Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Australian Journal of Botany is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 30 January 2025

BT23088Tasmania’s giant eucalypts: discovery, documentation, macroecology and conservation status of the world’s largest angiosperms

Brett Mifsud , Lynda D. Prior , Grant J. Williamson, Jan Corigliano, Carl Hansen, Robert Van Pelt, Steven Pearce, Thomas Greenwood and David M. J. S. Bowman

 

A comprehensive survey of Tasmania’s wet eucalypt forests was conducted to find, measure and document the health and environmental characteristics of the state’s tallest and most massive trees. Results confirmed Eucalyptus regnans to be one of the world’s tallest flowering plant species, and significantly, the most massive angiosperm known to science. Photograph by Brett Mifsud..

BT23088 Abstract  |  BT23088 Full Text  | BT23088PDF (10.8 MB)  | BT23088Supplementary Material (1.8 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 24 January 2025

BT24023Spatially variable recruitment response to fire severity in golden-top wattle (Acacia mariae, family: Fabaceae), a thicket-forming shrub of semi-arid forests

Boyd R. Wright , Damien D. Andrew , Michael Hewins, Claire Hewitt and Roderick J. Fensham

 

Our study in the semi-arid Pilliga forest found that high-intensity fires enhance seedling recruitment in the obligate-seeding shrub Acacia mariae. However, site-specific variations suggest that other factors like post-fire precipitation and seed predation also affect post-fire recovery. These insights are crucial for refining fire management strategies and enhancing our understanding of species resilience to changing fire regimes.. Photograph by D. D. Andrew.

BT24023 Abstract  |  BT24023 Full Text  | BT24023PDF (1.6 MB)  | BT24023Supplementary Material (453 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 09 January 2025

BT24042Half a century of change in floristics and structure in an urban grassy woodland: implications for conservation management

Jamie B. Kirkpatrick , Ian Jenkinson and Kerry L. Bridle

 

Does native vegetation in urban parks change over time? Yes and no is the answer we found after analysing data collected over a 50-year period. Whereas some sites are stable, management interventions such as weeding, burning, mowing and mechanical removal are useful tools to maintain healthy patches of native vegetation in urban areas. Map created by Ian Jenkinson.

BT24042 Abstract  |  BT24042 Full Text  | BT24042PDF (4.5 MB)  | BT24042Supplementary Material (1000 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 09 January 2025

BT24047Origins of the rare Australian daisy Erigeron conyzoides and its implications for biological control research and conservation management

Stephanie H. Chen , Alicia Grealy, Michelle A. Rafter, Ben Gooden and Alexander N. Schmidt-Lebuhn

 

Understanding the origins of plant species is critical for accurate risk assessment in weed biological control project as well as conservation management. Our study investigated the rare daisy Erigeron conyzoides, by using genetic data and traditional taxonomy. We discovered that the species is not a distinct endemic species native to Australia, as previously thought, but a disjunct population of the northern hemisphere species E. acer. Photograph by Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, © CSIRO.

BT24047 Abstract  |  BT24047 Full Text  | BT24047PDF (1.9 MB)  | BT24047Supplementary Material (2.9 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 03 January 2025

BT24037Long-term surveillance of Phytophthora cinnamomi reveals no evidence of increased detections and new insights for monitoring and management

T. J. Mason , K. L. McDougall, P. Craven, C. C. Simpson, G. C. Popovic and D. A. Keith

 

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil pathogen that can cause dieback and death in susceptible plant species. P. cinnamomi is widespread in southern Sydney conservation reserves of NSW but our study did not find evidence of increasing detections over time. We recommend that monitoring programs prioritise an increased sampling effort over a longer time series to support reliable trend analysis. Photograph by Tanya Mason.

BT24037 Abstract  |  BT24037 Full Text  | BT24037PDF (927 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 17 December 2024

BT24019Comparison of chlorophyll content estimation using chlorophyll meters and leaf chloroplast pigments extracted from Eucalyptus urophylla and Khaya senegalensis seedlings

Leandro Dias da Silva, Raul Antonio Araújo do Bonfim, Mateus Pires Barbosa, Milton Carriço Sá, Leonardo Santos de Oliveira, Matheus Ferreira Almeida and Paulo Araquém Ramos Cairo

 

The protocol to estimate photosynthetic-pigment content was optimized in Eucalyptus urophylla and Khaya senegalensis seedlings by using different extraction methods to evaluate its relationship with values estimated using chlorophyll meters. In both species, a strong positive correlation was observed between estimated values and the values from extraction that used DMSO saturated with CaCO₃ at 65°C. Photograph by the authors.

