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Telopea report 2011-2012Dr Elizabeth Brown - Botanist and Managing Editor The year 2011 saw the production of another specialist issue of Telopea (volume 13(3)) titled ‘Pacific cryptogams, with a focus on Fiji’. The only mention of flowering plants was incidental; if they provided a suitable substrate or vegetation cover they sneaked in! Dr Matt von Konrat of the Field Museum (Chicago) gathered experts from around the world and in a massive feat of organisation got them together in the same place at the same time (not once but several times now). Funded by agencies such as the National Geographic Committee, GBIF, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership, the Warwick Foundation, the New Zealand Agency for International Development and an anonymous donor, he has forged a collaboration with the South Pacific Regional Herbarium that aims to better document the cryptogamic flora of the Republic of Fiji. This issue of Telopea was the first in a series of publications. With the invaluable assistance of Debby McGerty (typesetting) and Karen Rinkel (cover design) we produced a 260 page issue with a distinctive and unique cover that Matt was able to hand to the donors, virtually on Christmas Eve. Nineteen authors, including two from the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, contributed and numerous others helped along the way. The Telopea committee tried their best to look interested as I enthused about taxa that have strange names. However, the figures speak volumes; more than 100 new records for Fiji and 48 extensions of range within the island group, the first fern checklist for more than 30 years and the first (ever) checklist of liverworts and hornworts. This will be the last issue that goes to the printers. In 2011 we began the process of online publishing, investigating electronic submission and management at the University of Sydney. Articles in the coming volume will be published electronically as they complete the arduous process of refereeing, revision, typesetting and proofing. At the end of the year they will be collated in to a volume that will be available as ‘print on demand’ hardcopy. |
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