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To examine claims that the role of botanical art in systematic botany is diminishing because of advances in photography, this review considers relevant literature and includes a quantitative analysis of trends in modern journals, monographs and floras. Our focus is on southern hemisphere systematic botany because, relative to the northern hemisphere, this is poorly represented in modern reviews of botanical art and photography. An analysis of all digitally available papers in Nuytsia, the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, Muelleria, Telopea, Austrobaileya and Systematic Botany established that, although photographic illustrations have increased since 2000, botanical illustrations have not always diminished. The cause of these trends is unknown, but it is likely to be due to several factors, including sourcing funding for production of botanical illustration, editorial preference for the use of illustrations or photographs, author preference for either illustrations or photographs, and moving to online publication, with no charges for colour reproduction. Moreover, the inclusion of botanical artists as co-authors in some scientific publications signals an ongoing and important role. Botanical illustration brings sharp focus and meticulous attention to detail regarding form and structure of plants. Photography is useful at the macro-scale for habitat and whole-plant traits, as well as at the micro-scale for anatomical textures and ultrastructure. These complementary approaches can be important components of taxonomic discovery, with the potential for a new role in modern trait analysis in molecular phylogenies.

Three new rare taxa allied to the conspicuous, common four-winged mallee (Eucalyptus tetraptera Turcz.) are described. E. sweedmaniana is a large-leaved and prostrate coastal mallee known only from Mount Arid, Western Australia. E. brandiana, a non-lignotuberous mallet, occupies spongolite hilltops and escarpments near the Fitzgerald River Inlet in Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia. A single hybrid mallet, E. arborella × brandiana, is described from the type locality of E. brandiana. Both new species and the new hybrid show potential for horticultural use, given their compact habit, large leaves and conspicuous red floral hypanthia and fruits. E. arborella × brandiana and E. brandiana are particularly at risk, being highly localised endemics that are killed by fire.

The morphology and development of flowers and pseudanthia of Calycopeplus paucifolius are described in detail in the context of recent molecular phylogenies of the tribe Euphorbieae and a recent comparative developmental analysis of other taxa within this tribe. Calycopeplus resembles subtribes Neoguillauminiinae and Anthosteminae in some respects (dichasial formation of male flowers within male partial inflorescences, late formation of a constriction in male and female flowers and early formation of a female perianth), but resembles Dichostemma (subtribe Anthosteminae) in possessing only four male partial inflorescences. Calycopeplus and all other Euphorbieae possess only three carpels, except Dichostemma, which has four carpels per female flower. The studied species differs from the closely related Neoguillauminia cleopatra (subtribe Neoguillauminiinae) in that only four nectaries are formed, situated on the rim of the cuplike involucre (in Neoguillauminia 8–10 nectaries arise directly from the base of the pseudanthium). In contrast to all other studied Euphorbieae with trimerous gynoecia, the unpaired carpel of C. paucifolius is oriented in an upper/adaxial position (it lies in the lower/abaxial position in all other studied taxa). On the basis of these results we discuss possible pathways of cyathium evolution and the role of the cyathium as a possible key innovation within Euphorbieae. ‘Calycopeplus is as perfect an example of a connecting link as a morphologist may wish for.’ (Croizat 1937, p. 404)

Drakaea Lindley, 1840 is a genus of 10 species of geophytic orchids endemic to the South-west Australian Floristic Region. The genus is renowned for its morphological and chemical adaptations, achieving pollination by sexual deception of male thynnid wasps. The history of taxa in Drakaea has been one of dispute and confusion right to the present day. Here we provide a revision of the genus, the first made by using modern collections and field data, formalising names for undescribed taxa featured by Hoffman and Brown (1992, 1998), several of which are threatened with extinction. We describe six new species: D. andrewsiae, D. concolor, D. confluens, D. gracilis, D. isolata and D. micrantha. Experimental baiting of male wasps has helped show the specific status of some of these new taxa. Molecular phylogenetic research is needed to clarify relationships and patterns of speciation in the genus. Five of the 10 Drakaea species are legally protected under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, signalling the ongoing need for research and management to ensure the conservation of this unique part of Australia’s orchid heritage. D. andrewsiae has been recorded only three times from the Gnowangerup–Tunney district. Urgent surveys are needed to establish its conservation status.

