting in the species being listing as Endangered under local and federal legislation. Described in Nuytsia today, Bossiaea reptans is known from several populations in the vicinity of Manjimup and Frankland where it grows on low rises adjacent to winter-wet depressions or subdued watercourses in Jarrah and Marri woodland. Its named for its unusual habit in which the main branches lie flat on the ground and root at the nodes. Photographs: Terry Macfarlane and Roger Hearn https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/nuytsia/

23.01.2022 Science Week Friday has a Fabaceae focus. On the 21st August 2014 our Acacia expert and Research Associate Bruce Maslin named and described Acacia doreta, commonly known as Vollies Minni Ritchi. The species name is derived from the Greek word doretos (meaning generous or freely given) and recognises past, present, and future volunteers at the Western Australian Herbarium who so generously and graciously give of their time and skills to assist us in a range of tasks, particularly specimen mounting, developing interactive keys, identification of images, and image manipulation. A fitting tribute to all our amazing Community Scientists! https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/44536

23.01.2022 Herbarium Curator John Huisman was recently involved in the description of a new species of Chondria (red algae) that is displaying invasive tendencies and running rampant at the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (unfortunately it did not involve a trip to the islands). You can read the article here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article As the area is part of the Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument, the story has been covered widely (over 5000 news pickups), includin...g the NY Times, the Washington Post, and Science. https://www.nytimes.com//sc/hawaii-seaweed-coral-reef.html https://www.washingtonpost.com//8f627d4a-c07b-11ea-8908-68 https://www.sciencemagazinedigital.org//MobilePagedReplica

23.01.2022 Staff at the WA Herbarium had a pleasant surprise this morning. Regelia velutina has been planted in the herbarium gardens and while it doesn’t normally flower in Perth it is an attractive shrub, with its erect habit and spiralled, silver, grey-green leaves. However, this year it has decided to put on a show! Image: R. Davis

22.01.2022 30/50 Andreas Wedding Bush | Ricinocarpos digynus (Euphorbiaceae) This special day has been a long time in the planning indeed, we need to travel back to 1966 when the first collection of this new species of Wedding Bush was made from the eastern goldfields by J. Bale. This specimen could not be confirmed as a new species since it lacked fruit and so it was left on the shelf at the Western Australian Herbarium for nearly 50 years. A second population was discovered on a ...mining lease north of Kalgoorlie in 2015 by Andrea Williams of Botanica Consulting. Her doggedness in obtaining specimens of this species from different times of the year (including fruiting material) was pivotal in its taxonomic resolution. The new collections ended up on the desk of Mike Hislop for identification, leading him to pop the question, was it a new species? His preliminary assessment revealed that it was and so the species was given an informal phrase name and added to the States plant census and conservation list. Mike then co-opted Juliet Wege to walk with him down the aisle of Vault 3 at the Western Australian Herbarium to help formalise its description, making her vow not to complain about delving into the dark and mysterious world of Euphorbiaceae taxonomy. Using the 2007 taxonomic treatment of Ricinocarpos by David Halford and Rodney Henderson (Queensland Herbarium) as a framework, their research has unequivocally established Ricinocarpos digynus as distinct from other Wedding Bushes in Australia. Its characterised by a two-chambered fruit and flowers with no petals, the latter feature making it quite an understated species compared to some of its showy Wedding Bush relatives, especially those that are available horticulturally across the country. But we love its minimalism and enthusiastically celebrate its description today, which will underpin future conservation efforts, thereby making Mike and Juliet a very happy couple of taxonomists. Please raise your glasses in salute of this rare goldfields gem with distinctive fruit!

22.01.2022 Or not quite Plant of the Month. For September we have two photosynthetic organisms that lie at opposite ends of evolution. On the left is Microcystis aeruginosa, a cyanobacterium (or blue-green alga) that often forms blooms in freshwater lakes. This species is toxic and has been implicated in the deaths of animals that drink from the water. On the right is the dinoflagellate Ceratium hirundinella, a single-celled protist that is mixotrophic, meaning that it can gain energy... by ingesting prey items, but is also photosynthetic as it has incorporated functional chloroplasts from other organisms. The photosynthetic cyanobacteria were the ancestors of chloroplasts (the site of photosynthesis in all plants); in evolutionary history they were ingested by a non-photosynthetic organism and retained, essentially turning an animal into a plant. The photo was taken under the microscope of a single drop of water, collected from Herdsman Lake. The scale bar is equivalent to 50 m, which equals 0.05 millimetres (or 5 hundredths of a millimetre). Photo: John Huisman

22.01.2022 Celebrating National Science Week! On this day in 2008, the type specimen of Isopogon panduratus subsp. palustris (Proteaceae) was collected [PERTH 07978057]. This charismatic subspecies has a Priority 3 conservation status in Western Australia, meaning that while it is not under imminent threat it is poorly-known and requires further survey. Currently, the Western Australian Herbarium has 28 specimens all gathered from a small region south of Cervantes, with the most recent collection having been made in August 2016. Western Australia has 981 Priority 3-listed plant taxa all needing further scientific study.

