The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

Thousands of our native plants have no public photographs available. Here's why that matters

  • Written by Thomas Mesaglio, PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney
Thousands of our native plants have no public photographs available. Here's why that matters

For hundreds of years, botanists have collected plants to describe species and keep in herbaria across the world. But while physical plant specimens are irreplaceable[1], photographs of plants are also an invaluable resource for botanical research, conservation and education.

Photographs of plants capture information that can be lost from dead, dried plants, such as flower colour. They also provide ecological context and form the cornerstone of many field guides and education resources.

Man photographing plants in forest
Photographs are valuable for providing extra information, such as habitat and other species growing nearby. Peter Crowcroft

All plant species known to science have samples preserved in at least one herbarium. Under the scientific rules for naming species[2], a species is not recognised unless there is at least one specimen officially stored in a collection somewhere in the world.

Unfortunately, and perhaps surprisingly, many plants have never been photographed in the field. Just 53%[3] of the 125,000 known plant species in the Americas have field photographs in major online databases.

Given almost 40% of the world’s plant species[4] are threatened with extinction, there’s a strong impetus to photograph as many of these as possible before they disappear forever. Without photographs of these species in the field, many could go extinct without us even realising.

We were interested in how the Australian flora stacks up, so in our research, published today[5], we surveyed 33 major online databases. Most of these were resources created and maintained by professional botanists, such as New South Wales’ state herbarium portal PlantNET[6], but we also included some citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist[7].

Out of roughly 21,000 native Australian vascular plant species, a surprisingly large 3,715 (or 18%) did not have a single field photograph we could track down across our surveyed databases.

While most species across the southeastern states are well-photographed, Western Australia is the great frontier for unphotographed plants: 52% of all unphotographed species can be found in WA. The most incomplete plant family was Poaceae, the grasses, with 343 unphotographed species.

We identified three major “hotspots” for unphotographed Australian plants:

  • northern Australia, from the Kimberley to Arnhem Land

  • Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area

  • the Stirling Range and Fitzgerald River National Park in southwestern WA.

All three regions are characterised by remote environments that are often difficult to access.

Mountain range in southern Western Australia Western Australia’s Stirling Range, one of the major hotspots in Australia for unphotographed plant species. Thomas Mesaglio

Just as some animals[8] receive less research and conservation attention than others because they aren’t as charismatic, there is also a similar charisma deficit[9] for some types of plants. Many groups of Australian shrubs or trees with spectacular floral displays have comprehensive, or even complete, photographic records. For example, all 176 of Australia’s Banksia species have been photographed.

Large Banksia inflorescence The charismatic and well-photographed Banksia robur from NSW and Queensland. Greg Tasney

Conversely, small herbs, plants with tiny or dull flowers, or groups such as grasses or sedges tend to miss out on being photographed – some of them for a very long time indeed. Schoenus lanatus, for example, is a small sedge that grows across a vast stretch of coastal WA, from Perth all the way to the South Australian border. It was described in 1805 yet, more than two centuries later, it is still unphotographed in the field!

Read more: Conservation shouldn't be a popularity contest[10]

Although botanists and taxonomists take many photographs of plants, citizen scientists also have a crucial role to play in the documentation of our native flora, with organisations such as Desert Discovery[11] at the forefront. During last year’s expedition to Yeo Lake Nature Reserve[12] at the remote western edge of the Great Victoria Desert, the Desert Discovery team photographed hundreds of native plants, including five species on our unphotographed list.

One example is the daisy bush Olearia eremaea, which is only found in WA’s arid interior. First described in 1990[13] and illustrated with black-and-white line drawings, it was not until more than 30 years later that this species was first photographed, at Yeo Lake[14], a remote nature reserve roughly 200km northeast of Laverton.

Flowering daisy bush from the desert The first identified field photographs of Olearia eremaea, taken during the Desert Discovery expedition to Yeo Lake, Western Australia in 2022. Thomas Mesaglio

Of course, some of the species on our unphotographed list have in fact been photographed, but the images are not available in any of the 33 major databases we surveyed. These photographs may be slides in someone’s desk drawer or hard drive somewhere, appear in possibly out-of-print field guides and books, be behind paywalls in the scientific literature, or are not currently identified due to a lack of other comparison photos. This lack of discoverability is a problem, because these photos are very unlikely to be found by someone in the field trying to identify the species.

We have produced a searchable list[15] of Australian native plants lacking photographs. We hope this work stimulates both professional and citizen scientists to track down these species and add photographs to public, discoverable repositories such as iNaturalist[16].

But be warned: these aren’t easy treasure hunts. These species are a mix of very remote and often overlooked species – they are typically not famous or eyecatching. Finding them will take determination, botanical know-how, and a sturdy off-road vehicle.

But the pay-off would be well worth it – successful pictures would make their way into identification guides, allowing both citizen and professional scientists to identify, monitor and conserve these species into the future.

Read more: The 50 beautiful Australian plants at greatest risk of extinction — and how to save them[17]

References

  1. ^ irreplaceable (bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  2. ^ scientific rules for naming species (www.iapt-taxon.org)
  3. ^ Just 53% (www.nature.com)
  4. ^ plant species (www.nhm.ac.uk)
  5. ^ published today (nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  6. ^ PlantNET (plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au)
  7. ^ iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org)
  8. ^ some animals (theconversation.com)
  9. ^ charisma deficit (www.smh.com.au)
  10. ^ Conservation shouldn't be a popularity contest (theconversation.com)
  11. ^ Desert Discovery (desertdiscoveryinc.com.au)
  12. ^ Yeo Lake Nature Reserve (exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au)
  13. ^ described in 1990 (www.biodiversitylibrary.org)
  14. ^ Yeo Lake (exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au)
  15. ^ searchable list (docs.google.com)
  16. ^ iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org)
  17. ^ The 50 beautiful Australian plants at greatest risk of extinction — and how to save them (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-our-native-plants-have-no-public-photographs-available-heres-why-that-matters-199100

Times Magazine

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Times Features

Duke of Dural to Get Rooftop Bar as New Owners Invest in Venue Upgrade

The Duke of Dural, in Sydney’s north-west, is set for a major uplift under new ownership, following its acquisition by hospitality group Good Beer Company this week. Led by resp...

Prefab’s Second Life: Why Australia’s Backyard Boom Needs a Circular Makeover

The humble granny flat is being reimagined not just as a fix for housing shortages, but as a cornerstone of circular, factory-built architecture. But are our systems ready to s...

Melbourne’s Burglary Boom: Break-Ins Surge Nearly 25%

Victorian homeowners are being warned to act now, as rising break-ins and falling arrest rates paint a worrying picture for suburban safety. Melbourne residents are facing an ...

Exploring the Curriculum at a Modern Junior School in Melbourne

Key Highlights The curriculum at junior schools emphasises whole-person development, catering to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. It ensures early year...

Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself

If you’re feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, you’re not alone. But many of us can’t look away – and don’t want to. Engaging with news can help us make ...

The Role of Your GP in Creating a Chronic Disease Management Plan That Works

Living with a long-term condition, whether that is diabetes, asthma, arthritis or heart disease, means making hundreds of small decisions every day. You plan your diet against m...