The Australian Boab, now known as Adansonia gregorii F.Muell. was first noticed botanically by Allan Cunningham during Phillip Parker Kingâs second survey voyage in 1819, and first collected by Cunningham in the following year at Careening Bay. Cunningham saw only fruiting material, and considered the tree to belong to the genus Capparis L., giving it the manuscript name C. gibbosa A.Cunn. He described but did not formally name the species in Kingâs Narrative of a Survey. The name was published with a valid description in Hewardâs biography of Cunningham in 1842. In the interim Cunningham had drafted a paper comparing his species with the African genus Adansonia Juss., but unfortunately never published it. Subsequently Mueller described the species again, as A. gregorii F.Muell., based on specimens collected near the Victoria and Fitzmaurice Rivers, and this name became accepted for the species. In 1995 Baum recognised that the two descriptions referred to the same taxon, and made the combination Adansonia gibbosa (A.Cunn.) Guymer ex D.Baum. A subsequent referral to the Spermatophyta Committee and General Committee resulted in the name C. gibbosa being rejected, on the grounds that âit seems unlikely thatâCunningham had any intention that this [Hewardâs] description should validate the name of a new species.â Recent rediscovery of Cunninghamâs draft paper shows that, on the contrary, Cunningham clearly believed that his name C. gibbosa was suitable for acceptance, and according to the practices of his day, should be published. That his premature death and subsequent unrecognised description of the species in Hewardâs paper resulted in his discovery going unacknowledged, and being overtaken by Muellerâs later description, is unfortunate, but now irreversible.
An examination of the Australian genus Xerochrysum (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae)
In this partial revision of Xerochrysum Tzvelev the following taxa are described as new: X. alpinum Paul G.Wilson, X. boreale Paul G.Wilson, X. halmaturorum Paul G.Wilson and X. interiore Paul G.Wilson. Accounts of several published and unpublished species from north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland that are currently recognised are omitted since these are being studied by other botanists; however, these taxa are included in the key to species provided here. Lectotypes are chosen for Helichrysum bracteatum var. viscosum DC., X. bicolor (Lindl.) R.J.Bayer and X. viscosum (Sieber ex Spreng.) R.J.Bayer.
An expanded circumscription and new infrageneric classification of Rinzia (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae)
The circumscription of Rinzia Schauer (Myrtaceae tribe Chamelaucieae DC.) is enlarged to encompass species with varied stamen arrangement, filament width and seed morphology. This revision of Rinzia s. lat. is based on both morphological and molecular evidence, and establishes five sections within the genus, Discolora Rye, Mesostemon Rye, Polyandra Rye, Semasperma Rye and the typical section. All sections occur in Western Australia, with three of them endemic to the south-west, while sect. Polyandra also occurs in central Australia and sect. Semasperma also occurs in south-eastern Australia. Three new combinations are made for species previously included within Baeckea L., and the new name R. orientalis Rye is published for B. crassifolia Lindl. Baeckea crassifolia var. icosandra F.Muell. ex Benth. is raised to species rank as R. icosandra (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Rye. The other new combinations are R. ericaea (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Rye and R. polystemonea (F.Muell.) Rye. Four new Western Australian species are described as R. fimbriolata Rye & Trudgen, R. medifila Rye, R. torquata Rye & Trudgen and R. triplex Rye & Trudgen, and a new subspecies from Kangaroo Island, South Australia, as R. ericaea subsp. _insularis_Rye. Rinzia morrisonii Trudgen is reduced to synonymy under R. longifolia Turcz. Lectotypes are selected for Baeckea ericaea F.Muell. ex Benth. and R. morrisonii. Seven Western Australian species have conservation priority.
Five new species of Styphelia (Ericaceae: Epacridoideae: Stypheliae) from the Geraldton Sandplains, including notes on a new, expanded circumscription for the genus
HISLOP, M. AND PUENTE-LELIÈVRE, C., Nuytsia28: 95–114 (2017)
Five new species of Styphelia Sm. (S. ciliosa Hislop & Puente-Lel., S. filamentosa Hislop & Puente-Lel., S. filifolia Hislop & Puente-Lel., S. longissima Hislop & Puente-Lel. and S. williamsiorum Hislop & Puente-Lel.) are described, illustrated and mapped. All were previously recognised by phrase names under Leucopogon R.Br., and occur in the Lesueur Sandplain subregion of the Geraldton Sandplains bioregion. There is discussion of the recent decision to greatly expand the circumscription of Styphelia to include the genera Coleanthera Stschegl., Croninia J.M.Powell, most species of Astroloma R.Br. and a large percentage of those previously treated as Leucopogon.
Hibbertia sejuncta, a new, rare species from Western Australia, with notes on H. helianthemoides
THIELE, K.R. AND NGE, F.J., Nuytsia28: 115–117 (2017)
Following examination of collections at the Western Australian Herbarium, the Threatened species Asterolasia nivea (Paul G.Wilson) Paul G.Wilson is synonymised under A. grandiflora (Hook.) Benth. A revised description is provided for A. grandiflora, a geographically restricted species that will remain listed as Priority Four under Department of Parks and Wildlife Conservation Codes for Western Australian Flora despite its expanded circumscription. Asterolasia pallida Benth. subsp. hyalina Paul G.Wilson, a distinctive taxon previously only known from Dryandra State Forest, is raised to species level and A. sp. Kalgan River (S. Barrett 1522), which is listed as Threatened in Western Australia, is treated as synonymous. While the latter action greatly expands the known range of A. hyalina (Paul G.Wilson) Wege, this taxon retains its conservation ranking of Priority Two. A key to species of Asterolasia F.Muell. in Western Australia is provided.