22.01.2022 Herbarium curator John Huisman has been doing some botanising above water. Makes a nice change from seaweeds!

22.01.2022 The collections of Ludwig Preiss, who botanised in Western Australia from 18381842, are of immense importance to present day taxonomic studies on our flora. Many species were described from his collections in Christianus Lehmanns 'Plantae Preissianae'. Preisss specimens are mostly found in Europe, the United Kingdom and the Herbarium at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. We have limited material here at the Western Australian Herbarium, which is sometimes an impediment to completing research. https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-forgotten-germ

21.01.2022 36/50 Lantern Sea-berry | Haloragis luminosa (Haloragaceae) Today we shine some light on a new Western Australian plant with swollen fruits that resemble oriental paper lanterns (its Latin name means full of light). This unusual rarity is known only from a single site within a Threatened Ecological Community on Western Australias sunset coast, not far from Yanchep National Park. Its description today is a truly collaborative effort. It was first collected in 1989 by Greg... Keighery whose keen eye spotted flowering material amongst the dense shrubbery. Gregs collection was loaned to Australian National Herbarium in 2003 so that it could be examined by Haloragaceae expert Tony Orchard, who suspected that it represented a new species but could not confirm this without fruit. Regional volunteers David Pike, Chanelle Morey and Ciara McIlduff picked up the trail in 2016, relocating plants, making observations and collecting samples for the Western Australian Herbarium. Juliet Wege then teamed up with Anne Harris, Flora Conservation Officer for the Swan Region, to collect mature fruits in early 2018, helping to set it apart from all other species in the genus. Juliet then worked with Tony Orchard to write up the species, drawing on his years of taxonomic experience. Its terrific to see the fruits of everyones labour realised today during #ScienceWeek. Juliet has since confessed that she wasnt too keen to delve into Haloragis, a rather uncharismatic group that's a far cry from the pretty triggerplants shes used to working on. But theres wonder to be found in everything and she would rather light a candle than curse the dark. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/973.pdf

21.01.2022 31/50 Shy Bachelor Buttons | Gomphrena verecunda (Amaranthaceae) This little cutie was first collected from Belele Station near Meekatharra by the late David William Goodall in 1965 but was not recognised as new to science for another 30 years. Additional herbarium specimens were gradually accrued, including by former departmental botanist Ray Cranfield who collected it on several occasions before the penny dropped and a species hypothesis was formed. Research by Rob Davis,... who recently made field observations and obtained photographs and a reference collection, has led to its formal publication today. Gomphrena verecunda is the most southerly distributed species of Gomphrena in Western Australia (apart from the introduced weed G. celosioides). Its also the only one recorded from the Murchison and Yalgoo bioregions, where it can be found on flood plains and clay-pans, in seasonally wet areas, or near salt lakes and granite outcrops. It has an inconspicuous presence in the landscape, which is reflected in its scientific name (from the Latin verecundus, meaning shy or modest). https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/nuytsia/

21.01.2022 43/50 Curved Grass Lily | Caesia arcuata (Hemerocallidaceae) Terry Macfarlane has added another string to his bow with today’s description of the Curved Grass Lily, which was prepared in collaboration with WA Herbarium Research Associate Chris French and John Conran from Uni of Adelaide Sciences. Caesia arcuata is named for its curved inflorescence branches (from the Latin ‘arcuatus’, meaning curved like a bow). Its discovery has us all a quiver. Terry and Chris stumbled ac...ross this species in 2010 while foraging in bushland near Hopetoun on Western Australia’s south coast. They immediately recognised its similarity to Caesia viscida but considered it a likely new species since its leaves were not viscid (i.e. sticky). Additional material collected a few years earlier by botanical consultants from a nearby location was subsequently incorporated into the collection at the WA Herbarium and matched to their collection. Fruiting material was needed to cement the new discovery so the duo targeted the species in late summer/early autumn by which time the fruits had just fallen from the plants, although they were able to make a collection by gathering them from the ground. Curved Grass Lily remains known from just two populations, neither of which is in a conservation reserve. Its description today will underpin future survey efforts. Photos by Chris French. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/984.pdf

21.01.2022 37/50 Jefferies Beyeria | Beyeria lateralis (Euphorbiaceae) Phillip Jefferies, a former professor of organic chemistry at The University of Western Australia, first recognised the distinctness of this species back in the 1960s during his phytochemical surveys of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. This family is renowned for its diverse chemistry, particularly the presence of unusual secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids and tannins. In many species of the Austr...alian genus Beyeria, all parts of the plants (including the flowers) are coated in a resin that contains diterpenoids. These are a large and structurally diverse class of natural products with a wide spectrum of medicinal properties. Some unique compounds have been reported from the study of Western Australian species. Beyeria lateralis, which has been named for its laterally positioned leaf grooves, has fruit with a pointed tip and appears to be dioecious (i.e. with male and female flowers on separate plants). Just one population is known near Lake King where the plants are locally common in open mallee woodland on a sandy flat within a nature reserve. It has been described today by Mike Hislop, who has also captured some additional notes on the taxonomy of Beyeria sulcata. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/974.pdf

