Flora of Australia
Volume 28
Gentianales
cover
OUT OF PRINT
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Description
Volume 28 describes the order Gentianales, which in Australia comprises four families: Loganiaceae, Gentianaceae, Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae. Descriptions are provided for 62 genera and 326 species in these families.
Loganiaceae are a mainly tropical and subtropical family. In Australia there are 9 genera and 100 species but the majority of species are found in 2 genera, Logania (33 species) and Mitrasacme (48 species). Two newly described genera, segregated from Mitrasacme, are included in this treatment.
The Australian Gentianaceae consist of 8 genera and 31 species. The montane taxa have until recently been included in Gentianella, but here they are distributed between Gentiana and Chionogentias.
Apocynaceae are a pantropical family, with 22 genera and 87 species in Australia. The family contains a large number of ornamental species that are extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Many species have toxic fruit and foliage, and some species are important as a source of alkaloids in medical research.
Asclepiadaceae are also pantropical. They are perhaps best known for their very specialised floral structure, and many, including Hoya, Asclepias and Dischidia, are grown as horticultural subjects. Australia has 23 genera and 98 species.
This volume covers 4 families, 62 genera and 326 species.
40 new taxa are described, including 2 new genera in Loganiaceae - Schizacme Dunlop and Phyllangium Dunlop, as well as many new combinations and lectotypifications.
Dedication
This volume is dedicated to Dr Helen Hewson.
Helen Hewson has been associated with the Australian Biological Resources Study and the Flora of Australia since before the first volume of the Flora was published. She was employed on an ABRS grant through the Australian Academy of Science from 1974 to write sample flora treatments which helped establish the style of the Flora of Australia. From 1981 Helen was employed as a flora writer and subsequently an editor with ABRS, then known to many as the Bureau of Flora and Fauna. In 1991 Helen was appointed Director of the Flora section at ABRS, a position she held until the end of June 1995 when she was appointed Deputy Director, Plant Biodiversity Research Centre, a joint ANCA/CSIRO research facility.
Helen received a BSc with 1st Class honours and then a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney for her study of the cytogenetics and taxonomy of the Bryophyte family Aneuraceae in Australia and New Guinea. While employed by ABRS she also completed a BA in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Education.
During her career with ABRS Helen wrote flora treatments of families ranging from Aceraceae to Ulmaceae, and produced illustrations for many of them. She also wrote 'Plant indumentum a handbook of terminology' (number 9 in the Australian Flora and Fauna Series) to help overcome the problems with inconsistent usage of indumentum terms.
Helen's career with ABRS and the Flora of Australia spanned almost 21 years. When Helen joined ABRS the Flora section had a staff of 3. She left the section with 9 staff, 16 published volumes of the Flora of Australia, 15 volumes of the Australian Flora and Fauna Series and 4 volumes of the Flora of Australia Supplementary Series. With her leaving our direct ties with the inception of ABRS were severed. She is sadly missed for her leadership, and as 'keeper of tribal custom'.
About this book
Book series: Flora of Australia
Publishers: Australian Biological Resources Study/CSIRO Publishing
Year: 1996
Authors: Various authors
Hardcover ISBN-10: 0 643 05884 2
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978 0 643 05884 2
Softcover ISBN-10: 0 643 05885 0
Softcover ISBN-13: 978 0 643 05885 9
Size: 250 × 176 mm (B5)
Number of pages: xxi + 335 pages, index, glossary
Binding: Hardcover and Softcover, section stitched
Illustrations: 65 colour plates, 61 black and white plates, 335 maps