Australian Flora Foundation

New progress reports
Dr Phil Ainsley on the project: Developing a screening tool to determine the impact of climate change on seed germination in threatened native plant species. It can be seen here.
Dr Margaret Johnston has provided a progress report on the project: An evaluation of the temperature and daylength requirements of Australian potted colour species. It can be seen here.
Professor Robert Henry has sent in a progress report on the project: Impact of climate on the genetic diversity of native species using Microlaena stipoides as a model. It can be seen here.

New Grants
Following the Annual General Meeting on 30th November 2009 the Australian Flora Foundation is pleased to announce new grants to
• Katherine Baker Germination requirements of the lesser known Kangaroo Paw and Catspaw taxa.
• Amelia Martyn Germination of Australian alpine species and implications in a changing climate. This grant was supported by a donation of $5,000 generously provided by the Australian Native Plant Society Canberra. In return for the donation Amelia will provide a short report at the conclusion of the research project for inclusion in ANPS Canberra Region’s Quarterly Journal, and will present the results to the ANPS Canberra Region membership at one of its regular evening monthly meetings.
• John Morgan Vegetation Change in the Victorian Alps from 1945 to 2009: the influence of fire, grazing and climate change on plant succession.
For more details.

The President's report for 2009 is here

Members of Council for 2010
Members of the Council for 2010, elected at the AGM are here.

Call for Applications for Research Grants for funding in 2011
The Foundation is now calling for applications for research grants to begin in 2011. This year priority is being given to projects aiming to reduce plant collection from native ecosystems. Details and the application form can be found here. Preliminary applications will be accepted until 22nd March 2010.

New final reports
Melinda Perkins and Margaret Johnston
Pollination biology of Ptilotus axillaris. Summary and Final report
D. Christine Cargill and Jen Johnston:The biology and cultivation of Revwattsia fragile (Watts) D. L. Jones, a rare Queensland fern, for potential commercial production. Summary   and   Final report
Alan Lymbery, Michelle Ingram and Farhan Bokhari: Measuring and managing the impact of secondary salinisation on riparian flora. Summary   and Final report
Celeste Linde: Identification of fungal mycorrhizal species associated with increased plant growth of the rare Fabaceae species Gastrolobium vestitum. Summary and Final report
Lyndlee C. Easton and Sonia Kleindorfer: Life histories and reproductive biology of plants in the desert and halophytic genus Frankenia (Frankeniaceae) in Australia. Summary and   Final report      PowerPoint presentation Conference presentation
Geoff Woodall, Melinda Moule, Peter Eckersley, Ben Boxshall and Ben Puglisi: Development of new root vegetable crops from southern Western Australia's diverse tuberous flora. Brochures relating to the Australian food and dye products from the project are available.   Summary   and    Final report

Bequest
The Foundation belatedly acknowledges with gratitude a generous bequest to the Research Fund from the Estate of the late Mrs Eileen Croxford. For more information on Eileen see the most recent Newsletter (below).

Newsletters
The most recent Newsletter (July 09), and links to earlier newsletters in the New Series are here.

Young Scientist prizes for 2008
The Australian Society for Horticultural Science Young Scientist prizes for 2008 were:
Talk: Sybille Orzek, University of Queensland. Is the time of floral initiation in Ptilotus nobilis affected by temperature, daylength or light intensity? Summary
Poster: Joseph Eyre, University of Queensland. Low storage temperatures can induce leaf and flower browning on cut Backhousia myrtifolia stems. Summary

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

Lyndlee C. Easton & Sonia Kleindorfer. Germination in two Australian species of Frankenia L., F. serpyllifolia Lindl. and F. foliosa J.M.Black (Frankeniaceae)– Effects of seed mass, seed age, light, and temperature. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia (2008), 132(1): 29–39

Lyndlee C. Easton • Sonia Kleindorfer. Interaction effects of seed mass and temperature on germination in Australian species of Frankenia (Frankeniaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Folia Geobot (2008) 43:383–396

Lyndlee C. Easton, Sonia Kleindorfer. Effects of salinity levels and seed mass on germination in Australian species of Frankenia (Frankeniaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Environmental and Experimental Botany 65 (2009) 345–352