19.01.2022 33/50 Eremaean Lambs Poison | Isotropis iophyta (Fabaceae) Like lambs to the slaughter, Juliet Wege and Rob Davis recently ventured into the noxious world of the legume genus Isotropis (commonly known as Lambs Poison). Little did they know that they would end up discovering a new species that is toxic to stock. But first, let us take you back to the 1960s when some sheep and cattle met an unexpected and grisly death while grazing in arid country near Wiluna and Meekatharr...Continue reading

18.01.2022 Day 2 of National Science Week! Can you believe the oldest Western Australian collection in the Western Australian Herbarium was gathered in October 1791 by Archibald Menzies, from the coast at King George Sound? Menzies accompanied Captain Vancouver on his round-the-world voyage from 1791 to 1795 in the Discovery. These specimens made the voyage back to the United Kingdom to be studied by Joseph Banks, and six were later repatriated to the Western Australian Herbarium from the British Museum (BM). Here we share a scan of Menzies 1791 collection of Gompholobium scabrum [PERTH 02793474]. It looks as if it could have been collected and pressed last week, a testimony to the timeless and scientific value of herbarium preservation and storage techniques. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/11083 Image: R. Davis

18.01.2022 Juliet Wege was On The Record RTRFM 92.1 this week, speaking about triggerplants, species discovery and the gorgeous rarity she named last week for Kelly Shepherd https://rtrfm.com.au/story/a-favour-for-a-floral-friend/

18.01.2022 After more than 70 years, Goomalling farmer Rob Boase finally has a name for an uncommon plant growing on his family farm. His mystery was solved when two of our botanists, Carol Wilkins and Kelly Shepherd, visited Rob and his wife Beth to collect a species of Yellow Bells (Geleznowia) growing on their property Arinya. Over a cup of tea, Carol mentioned that she was also on the lookout for Lysiosepalum aromaticum, a poorly known species known to occur in the Goomalling regi...on. After a thoughtful pause, Rob produced a detailed hand drawn illustration that was instantly recognisable as the Lysiosepalum. It turns out Rob had been deeply curious about this species for most of his life, having spent his formative years exploring the remnant bush surrounding Barbecue Hill, a granite outcrop on the farm. He recalled following kangaroo tracks through a dense patch of strong-smelling plants that had proliferated after a fire had burned through the family property. A visit to the area revealed 22 plants in good condition in the exact spot where Rob had wandered as a child. He was thrilled to finally learn the species name and we were thrilled to have a new locality for this conservation-listed species and to be able to press a specimen for the State collection. Photos: Kelly Shepherd

17.01.2022 Just another reason to head south.

17.01.2022 35/50 Yellow-anthered Wurmbea | Wurmbea flavanthera (Colchicaceae) Our #ScienceWeek extravaganza continues with some botanical fireworks just look at the beautiful flowers and showy anthers of this new Mid West sparkler. Wurmbea flavanthera is named for its yellow anthers (in most Australian members of this genus they are dark red). Yellow-anthered Wurmbea occurs between Carnamah, Paynes Find, Yalgoo and Mullewa and is particularly common in seasonally wet areas on rocky ...hills, rock outcrops, breakaways and along water courses. It frequently occurs in large dense populations, its pink flowers intermingling with yellow and white everlasting daisies to form a simply spectacular sight. Wurmbea flavanthera was previously confused with Wurmbea densiflora, in part due to a lack of field knowledge and an inadequate appreciation of the relatively constrained flowering times of species in this genus. Field research by Terry Macfarlane, Andrew Brown and Chris French, conducted in concert with herbarium-based studies, has shown that Wurmbea flavanthera blooms from late winter to spring (JulySeptember), distinctly later than Wurmbea densiflora (AprilJune). Their research has also led to the discovery of more than 30 new species throughout the Midwest, Murchison and Gascoyne rangelands. We cant wait to see this research publication it will be a veritable pyrotechnic display! https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/972.pdf

16.01.2022 39/50 Pilbara Foxglove | Quoya zonalis (Lamiaceae) Today we mark Threatened Species Day with the description of the endangered Pilbara Foxglove, a range-restricted species known from within the footprint of three different mining tenements in the Pilbara. This striking, upright shrub was brought to our attention following its collection in 2010 by Woodman Environmental Consulting during flora surveys south-east of Port Hedland. Quoya zonalis is named for its tendency to gro...w in narrow zones on steep rocky slopes where its silvery-grey foliage contrasts starkly against the red Pilbara landscape. Although originally classified as a Pityrodia, Kelly Shepherd and Mike Hislop have been guided by molecular evidence in their placement of this species in the genus Quoya. Quoya zonalis is one of only three plant species in the Pilbara recognised as Threatened; however, this region of Western Australia is home to another 180 rare or poorly known (i.e. Priority-listed) taxa, many of which appear to be short-range endemics. Given the highly prospective nature of the regions geology, it seems likely that the number of Threatened species in the Pilbara will grow in the coming years. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/976.pdf

