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This article was published in 1941
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INSTITUTE OF INSPECTORS OF STOCK OF N.S.W. YEAR BOOK.
P. P. BOARD HERBARIUM
By Gerald J. O'Neill.
I desire to place before this Conference ideas of how to begin and establish a small Herbarium. I am aware that many Inspectors have already quite good collections of the many plants and weeds in their respective districts; but I thought it would not be out of place to perhaps give some Inspector an idea of how to establish such a collection.
Begin by having a Cabinet constructed and made to the following dimensions:—
Height. 48in.
Width, 42in.
Depth. 14in.
Have the cabinet divided into at least 28 compartments or pigeon-holes; each of the compartments can be numbered 1 to 28, in each respective compartment will represent a Botanical family or it may be that several families can be filed under the one compartment. Make your botanical groups as near as possible to run alphabetically.
Attached to each compartment will be a tag giving the number of same, and the respective family represented in that compartment.
The above will represent the cabinet, in which will be filed the specimens of plants, weeds, properly mounted on a stiff cardboard cover: on this cover will be attached the number of the specimen.
I think the above is quite simple and should be clear to any member interested.
The next move is to have a small Filing Index Number box in which a card system shows the plant, and the number of the specimen under groups Nos. 1 to a 28.
Further, establish a card index Herbarium in alphabetically arranged order; these cards will bear the name of the plant, i.e., the Botanical name, common one if known, the Botanical Family to which it belongs, a full description of the plant or specimen, which will give the qualifications of feeding value or otherwise, poisonous nature if such is the case,etc.
It will be easily seen that this card indexed specimens will correspond with the specimens in the respective compartments of the cabinet, and it will he an easy matter to take from the cabinet a specimen, and with the aid of the Herbarium card system, read, and study the specimen in your Herbarium.
Example: Alternanthera nana—Dwarf Khaki Weed. Specimen No. 1. Botanical Family—Amarantaceae. Group No. 1.
The stems are prostrate or ascending, while the foliage is hairy, the leaves oblong-lancelot ¾in.-1½in., sometimes broader ones under ¾in. long. It is a common pasture, and a roadside weed, it is wholesome for cattle, although it occupies the place of a more valuable plant. Stock do not appear to eat it to any great extent, it flowers throughout the year and is found in N.S.W., Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory, a native plant.
The following Botanical families are represented in the Herbarium at the Armidale P.P. Board:—
Group 1—Amarantaceae, Amaryllidaceae.
Group 2—Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae.
Group 3—Berberidaceae, Bignoniaceae, Boraginaceae.
Group 4—Campanulaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Casuarineae.
Group 5—Chenopodiaceae, Commelinaceae.
Group 6—Compositae.
Group 7—Compositae.
Group 8—Coniferae, Convolvulaceae, Cruciferae, Crassulaceae,
Cycadaceae, Cyperaceae.
Group 9—Dilleniaceae, Droseraceae.
Group 10—Epacridaceae, Euphorbiaceae.
Group 11—Fagaceae, Fumariaceae.
Group 12—Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Goodeniaceae.
Group 13—Gramineae.
Group 14—Gramineae, Guttiferae.
Group 15—Haloragidaceae, Iridaceae, Juncaceae, Labiatae.
Group 16—Leguminosae.
Group 17—Leguminosae.
Group 18—Liliaceae, Loganiaceae, Loranthaceae.
Group 19—Malvaceae, Martyniaceae, Meliaceae, Myoporinaceae.
Group 20—Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Oragraceae.
Group 21—Papaveraceae, Phytolaccaceae, Pittosporaceae, Plantaginaceae.
Group 22—Polygalaceae, Polygonaceae, Polypodiaceae, Pontederiaceae.
Group 23—Portulacaceae, Primulaceae, Proteaceae.
Group 24—Ranunculaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae.
Group 25—Salicaceae, Santalaceae, Sapindaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Simarubiaceae
Group 26—Solanaceae, Stackhousiaceae, Stylidaceae, Thymeleacesae, Typhaceae.
Group 27—Ulmaceae, Umbelliferae, Urticaceae.
Group 28—Verbenaceae, Violaceae, Zygophyllaceae.
Some time ago Dr. H. R. Seddon compiled a list of poisonous and suspected poisonous plants. I repeat the list as a guide for those who may not be in possession of such a list.
Acacia glaucescens—Sally Wattle. Cyanogenetic.
Andropogon Sorghum—Sorghum. Cyanogenetic.
Sudan grass hybrids. Cyanogenetic.
Cheilanthes tenuifolia—Rock Fern.
Conium maculatum—Hemlock.
Cynodon incompletus—Blue Couch Grass.
Datura stramonium—Thorn Apple or False Castor Oil Plant.
Eremophila maculata—Native Fuschia. Cyanogenetic.
Eucalyptus corynocalyx—Sugar Gum. Cyanogenetic.
Euphorbia Drummondii—Milkweed. Cyanogenetic.
Heterodendron oleaefolia— Rosewood. Cyanogenetic.
Homeria collina—Cape Tulip.
Kochia trichopylia—Summer Grass.
Lantana crocea—Lantana. i.e. bright yellow and red variety.
Lotus Australis—Native Birdsfoot Trefoil. Cyanogentic.
Lotus corniculatus—Introduced Birdsfoot Trefoil. Cyanogenetic.
Macrozamia spiralis—Burrawang. Leaves cause Coastal Rickets in cattle. Seeds very poisonous.
Macrozamia perowskiana—A form of Zamla Palm.
Malva parviflora—Marshmallow.
S Melia azedarach—Wild Cedar.
Nerium oleander—Oleander.
Nicotiana suaveolens—Native Tobacco. This is the plant, not tree.
Oxalis cernua—Sour-sob.
Passiflora alba—Wild Passion Vine.
Phyllanthus gasstroemii—Phyllanthus. Cyanogenetic.
Pimelea pauciflora—Scrub Kurrajong.
Pteridium aquilinum—Bracken Fern.
Ricinus communis—Castor Oil Plant.
Silybum mariana—Variegated Thistle.
Solanum cinereum—Narrawa Burr.
Stachys arvensis—Stagger Weed.
Swainson's galegifolia—Varieties of Darling Pea.
Swainson's luteola—Varieties of Darling Pea.
Swainson's procumbens—Varieties of Darling Pea.
Taxus baccata—Yew Tree.
Xanthlum chinense—Noogoora Burr, poisonous at certain stage of growth.
Further to the establishment of an Office Herbarium, mounted plates could be made of some of the more important plants or weeds. This could not be done in all cases, as in Armidale collection there are over 350 specimens and space for display is not available.
Further suggestion is that, through the District Veterinary Officers, Head Office and The Government Botanist, bureau could be set up whereby an Inspector could have surplus specimens on hand which are mounted, and by enquiry through any of the above bureaux could supply any Inspector with one of the mounted surplus specimens on hand; this would be one of the means of building up for his Herbarium. In short, it means this, when an Inspector finds a certain plant a number of these specimens could be mounted; he could then circularise the bureaus of the numbers he has for distribution, likewise Inspectors could enquire from any of the bureaus, that he would like to add such and such a specimen to his collection. In this way an interchange of plants, weeds and grasses could be obtained.
I feel that some Inspectors may take the view that a collection of plants and weeds peculiar to their respective districts would be what such office collection should contain; but on the other hand Inspectors are moved from one part of the State to another, and a good general knowledge of the plants and weeds, also grasses of the state, not only increases one's knowledge of field botany, but will make us better Inspectors.