BT24019 Abstract  | PDF (334 KB) - $35.00 

Published online 12 December 2024

BT24050Sabah’s hidden giant: Nepenthes pongoides (Nepenthaceae), a micro-endemic tropical pitcher plant from northern Borneo

Alviana Damit, Nur Adillah Mohd Yusof, Jemson Jumian, Charles Clarke and Alastair S. Robinson

 

A giant carnivorous tropical pitcher plant is described as new to science from Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Named after the orangutan genus Pongo on account of its abundant covering of long, dark, rusty red hairs, Nepenthes pongoides naturally occurs in low numbers with fewer than fifty plants recorded. Coupled with the severe threat of poaching for the horticultural trade, not to mention vulnerability to single extinction level events such as wildfire, the species is assessed as critically endangered against IUCN criteria. Photograph by Alviana Damit.

BT24050 Abstract  |  BT24050 Full Text  | BT24050PDF (4.9 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 05 December 2024

BT24048High fire severity and frequency threaten the persistence of a widespread obligate-seeder Banksia in south-eastern Australia

Annette M. Muir , Nevil N. Amos and Paul D. Moloney

 

Populations of Banksia cunninghamii are declining as climate change drives more frequent, severe and widespread fires. Research on this species after south-eastern Australia’s 2019–2020 wildfires found that plants are killed by fire, with a low chance of seedling regeneration where severe fires burned eucalypt canopies, or the previous fire was less than 12 years ago. Large areas are no longer likely to support Banksia cunninghamii, and management is needed to protect juvenile plants until they produce seed cones. Photograph by Annette Muir.

BT24048 Abstract  | PDF (3.9 MB) - $35.00   | BT24048Supplementary Material (895 KB)

Published online 12 November 2024

BT24026Applying resource-selection functions to assess host preference in the endemic endoparasite Pilostyles hamiltoniorum (Apodanthaceae) and its principal host Daviesia (Fabaceae)

Ryan J. Craig , Bethany Pittway, Tingting Wu, Shane R. Turner and Jacqueline Batley

 

Understanding host usage is a significant aspect of understanding the ecology of parasitic plants. For endoparasitic plants host use is strict, although for Pilostyles, there are several species within the strict set of hosts that are used. Because of this, resource-usage functionsprovide a means to assess host usage in the genus Pilostyles. This study presents the first use of these functions in assessing Pilostyles hamiltoniorum to help understand host utilisation throughout its distribution. Photograph by Ryan Craig (2021).

BT24026 Abstract  |  BT24026 Full Text  | BT24026PDF (1.2 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 08 November 2024

BT23105Exploring Myrtaceae diversity in the Caatinga: understanding the knowledge gaps for conservation

Paulo Sérgio Santos-Neves , Marla Ibrahim Uehbe de Oliveira and Ligia Silveira Funch

 

Brazil’s Caatinga is an ecologically diverse region teeming with unique plants. In this study, we have shed light on the gaps in our understanding of this extraordinary biome, uncovering Myrtaceae species diversity. We recorded higher species diversity than previously estimated and identified areas of greater richness and insufficient collection effort. This research has paved the way for targeted conservation efforts, safeguarding vital ecosystem services and ensuring a sustainable future for both nature and communities in the Caatinga. Photograph by Paulo Sérgio Santos-Neves.

BT23105 Abstract  | PDF (2.5 MB) - $35.00   | BT23105Supplementary Material (1.5 MB)

Published online 08 November 2024

BT24017A comprehensive functional trait database of seagrasses in tropical Queensland

Chieh Lin , Robert G. Coles, Michael A. Rasheed and Alana Grech

 

Tropical seagrasses provide important ecosystem services, but they are dynamic habitats under threat from multiple stressors. Functional trait-based approaches have the potential to increase our understanding of these dynamics. We present a comprehensive trait database for seagrasses in tropical Queensland, with a focus on services and resilience. Photograph by Chieh Lin.