15.01.2022 44/50 Mount Holland Microcorys | Microcorys elatoides (Lamiaceae) This magnificent Microcorys is one of six new plant species discovered during recent surveys associated with a mining project near Mount Holland (the recently published Woolly-fruited Wattle is another). We clearly have much to learn about the flora of the Great Western Woodlands. Mike Hislop has joined forces with Lamiaceae luminary Dr Trevor Wilson from The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney to name and describe ...Mount Holland Microcorys. Trevor has funding from the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) to advance our knowledge of this family in Australia specifically the genera Ajuga, Clerodendrum, Glossocarya, Oxera and Teucrium and is also working to resolve generic limits and new Western Australian species across the Prostantheroideae, which includes the genera Hemiandra, Hemigenia, Microcorys and Westringia. Microcorys elatoides, which is named for its spruce-like branchlets, grows in species-rich mallee woodland and requires further survey to determine its precise conservation status. This job has just been made easier by the descriptive information published today, which includes an exquisite botanical illustration by Lesley Elkan and fabulous macro photography by Rob Davis, who was with Mike when he collected reference material. A great team effort! https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/981.pdf

15.01.2022 Science Week Citizen Science focus. In August 2000, Mrs Joan Flint collected an attractive pink-flowered specimen from remnant bushland on the wheat and sheep farm that, with husband Bill, was established almost 50 years ago near the Rabbit Proof Fence, east of Narembeen. Their rich patch of bushland inspired Joan to establish the Narembeen Regional Herbarium. Over the years, Joan went on to collect 412 plant specimens encompassing many different species, and sent duplicate s...pecimens to the Western Australian Herbarium. Her Rinzia collection was subsequently chosen as the Type of Rinzia torquata by our Myrtaceae maven Dr Barbara Rye who coined the common name Necklace Rinzia, a reference to the strings of staminodes linking the triads of stamens. Joans collection of Necklace Rinzia has travelled far and wide, from enthusiastic beginnings at Narembeen onto the Western Australian Herbarium, with duplicates sent to herbaria in Canberra and Melbourne where they are safely housed in perpetuity. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/48266 Image: S.A. James

15.01.2022 45/50 Coolgardie Dampiera | Dampiera prasiolitica (Goodeniaceae) WANTED: Dead or Alive Little is known about the elusive Coolgardie Dampiera, a distinctive new species known from a single herbarium specimen collected near an active mine site. Bounty hunters have been unsuccessful to date.... https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/982.pdf

15.01.2022 49/50 Rare Flame Heath | Stenanthera localis (Ericaceae) This red-flowered rarity is known from fewer than 50 plants in the Cascade district, between Ravensthorpe and Esperance. Found in mallee woodland with a dense shrubby understorey, its low and compact habit makes it difficult to spot, especially when it's not in bloom (i.e. outside of our winter months). Rare Flame Heath was first collected in 1999 by local resident Rhonda Bruhn and later discovered by Mike Hislop at t...he WA Herbarium as part of his ongoing curation of our 20,000-strong Ericaceae collection. Mike tracked down plants in the wild in 2006 and conducted research over several years to confirm its distinctness. He then liaised with regional Flora Conservation Officer Emma Massenbauer who tenaciously searched high and low for more plants, unfortunately without success. Stenanthera localis, which is named for its restricted geographical range, has therefore been nominated for listing as Critically Endangered. It takes considerable work to prepare a Threatened flora nomination. Information on the species taxonomy, distribution, habitat, ecology and biology must be compiled and a summary of the known populations provided (including the number of plants, their geographic extent, and past, present and future threats). In addition to surveying known populations, extensive searches of suitable habitat must also be conducted to support the nomination. Hats off to Emma and Mike who have done the hard yards on the Rare Flame Heath with respect to its taxonomic distinctness, distribution and rarity. Now to conserve this unique gem for future generations. Botanical art by Cielito Marbus. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/986.pdf

14.01.2022 38/50 Woolly-fruited Wattle | Acacia lachnocarpa (Fabaceae) What better way to celebrate Wattle Day than with the description of a new, woolly-fruited wattle from Western Australia. Acacia lachnocarpa was discovered in 2017 by Brian Ellery and Dave Angus of Mattiske Consulting during surveys of mineral leases in the Coolgardie bioregion near Forrestania. Rob Davis and Mike Hislop validated the significance of the find although fruits were needed to be sure of its distinctne...ss. Brian was able to obtain a fruiting collection in 2018 and the pods were revealed as densely woolly-hairy with a mixture of white hairs and red resin-hairs. A pod and a seed have been included in the botanical illustration, which has been deftly prepared by Cielito Marbus. Despite being the subject of highly focused taxonomic research over many years, there are more than 73 informally named wattles on FloraBase in need of taxonomic research. Many are potentially very rare like the woolly wonder described today. Wattle Day marks the official start of spring in southern Australia but here in the south-west region we are halfway through the Noongar season of Djilba. A visual cacophony of wildflowers has been in bloom throughout August including a wide variety of species from the legume family. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/975.pdf