Acacia nicholsonensis (Fabaceae), a new ‘Minni Ritchi’-barked species of Acacia sect. Juliflorae from the Gulf of Carpentaria region of Northern Australia
CUFF, N.J. AND COWIE, I.D., Nuytsia28: 147–158 (2017)
Acacia nicholsonensis Cuff is described as a new species of Acacia Mill. sect. Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden & Betche. Acacia nicholsonensis is currently only known from the upper Nicholson River catchment in the far east of the Northern Territory where it is restricted to the levees and banks of major river channels. A key to the ‘Minni Ritchi’-barked Acacia species of the Top End of the Northern Territory and adjacent regions of tropical northern Australia is presented. The conservation status and ecology of the new species are discussed.
New lectotypes and synonyms in the Western Australian genus Scholtzia (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae)
Lectotypes are selected for the genus Scholtzia Schauer and for S. capitata F.Muell. ex Benth., S. leptantha Benth., S. oligandra F.Muell. ex Benth., S. parviflora F.Muell. and Baeckea obovata DC. Scholtzia obovata (DC.) Schauer is reinstated and S. leptantha reduced to a synonym of it. Two informal names are made redundant by the lectotypifications. Brief descriptions are provided for these taxa as now defined.
Two new synonyms in Western Australian Proteaceae: Isopogon heterophyllus and I. teretifolius subsp. petrophiloides
RYE, B.L. AND HISLOP, M., Nuytsia28: 169–172 (2017)
The Hibbertia lineata Steud. species group comprises six species endemic in south-western Western Australia. Hibbertia lineata is recircumscribed to include H. recurvifolia (Steud.) Benth., and H. polyancistra K.R.Thiele sp. nov., H. depilipes K.R.Thiele sp. nov., H. verrucosa (Turcz.) Benth., H. microphylla Steud. and H. papillata J.R.Wheeler are described and discussed. A key is provided to all taxa.
Neotypification and redescription of Amanita preissii (Basidiomycota), and reconsideration of the status of A. griseibrunnea
Amanita preissii (Fr.) Sacc. is redescribed. Re-examination of collections of A. griseibrunnea O.K.Mill. show that they do not differ significantly from A. preissii and the two species are combined. This species is common in the Perth IBRA subregion. Sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, 28S nuclear ribosomal large subunit rRNA (28S) region, RNA polymerase II (RPB2) region, β-tubulin region and translation elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α) region have been deposited in GenBank.
Revision of the south-western Australian genus Anticoryne (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae)
Anticoryne Turcz. comprises three species occurring in a relatively small portion of south-western Australia. Stamen morphology is of diagnostic importance for the genus, as is its very dark seed colour. In this revision of the genus, the new species A. melanosperma Rye is named and a lectotype is selected for A. ovalifolia (F.Muell.) Rye. All species have conservation priority.
Calandrinia holtumii (Portulacaceae), a new and unusual species from arid Western Australia
OBBENS, F.J.,HANCOCK, L.P.,EDWARDS, E. AND THIELE, K.R., Nuytsia28: 217–223 (2017)
A new species of Calandrinia Kunth., C. holtumii Obbens & L.P.Hancock, from arid Western Australia is described and mapped. At this stage, the sectional placement for C. holtumii is uncertain. It has several anomalous morphological characters not previously recorded within the genus and has recently been shown to exhibit a stronger form of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) than any other Australian species of Calandrinia.
A new species of Chamaescilla (Asparagaceae) from the mid-west of Western Australia
DAVIS, R.W. AND BROWN, A.P., Nuytsia28: 225–227 (2017)
A synopsis of the 39 species of Stylidiaceae named by Robert Brown is presented and a full synonymy provided. Lectotypes are selected for the following Brown names: Levenhookia pusilla R.Br., Stylidium alsinoides R.Br., S. articulatum R.Br., S. assimile R.Br., S. caespitosum R.Br., S. calcaratum R.Br., S. corymbosum R.Br., S. crassifolium R.Br., S. diversifolium R.Br., S. eriorhizum R.Br., S. fasciculatum R.Br., S. floribundum R.Br., S. guttatum R.Br., S. tenuifolium R.Br. (= S. laricifolium Rich.), S. luteum R.Br., S. pedunculatum R.Br., S. reduplicatum R.Br. (= S. pilosum (Labill.) Labill.), S. spinulosum R.Br., S. tenellum R.Br. (= S. tenerum Spreng.) and S. violaceum R.Br. Stylidium robustum Sond. is newly synonymised under S. diversifolium and lectotypes are selected for two additional synonyms of this species, S. marginatum Sond. and S. pruinosum Sond. Stylidium pilosum is lectotypified and a neotype designated for S. pilosum var. brevius E.Pritz. Comments on the uncertain circumscription of S. armeria (Labill.) Labill. (of which S. melastachys R.Br. is a synonym) are provided.
Hibbertia striata, a new combination for a long-overlooked Western Australian species, and inclusion of H. pachyrrhiza in H. huegelii
The common and widespread species Hibbertia huegelii (Endl.) F.Muell. comprises two distinct taxa, one of which matches the type of Candollea striata Steud., which is here recombined as Hibbertia striata (Steud.) K.R.Thiele. Hibbertia pachyrrhiza Steud. is reduced to a synonym of H. huegelii s. str. Descriptions and distribution maps are provided for both accepted species.