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TABLE OF CONTENTS

“FORWOOD”

Early History of Papua New Guinea

Biological Exploration of New Guinea

Detailed Flora Inventories of the Various Forest Systems of PNG

Lae Botany

PNG Plant Collection Series

History National Botanical Gardens Lae

Opening Lae Herbarium 1965

PNG Plant Collectors

Plants of PNG (PNGplants - Barry Conn Project)

An example of the Significance of PNGplants John Davidson Research E. deglupta Herbarium Specimens

Details re Specific Botanists John Womersley Kevin White Pieter van Royen Heinar Streimann Colin Ernest Ridsdale Andrée Norma Millar OBE Herbert Knowles Charles Mair Alick Dockrill Mark Coode Dr Barry Conn Prof John Davidson Alex Floyd Don Foreman David Frodin Thomas Gordon Hartley Edward Ellis (Ted) Henty Neville Howcroft Max Jacobs Professor Bob Johns Joe Havel Leonard John Brass Acronyms Page 3

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“FORWOOD”

PNGAF Mag # 6 traces the history of Botany in PNG from 1527 to the current day project by Barry Conn et al. of PNGplants2 . From 1938 to the present day, the Dept of Forests has continuously maintained its detailed botanical activities (over 80 years).

This magazine attempts to depict from a forester’s view point the importance of Lae Botany to the Dept of Forests and its work. For example, the work of John Davidson and Neville Howcroft is important from an application of the botanical data being applied back to forestry. At the same time, it is hoped PNGAF Mag # 6 recognises and acknowledges the detailed, diligent, and highly professional painstaking work of those past and current dedicated scientists – the botanists - in the world of PNG flora.

From what is assembled in this collation of a menagerie of submissions, the constructive critiques of Professor Barry Conn, Mark Coode, Prof John Davidson, and George Walker (on behalf of Bob Johns), have been invaluable to bring this PNGAF Mag # 6 to publication.

Botany is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist is a scientist who specialises in that field. The term “botany” comes from the Ancient Greek word βοτάνη (botanē) meaning "pasture, grass or fodder". Traditionally, botany has also included the study of fungi and algae by mycologists and phycologists respectively, with the study of these three groups of organisms remaining within the sphere of interest of the International Botanical Congress.

The task of piecing together the floristic history of Papua New Guinea has been and still is a daunting task. Collections of plants have been made in PNG since the first explorers discovered the island.

Frodin and Gressitt3 in 1982 reported on the Biological exploration of New Guinea. The first major botanical collection was made in 1872 by Beccari with d’Albertis with the first real ascent into the interior in the Arfak Mountains. Others then followed, including Forbes (1885-86); Turner (1875); Miklucho – Maclay (1871-72 and 1876-77); and Finsch (1880-82 and 1884). Sir William MacGregor – Administrator British New Guinea (1888-1898) in Papua, is credited with greatly expanding the knowledge of the mountainous interior.

McGregor’s specimens were sent to Baron von Muller in Melbourne where many plants previously unknown, were provided with scientific names. In North East New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, early botanical investigations were carried out by German botanist and explorers. Their specimens were sent to Berlin.

2 PNGplants title for a collaborative project between the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE) and the National Herbarium of New South Wales (NSW) 3 Frodin D G and Gressitt J L Biological Exploration of New Guinea pp 87-130 Biogeography and Ecology of New Guinea 1982

In German New Guinea (1884-1914) the first expeditions were sponsored by scientific institutions and private companies. In 1887, an astronomer, C. Schrader, accompanied by a botanist and geologist, travelled up the Sepik River. In 1888, a journalist, H. Zoller, explored inland from Astrolabe Bay to the Finisterre Ranges. In 1885, Otto von Ehlers died attempting to walk from (the present) Salamaua to the south coast. From 1907 to 1913 German scientific bodies mounted major expeditions which investigated the upper Ramu River, the lower Bismarck ranges, Aitape, Huon Gulf and Markham River. These parties, which were well equipped and included leading naturalists and anthropologists, often spent long periods in the area in which they were working. The last German scientific expedition was in the Sepik River region in 1912-13.

Missionary collectors were active throughout PNG. Some notable collectors included Gerhard Peekel, New Ireland (1941-45), J and MS Clemens (1935-41), and Cedric Carr (1933-36).

Much exploration for the purpose of extending Administration control was undertaken during the term of office of Sir Hubert Murray 1908-40.

In 1922-24, C E Lane Poole made extensive botanical collections throughout the forests of Papua and New Guinea. His specimens are held in Brisbane.

In 1925, Leonard Brass collected in PNG for the Arnold Arboretum. During his career, he participated in six Archbold Expeditions throughout TPNG and West Irian.

In the latter stages of the Second World War (1939-45), a serious attempt was made to establish a reference collection of dried plant specimens in New Guinea. This was the inspiration of Jim McAdam MM. The primary aim was identification of various tree species suitable for engineering purposes. His Army Forest survey companies were assisted by C T White Queensland Government Botanist, L Smith Queensland botanist staff member, and H E Dadswell CSIRO. The botanists established a collection of dried specimens of the plants which were carefully identified and labelled, constituting an herbarium. The herbarium collections were handed to the Provisional Administration in 1946, after the war.

In 1949, the Department of Forests acquired land in Lae for the purposes of establishing a botanical reserve.

This led to the establishment of the National Botanical Gardens and the National Herbarium in Lae. The National Herbarium was opened in 1965.

Botany originated in prehistory as herbalism with the efforts of early humans to identify – and later cultivate – edible, medicinal and poisonous plants, making it one of the oldest branches of science. Medieval physic gardens, often attached to monasteries, contained plants of medical importance. They were forerunners of the first botanical gardens attached to universities, founded from the 1540s onwards. One of the earliest was the Padua botanical garden in 1545 which is still in its original location. These gardens facilitated the academic study of plants. Efforts to catalogue and describe their collections were the beginnings of plant taxonomy and led in 1753 to the binomial system of nomenclature of Carl Linnaeus that remains in use to this day for the naming of all biological species.

The first botanic garden in Papua New Guinea was established by the German Administration in Rabaul in the early 1900s and was regarded as one of the most auspicious reserves in the tropics. Australia further developed this site after the annexation. However, the 1937 volcanic eruptions, followed by the events of the Second World War brought about the complete destruction of this fine garden.

A section of the botanical gardens at Rabaul established during the German administration4 , c, 1905. (M. von Hein

Collection).

4 Mark Coode personal communication 30/12/20 A Ravenala (native of Madagascar) present in the gardens

The Forest Botanist John S Womersley, began development of the present botanical garden in Lae, now known as the National Botanical Gardens in 1949. The site evolved in conjunction with the National Herbarium to provide a consolidated centre of botanical research. The National Herbarium was constructed to house the nation’s collection of preserved plant specimens whilst the National Botanical Gardens was built to create an area where the country’s living collection of flora could be displayed. The gardens and herbarium are an integrated unit for conservation, education and recreation with each facility regarded as essential to the other’s success.

The original site located near the Commonwealth War Cemetery consisted of approximately 26 hectares of land, but further clearings of a post-war coconut plantation and some areas of forest adjacent to the escarpment increased the area to its present size of 56 hectares.

Commonwealth War Cemetery Memorial National Botanical Gardens Lae. Source Lae

Rotary Club 1960’s.

Commonwealth War Cemetery National Botanical Gardens Lae. Source Lae Rotary Club 1960’s

National Botanical Gardens Lae water feature 1960’s. Source Lae Rotary Club

National Botanical Gardens Lae 1960’s. Source Lae Rotary Club