14.01.2022 32/50 Preston Bentgrass | Deyeuxia abscondita (Poaceae) Today we chart the discovery of a new native grass that was last collected more than 140 years ago from south-western Australia and is now thought to be extinct in the wild. Preston Bentgrass is known from two herbarium specimens collected by Ferdinand von Mueller, a legendary Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria botanist who collected, named and described a raft of Western Australian plants. He sampled the species described... today on 8 December 1877 as he travelled from Bunbury to the Balingup area as part of a forest resources survey for the government. His specimens are labelled Preston River and Blackwood and Preston Rivers but are interpreted as part of the same collection event. Muellers material remained unassigned to a genus for more than 100 years, after which there was considerable speculation as to its identity and classification. Recent detailed examination of its spikelets by Terry Macfarlane has provided morphological data to support its placement in Deyeuxia, although the status and membership of this genus has yet to be settled globally. Terry has unsuccessfully searched for Deyeuxia abscondita over many years, with much of the land around the Preston River having been cleared for agriculture. Herbarium specimens are records in time and space. They represent several hundred years of collection history, including species that are extinct or from habitats that no longer exist. Many historical plant collections from Western Australia are held in other herbaria (both in Australia and overseas) which can be a hindrance to taxonomic research and associated conservation efforts. We are grateful to our colleagues at the National Herbarium of Victoria who have not only provided us with high resolution specimen images, but have donated one of Muellers specimens to the Western Australian Herbarium. Deyeuxia abscondita has been brought to life by botanical artist Cielito Marbus we can only hope that its not lost to us forever. #ScienceWeek https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/969.pdf

13.01.2022 Next week is National Science Week! Here's a great blog post and video from our partners at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History showing how anyone can press plants for an herbarium or other nature projects. Just make sure you have permission or permits to collect the plants!

11.01.2022 On Science Week Thursday we highlight Conostylis micrantha from the family Haemodoraceae, a delightful grass-like herb that occurs in the Geraldton Sandplains and Avon Wheatbelt. The holotype [PERTH 00999709] was collected on this day in 1982 by Stephen Hopper. Herbarium specimens such as this are frequently used to assess biological traits for use in ecophysiological and biogeographic studies. Many species of Conostylis have roots with sand-binding properties, or rhizosheat...hs. This function is believed to improve the availability and uptake of nutrients from infertile soils and increase water efficiency in arid and semi-arid climates. Conostylis micrantha lacks these roots, suggesting it is found on soils richer in nutrients. Last collected in 2000, this Threatened species is considered vulnerable in the wild and as such receives special protection, ensuring its traits can be studied into the future. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1440

11.01.2022 47/50 Elizabeth’s Featherflower | Verticordia elizabethiae (Myrtaceae) This exquisite new species of Verticordia produces an abundance of mauve-pink, feathery flowers that form a stark contrast with its harsh, halophytic habitat. It is restricted to sandy flats surrounding salt lakes near Southern Cross where it is currently in bloom. Our Myrtaceae expert Barbara Rye and Matthew Barrett (who is currently based at the Australian Tropical Herbarium), have named this species f...or Elizabeth George née Sykes (19352012), who spent several decades studying Featherflowers and helping to advance our understanding of their taxonomy, distribution and rarity while promoting their use in horticulture. In her exquisite Featherflower compendium ‘Verticordia: The Turner of Hearts’, she noted this new species as an inland variant of Verticordia halophila, another species that occurs around salt lakes. The two species differ consistently in their leaves, bracteoles, petals and DNA. Verticordia elizabethiae was first collected in 1926 by Charles Gardner, whose specimen remained the only one at the WA Herbarium until 1990 when three more collections were made. This is a common scenario many new Western Australian species have been collected historically but only recollected and assessed as distinct as part of recent survey work and taxonomic research. It was genetic data that instigated this particular study, although the decision to recognise this species was based on a comprehensive morphological assessment. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/985.pdf

11.01.2022 Amazing story. An inspiration for seed banks everywhere.

09.01.2022 Science Week Monday showcases Michelin Man! This was the nickname Kelly Shepherd and Stephen van Leeuwen gave to this wacky plant when they first collected it on this day in 2001 (can you see why?). When it came time for them to name this new species, they discovered the official mascot of the Michelin tyre company was named Bibendum (meaning drinking man in Latin) so they coined the scientific name Tecticornia bibenda as a salute to this iconic character. To their su...rprise this unusual species was included in the International Institute for Species Explorations inaugural Top 10 New Species list for organisms recognised globally that year https://www.esf.edu/top10/2008/10.htm. This attractive salt-tolerant plant has a unique mechanism for capturing carbon through photosynthesis, and is unfortunately of conservation concern within the Little Sandy Desert due to the limited number of known populations. Images: K.A. Shepherd (T. bibenda) and S. van Leeuwen (collecting)

