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Wayne Haslam holds a truffle to be proud of (Photo: Paul Henderson-Kelly)
A truffle to be proud of. (Photo: Paul Henderson-Kelly)

At the next Thursday Talk we'll hear about truffles - the emerging truffle industry in Australia and its Canberra region focus.

Truffles have been around for more than 90 million years and there are many hundreds of truffle species in the world. They mature in winter and provide winter food for forest-dwelling animals.

Truffle production is a relatively new and emerging export industry in Australia, yet in 20 years we have become the fourth largest producer of black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), in the world.

Wayne Haslam, of Bluefrog Truffles, will talk about his experience and understanding of the cultivation of truffles in the Canberra region, and his involvement in the Australian truffle industry.

The talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette on 23 March at 12:30pm. The booking link for this talk is https://www.trybooking.com/CELUU

Falling over orchids!

Oberonia titania and neighbouring cryptogams on Norfolk Island
Oberonia titania and neighbouring cryptogams on Norfolk Island (photo: Heide Zimmer)

Dr Heide Zimmer will present the Thursday Talk this week on ‘Orchids of Norfolk Island and their place within the Australasian Orchidaceae’.

(This talk was originally set for February 2nd.)

Norfolk Island has high orchid species richness and endemism, relative to other oceanic islands. Despite being about half the size of Belconnen, Norfolk Island has 12 orchid species, at least nine of which are likely to be endemic.

Heidi, of the Australian National Herbarium, will talk about her recent fieldwork on Norfolk Island (alongside Mark Clements), from retracing the steps of Ferdinand Bauer in 1804, to finding the critically endangered Adelopetalum apetalum, to literally falling over orchids on well-worn walking tracks!

Dr Heidi Zimmer is an ecologist, botanist and lately an orchid taxonomist working at the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research at the Australian National Herbarium.

The booking link for this talk is https://www.trybooking.com/CELUT. Bookings can be made until the Wednesday night before the talk, or until seating limits are reached. 

Amazing Women in the World of Plants

Ellis Rowan outdoors sketching, 1887
Ellis Rowan sketching Mary Moule sitting on the ground, 1887, nla.cat-vn1819529 (detail)

Celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March by joining a free guided walk.

Learn about some of the pioneering female researchers, scientists, artists and writers who contributed to the study of plants. See some of the plants that they collected, wrote about or painted.

The picture shows Ellis Rowan, an Australian painter famous (even in her own time) for her botanical works, and an accomplished author, naturalist, and explorer. The Ellis Rowan building at the Gardens was named in her honour.

The walks will take place between 6 – 12 March at 11am – 12pm and 2pm – 3pm

No bookings are required for individuals, but groups of more than six people should contact walks@friendsanbg.org.au a week before the planned walk. Meet at the clock near the bridge.

Library Connect, February 2023

Tue, 28/02/2023 - 2:44pm — friendseditor

This month's Library Connect has the usual listing of new books, a video of a tiny, wooden device designed to plant seeds in remote locations, and a reminder to return all completed field notebooks. The library is staffed Mon - Fri 9.30 - 4.30.  Alex can be contacted on 02 6250 9480 or by email if you need assistance.  The “click and collect” boxes in the Visitor Centre are still available for returning items, and Alex is very happy to leave items there for collection if that’s easier than visiting the library.

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