BT24017 Abstract  |  BT24017 Full Text  | BT24017PDF (1.5 MB)  | BT24017Supplementary Material (2.8 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 08 November 2024

BT23107The effect of Helichrysum shrub encroachment on orchids in a tropical, montane grassland ecosystem, Tanzania

Christopher A. Mgimba , Issakwisa B. Ngondya and Anna C. Treydte

 

Five blocks dominated with Helichrysum splendidum were identified and, in each block, four plots were established by cutting and in other plot cutting and uprooting the stems of H. splendidum. High abundance of orchids was found in plots with a low Helichrysum cover. The orchids had physiological differences across the plots. Photograph by Christopher Mgimba.

BT23107 Abstract  | PDF (10.3 MB) - $35.00   | BT23107Supplementary Material (1.2 MB)

Published online 22 October 2024

BT23092Evaluation of management options for climate-change adaptation of threatened species: a case study of a restricted orchid

Caitlin R. Rutherford , Andrew M. Rogers, Suzanne M. Prober, Erika M. Roper , Emma Cook and April E. Reside

 

Climate change is posing a significant extinction risk to rare and restricted species. Following consultation with species’ experts, managers of the Tarengo leek orchid (Prasophyllum petilum) should address the region- or population-specific non-climate threats to increase its resilience to climate change. We present an adapted framework for incorporating climate-change adaptation into management, a critical tool for quantifying the severity of threats and assessing management actions for restricted species with highly specialised requirements. Photograph by Erika Roper.

BT23092 Abstract  |  BT23092 Full Text  | BT23092PDF (3.4 MB)  | BT23092Supplementary Material (3.2 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 04 October 2024

BT23051Resupinate floral dimorphy in Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae)

Natan Messias Almeida, Vinicius Messas Cotarelli, Thatiany Teixeira Bezerra, Ana Virgínia Leite, Reinaldo Rodrigo Novo, Cibele Cardoso Castro and Isabel Cristina Machado

 

Resupination is the movement of floral buds that leads to flowers turning upside down. We tested the reproductive functioning of this characteristic in the native legume Chamaecrista nictitans and found that it causes pollen to be deposited in particular portions of pollinators’ bodies, improving pollination. Image by Natan Messias Almeida and Paulo Estêvão Araújo Vilaça Júnior.

BT23051 Abstract  | PDF (528 KB) - $35.00 

Published online 30 September 2024

BT23025Differential effects of salinity and drought on germination and early seedling growth of Parkinsonia praecox

Valeria Villarreal , Analía Llanes and Laura Sosa

 

This study explored how Parkinsonia praecox responds to salinity and drought during germination and early growth. It found that germination was highest in distilled water but decreased with increased salinity and drought. Germination was more sensitive to drought than to salinity. Interestingly, seeds exposed to drought had better germination rates beyond −1.2 MPa compared to salt-treated seeds. This suggests P. praecox can grow in arid, saline conditions, shedding light on its geographical occurrence and distribution. Photograph by Valeria Villarreal.

BT23025 Abstract  | PDF (831 KB) - $35.00 

More content

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

BT24065, Accepted 20 January 2025

Assessing the storage potential of seed collections to inform the management of wild species seed banks

Sharalene Balasupramaniyam, David Merritt, Fiona Hay and Emma Dalziell

 

BT24065Abstract

Most Read

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1. Sabah’s hidden giant: Nepenthes pongoides (Nepenthaceae), a micro-endemic tropical pitcher plant from northern Borneo

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (8)

   Alviana Damit, Nur Adillah Mohd Yusof, Jemson Jumian, Charles Clarke, Alastair S. Robinson

2. High fire severity and frequency threaten the persistence of a widespread obligate-seeder Banksia in south-eastern Australia

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (8)

   Annette M. Muir , Nevil N. Amos, Paul D. Moloney

3. Long-term surveillance of Phytophthora cinnamomi reveals no evidence of increased detections and new insights for monitoring and management

   Australian Journal of Botany 73 (1)

   T. J. Mason , K. L. McDougall, P. Craven, C. C. Simpson, G. C. Popovic, D. A. Keith

4. Origins of the rare Australian daisy Erigeron conyzoides and its implications for biological control research and conservation management