09.01.2022 Postdoc position available (2 years) to explore the ‘Phylogenomics, taxonomy and biogeography of Australian Atriplex (Amaranthaceae)’. This is a TaxonOMICS funded project based in Munich working with Apl. Prof. Gudrun Kadereit ([email protected]) in collaboration with Prof. Michelle Waycott ([email protected]) from the State Herbarium of South Australia/Adelaide University and Dr Kelly Shepherd ([email protected]) from the Western Australian Herbarium.... The project will utilise NextGen sequencing techniques to help resolve the species-rich and recently radiated Australian lineage of the saltbush genus. Another exciting aspect of the project aims to explore the development of a neural network image classification tool in collaboration with the group of Prof. C. Oberprieler (Univ. Regensburg). Please get in touch if you want to know more. Image: Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) by K. Thiele

09.01.2022 Coopernookia polygalacea is an erect to spreading undershrub growing up to 60 cm tall with attractive lilac-pink to white flowers in compact terminal leafy racemes. The corolla features crinkly, frilled lobes that are broadly winged, the stamens being free from each other. Flowering is chiefly in late winter to spring (AugustNovember). This species is endemic to WA and occurs in near-coastal districts from the Stirling Range to Esperance, where it grows in heathland favourin...g sandy soils overlying gravel. The genus name Coopernookia is derived from the Coopernook State Forest, NSW, where the species C. chisholmii is common. The name Coopernook means the elbow in the local Aboriginal language, Biripi. This name refers to the bend in the Lansdowne River which looks like an elbow of an arm. Image: R. Davis

08.01.2022 Take a peek inside the National Herbarium of Victoria. Loads of Western Australian treasures in this collection!

07.01.2022 29/50 Neon Leptofauchea | Leptofauchea lucida (Faucheaceae) Back in 1995, our marine maven John Huisman visited the Houtman Abrolhos off the coast of Geraldton to search for seaweeds with Gary Saunders of University of New Brunswick. During a SCUBA dive at Bynoe Island in the Easter Group, they independently collected specimens of a red seaweed that displayed a beautiful bluish iridescence. Back on board the boat, the specimens were viewed with awe by all present iridesce...nt seaweeds are a rarity and these were particularly attractive. It was decided that it was probably a species of the red seaweed Leptofauchea, and at that point they were tucked away for later examination. The specimens then took two different paths. Some went back to Perth with John where they were pressed and added to our Herbarium under the name Leptofauchea anastomosans, an Indonesian species that appeared to be a good match morphologically. Under that name a photo appeared in Johns book Marine Plants of Australia in 2000. Gary took fragments back to Canada and eventually included them in a DNA sequence study in 2007, flagging the material as Leptofauchea sp. 1_WA, an entity that differed from authentic L. anastomosans. It was several more years before the duo put two and two together, having forgotten that they had both made a collection of the same iridescent seaweed a species that is different to L. anastomosans and all other known species of Leptofauchea. And so, 25 years after it was first collected, this spectacular neon novelty that has travelled the globe finally gets its own name. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/nuytsia/

07.01.2022 46/50 Shepherd’s Boomerang Triggerplant | Stylidium shepherdianum (Stylidiaceae) There is a lot to be said for being in the right place at the right time. Stylidium specialist Juliet Wege unwittingly stumbled upon this species in November 2017 while looking for a different triggerplant in Dragon Rocks Nature Reserve, a large vegetation remnant in Western Australia’s mallee country. Her collection was later matched to one made by Anne Rick (nee Coates) in 1991, which Juliet ...had previously set aside as being of interest. Stylidium shepherdianum is a perennial stilt plant with dainty white flowers that look striking en masse. It is part of the ‘Boomerang Triggerplant’ group. This fanciful name for Stylidium breviscapum was coined by Rica Erickson in her delightful Triggerplant guide and refers to the curved shape of the larger pair of corolla lobes. Several species are now recognised in this group, which is widespread in south-western Australia, although Shepherd’s Boomerang Triggerplant is currently known from just a few populations. This rare find is named for another rarity, Dr Kelly Shepherd, in recognition of her fabulous contribution to Australian botany and the exceptional support and assistance she has provided Juliet over many years. She was with Juliet the day she unearthed this species, helping her to make the type gathering on what was a hot and exhausting (but exciting) day. She also witnessed Juliet make her first triggerplant collection in 1994, a specimen of Stylidium adnatum from a site near Yallingup that helped launch a career in taxonomy. This work was supported by a research grant from the Australian Biological Resources Study, who continue to support Juliet as she prepares her treatment of the triggerplant family for the Flora of Australia. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/983.pdf