We uphold the generic rank of Paracaleana on the basis of its divergent pollination syndrome (sexual deception of male thynnid wasps compared with pollination of Caleana by male sawflies), recent DNA sequence data demonstrating monophyly, and nomenclatural stability. Ten of the 13 species recognised herein are new, all endemic to the South-west Australian Floristic Region: Paracaleana alcockii, P. brockmanii, P. dixonii, P. gracilicordata, P. granitica, P. hortiorum, P. lyonsii, P. parvula, P. terminalis and P. triens. Although some of these taxa have subtle morphological differences, primarily of labellum morphology, evidence from other Australian orchid genera whose flowers sexually deceive wasp pollinators indicates that reproductive isolation is probable among close sister taxa in Paracaleana. Moreover, phenological, ecological and geographical differences help separate morphologically close sister taxa. P. disjuncta D.L. Jones is considered to extend from Victoria and South Australia west into the South-west Australian Floristic Region, where James Drummond first collected the species, probably in 1838. Additional research is needed on pollinators, molecular phylogeny, possibly undescribed taxa within P. nigrita and on the few putative hybrids identified in the genus.

Nomenclatural confusion has been generated regarding the large Australasian terrestrial orchid genus Caladenia following publication from 2001 onwards of three major treatments of Caladeniinae. Here, we review concepts for Caladenia and allied genera in the subtribe, we revise three sister genera of Caladenia (Cyanicula, Ericksonella and Pheladenia), and we present an annotated nomenclatural checklist with many new synonymies and some new combinations. A revised circumscription of ten genera in the Caladeniinae is presented, including both Adenochilus and Eriochilus, which have recently been segregated as monogeneric subtribes by others. We argue for retaining Caladenia in the broad sense, largely reflecting Robert Brown's original concept, differing only in the recognition as genera of Cyanicula, Pheladenia, and Leptoceras, as well as two monotypic genera not known to Brown but later described as species of Caladenia (Praecoxanthus and Ericksonella). Thus Caladenia remains a large Australasian genus of terrestrial orchids with 243 species and six subgenera. This approach maximises nomenclatural stability while ensuring that hypothesised monophyly is upheld in the light of molecular phylogenetics analyses. The valid type for Caladenia is C. carnea, while that for Caladenia sect. Calonema is C. longicauda. The genus Jonesiopsis and generic combination Phlebochilus (Benth.) Szlach. were validly published. These conclusions call into question many recently erected taxa and combinations of other authors. Synonyms of Caladenia include Arachnorchis, Calonemorchis, Drakonorchis, Jonesiopsis, Petalochilus, Phlebochilus and Stegostyla. Pentisia is a synonym of Cyanicula. Calonema (Lindl.) Szlach. and Calonema (Lindl.) D.L. Jones and M.A. Clem. are invalid generic combinations as the name Calonema had already been used for a fungal genus. New taxa described herein include Ericksonella, Cyanicula subgenus Trilobatae, C. aperta, C. ixioides subsp. candida, × Cyanthera and × C. glossodioides. New combinations include Caladenia subgenus Stegostyla (D.L. Jones and M.A. Clem.) Hopper and A.P. Br., C. graniticola (Hopper and A.P. Br.) Hopper and A.P. Br., C. saccata (R.S. Rogers) Hopper & A.P. Br., C. orientalis (G.W. Carr) Hopper & A.P. Br., and C. villosissima (G.W. Carr) Hopper & A.P. Br., and Ericksonella saccharata (Reichb.f.) Hopper and A.P.Br.