		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 5 February 2010 New progress reports Dr Phil Ainsley on the project: Developing a screening tool to determine the impact of climate change on seed germination in threatened native plant species. It can be seen here. Dr Margaret Johnston has provided a progress report on the project: An evaluation of the temperature and daylength requirements of Australian potted colour species. It can be seen here. Professor Robert Henry has sent in a progress report on the project: Impact of climate on the genetic diversity of native species using Microlaena stipoides as a model. It can be seen here. New Grants Following the Annual General Meeting on 30th November 2009 the Australian Flora Foundation is pleased to announce new grants to • Katherine Baker Germination requirements of the lesser known Kangaroo Paw and Catspaw taxa. • Amelia Martyn Germination of Australian alpine species and implications in a changing climate. This grant was supported by a donation of $5,000 generously provided by the Australian Native Plant Society Canberra. In return for the donation Amelia will provide a short report at the conclusion of the research project for inclusion in ANPS Canberra Region’s Quarterly Journal, and will present the results to the ANPS Canberra Region membership at one of its regular evening monthly meetings. • John Morgan Vegetation Change in the Victorian Alps from 1945 to 2009: the influence of fire, grazing and climate change on plant succession. For more details. The President's report for 2009 is here Members of Council for 2010 Members of the Council for 2010, elected at the AGM are here. Call for Applications for Research Grants for funding in 2011 The Foundation is now calling for applications for research grants to begin in 2011. This year priority is being given to projects aiming to reduce plant collection from native ecosystems. Details and the application form can be found here. Preliminary applications will be accepted until 22nd March 2010. New final reports Melinda Perkins and Margaret Johnston Pollination biology of Ptilotus axillaris. Summary and Final report D. Christine Cargill and Jen Johnston:The biology and cultivation of Revwattsia fragile (Watts) D. L. Jones, a rare Queensland fern, for potential commercial production. Summary and Final report Alan Lymbery, Michelle Ingram and Farhan Bokhari: Measuring and managing the impact of secondary salinisation on riparian flora. Summary and Final report Celeste Linde: Identification of fungal mycorrhizal species associated with increased plant growth of the rare Fabaceae species Gastrolobium vestitum. Summary and Final report Lyndlee C. Easton and Sonia Kleindorfer: Life histories and reproductive biology of plants in the desert and halophytic genus Frankenia (Frankeniaceae) in Australia. Summary and Final report PowerPoint presentation Conference presentation Geoff Woodall, Melinda Moule, Peter Eckersley, Ben Boxshall and Ben Puglisi: Development of new root vegetable crops from southern Western Australia's diverse tuberous flora. Brochures relating to the Australian food and dye products from the project are available. Summary and Final report Bequest The Foundation belatedly acknowledges with gratitude a generous bequest to the Research Fund from the Estate of the late Mrs Eileen Croxford. For more information on Eileen see the most recent Newsletter (below). Newsletters The most recent Newsletter (July 09), and links to earlier newsletters in the New Series are here. Young Scientist prizes for 2008 The Australian Society for Horticultural Science Young Scientist prizes for 2008 were: Talk: Sybille Orzek, University of Queensland. Is the time of floral initiation in Ptilotus nobilis affected by temperature, daylength or light intensity? Summary Poster: Joseph Eyre, University of Queensland. Low storage temperatures can induce leaf and flower browning on cut Backhousia myrtifolia stems. Summary New scientific publications from research supported by the Foundation Abstracts of the following publications have recently been added to the website Lyndlee C. Easton & Sonia Kleindorfer. Germination in two Australian species of Frankenia L., F. serpyllifolia Lindl. and F. foliosa J.M.Black (Frankeniaceae)– Effects of seed mass, seed age, light, and temperature. An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia (2008), 132(1): 29–39 Lyndlee C. Easton • Sonia Kleindorfer. Interaction effects of seed mass and temperature on germination in Australian species of Frankenia (Frankeniaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Folia Geobot (2008) 43:383–396 Lyndlee C. Easton, Sonia Kleindorfer. Effects of salinity levels and seed mass on germination in Australian species of Frankenia (Frankeniaceae). An abstract can be found here. It appeared in Environmental and Experimental Botany 65 (2009) 345–352 Project seeking sponsorship 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. Remove .anti-spam before using this email address.