07.01.2022 34/50 Quartz-loving Goodenia | Goodenia quartzitica (Goodeniaceae) This gorgeous gem was discovered in 2013 by citizen scientists Charlie Nicholson and Peter Curry in Western Australias Gascoyne region during their exploration of a remote part of Lake Nabberu basin on the Cunyu Station leasehold. While walking through a breakaway-rimmed valley believed to have been traversed by the cameleer Robyn Davidson during her famous trek from Alice Springs in the late 1970s, they we...re drawn to a low hill strewn with quartz rubble. Mid-way up the north-facing slope they spotted this diminutive but hardy new species of Goodenia growing among the rocks. Described today by Kelly Shepherd, this poorly known herb remains known from this single spot. Goodenia quartzitica is one of many new species in our golden anniversary edition of Nuytsia first collected or otherwise brought to light within the past two decades. Regional botanical surveys, targeted collection blitzes and the opportunistic collections of keen-eyed citizen scientists and botanists remain critical to documenting Western Australias botanical diversity its only by growing our Herbarium collection, and conducting taxonomic research on these collections, that we will fill the gaps in our knowledge. Its of note that weve been unable to publish some interesting new discoveries as part of our anniversary celebrations since we have inadequate herbarium material to work with. But hats off to Charlie and Peter who made a good collection of this Goodenia, enabling its publication today. We hope that its description will encourage others travelling and working in this remote part of the State to search for more populations and for more Western Australian novelties. We know that theyre out there waiting to be discovered. #ScienceWeek https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/971.pdf

07.01.2022 This blast from the past is well worth a read former Government Botanist Charles Gardner writes on the Western Australian Herbarium in the 1947 issue of Australasian Herbarium News. He approximates that 200 species await description, which appears to be an astonishing underestimation of the size of our flora; however, it would have been based on the contents of the collection, which was much smaller than it is now. We now have more than 813,000 collections (including >11,500 types), a productive volunteer program, and in excess of 1150 plant species that await description!

07.01.2022 WA is gearing up for a bumper wildflower season and to celebrate the abundance of our unique flora and highlight the importance of its conservation, the York Branch of the Wildflower Society of Western Australia and Yorks Gallery 152 are hosting the inaugural York Botanic Art Prize.

06.01.2022 Weve some great botanical discoveries in store for Science Week. But first, let's acknowledge the tireless work of our Collections and FloraBase staff who support a broad array of scientific research on Western Australias plants, algae, fungi, ferns, mosses, lichens AND slime moulds, including the taxonomic work published in Nuytsia. They are a passionate crew who care for, curate, share and preserve our priceless botanical collections and their associated data. They are also required to deal with recalcitrant scientists!

05.01.2022 50/50 Snakewood Mistletoe | Amyema xiphophylla (Loranthaceae) Christmas has come early this year with the publication of a flamboyant and fabulously festive Western Australian mistletoe the last of 50 species to be published in our golden anniversary edition of Nuytsia. What a cracker! Juliet Wege has collaborated with local mistletoe maestro Dr Antony (Tony) Start to describe Amyema xiphophylla, which has a distribution centred on the Pilbara region. Tony is adamant that... he is not a taxonomist indeed, this is the first species that he has formally named and described. However, he has corrected or confirmed the identity of more than 2150 Loranthaceae specimens at the Western Australian Herbarium as part of his ongoing ecological studies, making Juliet’s foray into mistletoe taxonomy a veritable walk in the park. His diligent work is also helping us to better understand where our mistletoes grow, when they flower and what hosts they use. Mistletoes are hemi-parasitic plants, obtaining water and nutrients from their host via a specialised attachment (haustorium) while also producing their own carbohydrates via photosynthesis. Amyema xiphophylla is unusual in that it grows exclusively on Snakewood (Acacia xiphophylla). Relatively few species of Amyema occur on only one species of host, although some are host specific at a regional level and many have a narrow range of host species or are restricted to a particular genus. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/987.pdf

04.01.2022 Congratulations to Professor Stephen van Leeuwen on his recent appointment at Curtin University. A key part of his new role will be building a Western-Indigenous science interface, so that landscapes for threatened species can be managed in new ways that are sympathetic to the maintained stewardship provided, over the last 65,000 years, by the Aboriginal people.