   Australian Journal of Botany 73 (1)

   Stephanie H. Chen , Alicia Grealy, Michelle A. Rafter, Ben Gooden, Alexander N. Schmidt-Lebuhn

5. Half a century of change in floristics and structure in an urban grassy woodland: implications for conservation management

   Australian Journal of Botany 73 (1)

   Jamie B. Kirkpatrick , Ian Jenkinson, Kerry L. Bridle

6. A comprehensive functional trait database of seagrasses in tropical Queensland

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (8)

   Chieh Lin , Robert G. Coles, Michael A. Rasheed, Alana Grech

7. Variable seed quality hampers the use of Themeda triandra (Poaceae) for seed production, agriculture, research and restoration: a review

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (6)

   Marne Durnin , Emma Dalziell, Suzanne M. Prober, Petra Marschner

8. Applying resource-selection functions to assess host preference in the endemic endoparasite Pilostyles hamiltoniorum (Apodanthaceae) and its principal host Daviesia (Fabaceae)

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (8)

   Ryan J. Craig , Bethany Pittway, Tingting Wu, Shane R. Turner , Jacqueline Batley

9. A near-complete dataset of plant growth form, life history, and woodiness for all Australian plants

   Australian Journal of Botany 72 (4)

   Elizabeth H. Wenk , David Coleman , Rachael V. Gallagher , Daniel S. Falster

10. Tasmania’s giant eucalypts: discovery, documentation, macroecology and conservation status of the world’s largest angiosperms

    Australian Journal of Botany 73 (1)

    Brett Mifsud , Lynda D. Prior , Grant J. Williamson, Jan Corigliano, Carl Hansen, Robert Van Pelt, Steven Pearce, Thomas Greenwood, David M. J. S. Bowman

11. Pollination strategies are exceptionally complex in southwestern Australia – a globally significant ancient biodiversity hotspot

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (2)

    Mark C. Brundrett , Philip G. Ladd , Greg J. Keighery

12. Evaluation of management options for climate-change adaptation of threatened species: a case study of a restricted orchid

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (7)

    Caitlin R. Rutherford , Andrew M. Rogers, Suzanne M. Prober, Erika M. Roper , Emma Cook, April E. Reside

13. Evaluating the risk to Australia’s flora from Phytophthora cinnamomi

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (4)

    Keith L. McDougall , Sarah Barrett, Renate Velzeboer, David M. Cahill, Tim Rudman

14. Understanding Rhododendron intraspecific compatibility in botanic garden collections for species conservation

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (6)

    Ling Hu , Susan E. Gardiner, Jennifer A. Tate, Marion B. MacKay

15. The susceptibility of rare and threatened NSW species to the root-rot pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi: 2. The identification of species requiring protection or further research

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (4)

    Keith L. McDougall , Edward C. Y. Liew

16. Pollination by multiple species of nectar foraging Hymenoptera in Prasophyllum innubum, a critically endangered orchid of the Australian Alps

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (5)

    Tobias Hayashi, Bronwyn M. Ayre , Björn Bohman, Graham R. Brown, Noushka Reiter , Ryan D. Phillips

17. Impact of Phytophthora dieback on a key heathland species Xanthorrhoea australis (Asphodelaceae) (austral grasstree) and floristic composition in the eastern Otways, Victoria

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (2)

    B. A. Wilson , S. P. Casey, M. J. Garkaklis, C. Learmonth, T. Wevill

18. The leaf micromorphology and anatomy of gamba grass, Andropogon gayanus Kunth (Poaceae: Panicoideae)

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (2)

    Jeremy Farr , S. Krisantini, Melodina Fabillo

19. Long-unburnt stands of snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora Sieber ex Spreng) are exceedingly rare in the Victorian Alps: implications for their conservation and management

    Australian Journal of Botany 72 (2)

    John W. Morgan , Michael Shackleton, Zac C. Walker

20. Spatially variable recruitment response to fire severity in golden-top wattle (Acacia mariae, family: Fabaceae), a thicket-forming shrub of semi-arid forests

    Australian Journal of Botany 73 (1)

    Boyd R. Wright , Damien D. Andrew , Michael Hewins, Claire Hewitt, Roderick J. Fensham

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