PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A MEMBERS ONLY EVENT (Join or renew anytime HERE)
We have a very exciting field trip to the Botanic Gardens, including a behind-the-scenes tour of both the National Herbarium and the Typhonium research collection, neither of which are available for viewing by the general public. This is an exclusive treat for members, and a must-see experience for any plant lover.
The National Herbarium of Victoria
Founded in 1853 by Government Botanist Baron Ferdinand von Mueller (1825–1896), was the first herbarium established in Australia and is the oldest scientific institution in Victoria. The herbarium was established to house the State Botanical Collection, one of Australia's most valuable biological research repositories. Thanks to Mueller’s tireless efforts, the collection is particularly rich in 19th-century specimens. These botanical time capsules give us insights into plant distributions, botanical history and past collecting methods.
This internationally significant collection is the largest herbarium collection in Oceania, comprising 1.562 million dried plant, algae and fungi specimens. It includes almost 36,000 types, making it the largest repository of type materials in the Southern Hemisphere. Approximately 27,000 of the type specimens represent Australian flora, while 9,000 are from overseas. One of the great treasures of the global collection is the personal herbarium of Otto Wilhelm Sonder, which contains botanical specimens collected in six continents over five centuries.
The Herbarium is a dynamic working collection that continues to grow as new specimens are collected and preserved to support botanical and conservation research. Members will have the opportunity to view some incredible Aroid herbarium specimens up close with Collections Curation Officer, Eugenia Pacitti.
Typhonium Research Collection
Typhoniums are fascinating genus of Araceae, often overshadowed by their well-known relatives, Amorphophallus. Known as ‘Voodoo Lilies’, many are native to Australia and tend to grow well in Melbourne backyards, with their compact growth, diverse leaf morphology and lightly fragrant blooms (none of that stink that you get with Amorphophallus!). If you’ve ever been curious about the fascinating cormous Arum group, this will certainly spark a new group of plants to grow!
The Botanic Gardens is a hub of flora research, and as part of our field trip, members will be able to view the private Typhonium collection, which is overseen by Biodiversity Services Research Scientist, Rebecca Miller. Research on this collection is primarily focused on floral trait and pollinator divergence.
Rebecca Miller joined RBGV as a seed scientist in October 2020 and conducts research on native plant seeds, the imposition and alleviation of dormancy, the stimulation of germination, and environmental tolerance thresholds of native species. She is a plant ecophysiologist whose research experience includes the physiological and biochemical responses of plants to the environment, and the chemical ecology of plant defence and plant-pollinator interactions. Rebecca is also an experienced teacher across many areas of plant biology including horticulture, plant propagation and establishment.
This will also be a fantastic opportunity to catch up with other members of the ASA, and have a great day out in the Gardens! Book your annual leave day now, as you won’t want to miss this. We anticipate that the visit to both experiences will conclude by 12pm, so members are free to wander the Gardens afterwards if you choose.
Please note that this is an ASA members only event. Entry to the event is free of charge for members. Registration for new members is available online anytime at https://www.aroids.net/membership
RSVPs are essential to victoria@aroids.net
Please note that photography and videography of the event will be taken and publicly published. You may opt out by notifying a committee member at the beginning of the event.
If you have any questions or requests regarding this event, please contact us at victoria@aroids.net