Australian Flora Foundation

April meeting of the Council
At the April meeting the Council welcomed a new councillor, Dr Paddy Lightfoot, who is well known to members of the Australian Plants Society. He is perhaps best known as the foundation director of the Hunter Wetland Centre Australia (HWCA). A full introduction to Paddy will be provided in the next Newsletter.

As always, the main activity of the April meeting was the shortlisting of preliminary research proposals for grants. Thirty applications were received this year, possibly the highest ever. They covered projects in relation to climate change, on endangered species, on pests of Australian plants, on plant community management, on pollination and the control of flowering, and on the propagation and cultivation of native plants. Proposals addressed an unusually wide range of plants, ranging from seaweeds to conifers and as usual, a large number of grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees. Only with much difficulty was it possible to reduce the proposals to a short list of ten . The chief investigators of the short-listed proposals have been asked for full applications. Of these ten, only approximately five will be able to be funded, given our current financial position.

Those proposals approved by the Research Committee, but unable to be funded will be listed in our 'Projects Seeking Sponsorship' section in December.

New scientific publications from research supported by the Foundation
Abstracts of four publications have recently been added to the website

Candida L. Briggs and E. Charles Morris. Seed-coat dormancy in Grevillea linearifolia: little change in permeabilityto an apoplastic tracer after treatment with smoke and heat. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Annals of Botany (2008) 101: 623–632

David H. Duncan, Adreinne B. Nicotra and Saul A. Cunningham. High self-pollen transfer and low fruit set in buzz-pollinated Dianella revoluta (Phormiaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Australian Journal of Botany (2004) 52:185-193

David H. Duncan, Adrienne B. Nicotra, Jeff T. Wood and Saul A. Cunningham. Plant isolation reduces outcross pollen receipt in a partially self-compatible herb. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Journal of Ecology (2004) 92: 977–98

TM Llorens, DJ Ayre and RJ Whelan. Evidence for ancient genetic subdivision among recently fragmented populations of the endangered shrub Grevillea caleyi (Proteaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Heredity (2004) 92: 519–526

New reports
A new final report has recently been added to the website
Melanie Conomikes et al: Epacris impressa Labill.: Inoculation of cuttings with ericoid mycorrhizal fungus and DNA fingerprinting of floral races. Summary and Final report

The Annual General Meeting was held on 26th November 2007
The President's report is here.
The AGM supported the award of grants to new projects:
Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik (ANU) The relative importance of fire regimes, environmental gradients and climate change for rainforest distribution in the Sydney region.
Dr Margaret Johnston (UQ) An evaluation of the temperature and daylength requirements of Australian potted colour species.
Dr Peter Wilson (RBG Sydney) Reproductive biology of the Magenta Lilly Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum).and its implications for conservation

Two Councilors stood down, Dr Elwyn Heggarty, the representative on the Council from the Australian Society for Growing Australian Plants; and Dr Robyn McConchie. Robyn had been a Councilor for 9 years, and Elwyn for 4 years. They were thanked for their years of service on the Council.

The new Council is:
President: Dr Peter Goodwin
Secretary: Mr Ian Cox
Treasurer: Dr Jenny Jobling
Vice President: Professor Richard Williams
Vice President: Dr E. Charles Morris
Members: Dr David Murray(ASGAP representative)
Mr Ross Smyth-Kirk
Professor Acram Taji


		Australian Flora Foundation
	*Banksia menziesii*	Fostering research into the biology and cultivation of Australian plants
	*Banksia menziesii*	News Introduction The Australian Flora Foundation helps us find answers about Australian plants. Much more is known about introduced plants in Australia than our native plants! So little is known in detail because so few resources have been provided. You can help the Foundation to foster research into the biology and cultivation of Australian plants. The generous support of members, donors and sponsors makes it possible to fund many worthwhile projects. How to help. Membership Greater knowledge and understanding is needed in order to cultivate and utilise our flora, and to ensure the survival of our plants in natural habitats. This website details grants and reports from projects we have supported, and students awarded the young scientist prize. Research workers with projects they believe the Foundation might support should go to Information for researchers. For easy access to information by particular research workers, or on particular Australian species, try the search page. News 9 May 2008 April meeting of the Council At the April meeting the Council welcomed a new councillor, Dr Paddy Lightfoot, who is well known to members of the Australian Plants Society. He is perhaps best known as the foundation director of the Hunter Wetland Centre Australia (HWCA). A full introduction to Paddy will be provided in the next Newsletter. As always, the main activity of the April meeting was the shortlisting of preliminary research proposals for grants. Thirty applications were received this year, possibly the highest ever. They covered projects in relation to climate change, on endangered species, on pests of Australian plants, on plant community management, on pollination and the control of flowering, and on the propagation and cultivation of native plants. Proposals addressed an unusually wide range of plants, ranging from seaweeds to conifers and as usual, a large number of grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees. Only with much difficulty was it possible to reduce the proposals to a short list of ten . The chief investigators of the short-listed proposals have been asked for full applications. Of these ten, only approximately five will be able to be funded, given our current financial position. Those proposals approved by the Research Committee, but unable to be funded will be listed in our 'Projects Seeking Sponsorship' section in December. New scientific publications from research supported by the Foundation Abstracts of four publications have recently been added to the website Candida L. Briggs and E. Charles Morris. Seed-coat dormancy in Grevillea linearifolia: little change in permeabilityto an apoplastic tracer after treatment with smoke and heat. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Annals of Botany (2008) 101: 623–632 David H. Duncan, Adreinne B. Nicotra and Saul A. Cunningham. High self-pollen transfer and low fruit set in buzz-pollinated Dianella revoluta (Phormiaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Australian Journal of Botany (2004) 52:185-193 David H. Duncan, Adrienne B. Nicotra, Jeff T. Wood and Saul A. Cunningham. Plant isolation reduces outcross pollen receipt in a partially self-compatible herb. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in the Journal of Ecology (2004) 92: 977–98 TM Llorens, DJ Ayre and RJ Whelan. Evidence for ancient genetic subdivision among recently fragmented populations of the endangered shrub Grevillea caleyi (Proteaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Heredity (2004) 92: 519–526 New reports A new final report has recently been added to the website Melanie Conomikes et al: Epacris impressa Labill.: Inoculation of cuttings with ericoid mycorrhizal fungus and DNA fingerprinting of floral races. Summary and Final report The Annual General Meeting was held on 26th November 2007 The President's report is here. The AGM supported the award of grants to new projects: Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik (ANU) The relative importance of fire regimes, environmental gradients and climate change for rainforest distribution in the Sydney region. Dr Margaret Johnston (UQ) An evaluation of the temperature and daylength requirements of Australian potted colour species. Dr Peter Wilson (RBG Sydney) Reproductive biology of the Magenta Lilly Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum).and its implications for conservation Two Councilors stood down, Dr Elwyn Heggarty, the representative on the Council from the Australian Society for Growing Australian Plants; and Dr Robyn McConchie. Robyn had been a Councilor for 9 years, and Elwyn for 4 years. They were thanked for their years of service on the Council. The new Council is: President: Dr Peter Goodwin Secretary: Mr Ian Cox Treasurer: Dr Jenny Jobling Vice President: Professor Richard Williams Vice President: Dr E. Charles Morris Members: Dr David Murray(ASGAP representative) Mr Ross Smyth-Kirk Professor Acram Taji Project seeking sponsorship The most recent Newsletter (July 07) is here. Young Scientists No Young Scientist awards were made in 2006 A tribute from the Australian Flora Foundation to Bill Payne is here. A tribute to Val Williams is here Website comments to pbgoodwin@iinet.anti-spam.net.au. 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