03.01.2022 Science Week Tuesday features the Type specimen of Inocybe redolens, collected by Dr Brandon Matheny near Lake Beedelup, Pemberton on this day in 2001. Published in Nuytsia in 2012, the species name means fragrant, a reference to its distinctive Geranium-like odour which is noticeable without needing to crush the flesh. Like many Western Australian fungi, little is known of the distribution and biology of this species. It has only been collected once in WA with a further two collections made in Tasmania. Community scientists and mushroom enthusiasts let us know if you see (or smell) this Geranium-scented fungus in the wild. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/630.pdf

03.01.2022 If ‘there is beauty in simplicity’ then Boronia fastigiata (Bushy Boronia) must surely be an eye-popping example. With its sprays of bright pink-mauve petals contrasting with the dark purple sepals, it sets a stunning display often covering the whole plant. Bushy Boronia is an erect, perennial shrub growing to 40 cm high. The species epithet fastigiata means ‘pointed’ and refers to the many erect, vertical stems that can look broom-like in appearance. Bushy Boronia is a comm...on species growing in Jarrah forest east of Perth and along the Darling Scarp and flowering from October to November. Image: R. Davis https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/potm/?y=2020&m=11

02.01.2022 Take a look at this terrific segment on Gardening Australia featuring our Herbarium and some of the research we do to document and protect Western Australia’s remarkable flora. Kelly Shepherd talks to Josh Byrne about the scientific discovery of Lasiopetalum pterocarpum and Lechenaultia orchestris, two beautiful rarities that she has named, both of which have been cultivated by our colleagues at Kings Park and Botanic Garden. There is no doubting that our botanists are a passionate about the work that they do! https://www.abc.net.au//factshee/more-to-discover/12772136

02.01.2022 Charge your camera batteries and go forth and botanise! Theres plenty of subject matter coming into flower between now and when entries are due on September 17.

02.01.2022 A Seaweed for Science Week Wednesday. Asparagopsis taxiformis (Bonnemaisoniaceae) is a cosmopolitan red alga that is a favourite flavouring for Hawaiian poke and stews in Hawaii it is commonly known as Limu Kohu, which translates to supreme seaweed. This highly valued species is now being considered for cultivation to include in foodstocks for cattle as it has been found to reduce methane emissions (yes, cow burps!) by over 90%. This specimen was collected at Mangrove Bay, Ningaloo Reef, by our curator John Huisman, 25 years ago to the day. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/26486

01.01.2022 27/50 Northampton Daisy Bush | Olearia adpressa (Asteraceae) A geologically unique area in our magical Mid West region is home to the new woody daisy documented today by Mike Hislop. Olearia adpressa grows on breakaways of Kockatea Shale, a marine shale that was deposited along the coast of Western Australia during the Lower Triassic. Although this shale mostly occurs as a subsurface layer in the northern Perth Basin, it forms distinctive breakaways in the small area betwee...n the Greenough and Hutt Rivers. Olearia adpressa is named for its small but highly distinctive leaves that are held close to the stem and have deep, narrow grooves on the undersurface. Its discovery follows the recent description of Ozothamnus vespertinus, another delightful daisy found in this botanically interesting breakaway country. Both species are poorly known and a high priority for further survey. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/nuytsia/

01.01.2022 48/50 Leeuwen’s Lily | Arthropodium vanleeuwenii (Asparagaceae) We are extremely excited about the discovery of this delicate new lily, which is the first record of Arthropodium from Western Australia’s Pilbara region. What a find! Described by our Pilbara identification botanist Steve Dillon with assistance from Asparagaceae expert Terry Macfarlane, Leeuwen’s Lily was first collected for the Western Australian Herbarium in 2016 by botanical consultants Jerome Bull and Jess...ica Waters during a flora survey. It is currently known from two small populations one within the magnificent Karijini National Park, the other on a mining tenement where it can be found on ironstone hillslopes, usually under spinifex. Arthropodium vanleeuwenii honours Stephen van Leeuwen, a Wardandi man of the Noongar Nation and Indigenous Professor for Biodiversity & Environmental Science at Curtin University. Formerly a scientist within our department, Stephen spearheaded the Pilbara biological survey (20022007) which will result in almost 8000 plant voucher specimens being added to our collection. These specimens, which were collected by a team of botanists, technical staff and volunteers during 14 separate trips and across 426 survey sites, represent an extraordinary botanical legacy that will have far-reaching benefits for biodiversity conservation in this region. Leeuwen’s Lily is a nod to this effort and to Stephen’s enduring support of flora surveys and taxonomic research in Western Australia. Congratulations Stephen and Steve. We are thrilled to be documenting this significant species during #NAIDOC2020 as part of our golden anniversary edition of Nuytsia. #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/963.pdf

01.01.2022 Science Week Survival Story. Herbarium collections are sometimes the only place to see and study species no longer growing in the wild. Acacia prismifolia is a Western Australian endemic species that was described in 1904. For almost 90 years it was only represented by five collections at the Western Australian Herbarium and a couple of specimens Germany, with the last collection having been made in August 1933 by Alfred Karl Meebold (18631952), a German botanist, writer, an...d anthropologist. It was thought to be extinct. However, in October 2018, Acacia prismifolia was relocated in Cranbrook and could be positively identified using the collections housed in the Western Australian Herbarium. Seeds have been harvested and stored in the Threatened Flora Seed Centre, and new collections for the Herbarium have been made for future scientific study. The species is awaiting reclassification as Critically Endangered. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/3497 Image: L. Sandiford