Register      Login
Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > Australian Journal of Botany

Australian Journal of Botany

Australian Journal of Botany

Australian Journal of Botany is an international journal for publication of original research in plant science. The journal publishes in the areas of ecology and ecophysiology; invasive biology; conservation biology and biodiversity; forest biology and management; cell and molecular biology; palaeobotany and biogeography; reproductive biology and genetics; mycology and pathology; structure and development; and aquatic botany. Read more about the journalMore

Editors-in-Chief: John Morgan and Mark Ooi

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

Are you eligible for APC-free Open Access?

Download our Journal Metrics (PDF, 533MB)

Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Australian Journal of Botany is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 04 August 2025

BT25022Novel root clusters in the grasstree Kingia australis (Dasypogonaceae) increase the root surface:volume ratio by 70 times

Byron B. Lamont 0000-0001-9279-7149, Andrew Weinert and Helen Duff
 

Typical root cluster produced by the grasstree, Kingia australis, exposed by erosion of the banks of the Sabina River.

Unusual clusters of roots produced by the grasstree, Kingia australis, endemic to south-western Australia, were recently exposed by erosion of the banks of the Sabina River, 230 km south of Perth. The clusters average 8.4 × 5.5 cm in size, possessing >500 extremely hairy rootlets, with 260 per m3 of soil. Concentrated in the subsoil and perennial, the root clusters appear to enhance water and nutrient uptake throughout the year but there is a great deal yet to be learned about these novel root structures. Photograph by Byron Lamont.

BT25022 Abstract  |  BT25022 Full Text  | BT25022PDF (2.8 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 28 July 2025

BT24090Functional traits in arborescent Cactaceae: a guideline for their measurement

Walter F. Paredes Cubas 0000-0002-8468-8847, Kyle G. Dexter, Carlos Reynel Rodríguez, R. Toby Pennington and José Luis Marcelo Peña
 

An arid valley harboring endemic multi-stemmed cactus species threatened by combined climatic and human pressures.

The study of cacti is key to understanding how plants survive in extreme environments and how they interact with their surroundings. This article analyzes how these species have developed unique adaptations to thrive in arid zones and proposes a methodological guide for measuring their functional characteristics. The procedures described offer a useful tool to complement plant ecology studies and support conservation actions in dry ecosystems, especially in contexts of increasing anthropogenic pressure and climate change. Photograph by José Luis Marcelo Peña.

BT24090 Abstract  |  BT24090 Full Text  | BT24090PDF (989 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 25 July 2025

BT25005Control of African lovegrass by flupropanate in a flora conservation context

Carl R. Gosper 0000-0002-0962-5117, Julia Cullity and Grazyna Paczkowska
 

Photographs of control and treatment plots containing Eragrostis curvula, and graph showing treatment effects.

Two application rates of the herbicide flupropanate were tested for the control of invasive African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) in a conservation context in Mediterranean-climate south-western Australia. Flupropanate was effective in controlling African lovegrass, with no significant off-target effects detected at a plant community or functional group level. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding the use of flupropanate for invasive grass management. Photograph by G. Paczkowska.

BT25005 Abstract  |  BT25005 Full Text  | BT25005PDF (1.4 MB)  | BT25005Supplementary Material (368 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 27 June 2025

BT25020Phosphite for the prevention of disease caused by Phytophthora species in six rare or threatened species. Will it kill or cure?

K. L. McDougall 0000-0002-8288-6444 and E. C. Y. Liew
 

Hibbertia circinata plants showing phytotoxicity symptoms on leaves after phosphite spraying.

Phytophthora species are oomycete root pathogens, which can cause great harm to threatened plant species populations. The chemical phosphite can reduce the harm by increasing plant resistance but it can also be phytotoxic. Our glasshouse study of six rare or threatened species showed that phosphite has variable effectiveness but the severe phytotoxic effects on some species highlights the need to find alternative control options. Photograph by Ed Liew.

BT25020 Abstract  |  BT25020 Full Text  | BT25020PDF (465 KB)  | BT25020Supplementary Material (241 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 20 June 2025

BT24087Reductions in fitness due to an endoparasitic plant are comparable to the impacts of hemiparasites

P. G. Ladd 0000-0002-7730-9685 and M. E. Andrew
 

Daviesia angulata parasitised by Pilostyles hamiltoniorum, evidenced by the small, black old flowers of the parasite.

The endoparasite Pilostyles hamiltoniorum severely reduced reproductive output of the host Daviesia angulata. The main effect was reduction in the number of host flowers that resulted in reduced fruit set. The effect of the endoparasite was as detrimental to the host as was that of other types of parasites that have much larger vegetative plant bodies. Photograph by Philip Ladd.

BT24087 Abstract  |  BT24087 Full Text  | BT24087PDF (1.6 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 13 June 2025

BT25001Seedling survival and growth phenology in a monocarpic tree species, Cerberiopsis candelabra (Apocynaceae)

Camille Salmon 0000-0002-7751-112X, Patrick Heuret 0000-0002-7956-0451, Vanessa Hequet 0000-0003-3794-6089 and Sandrine Isnard 0000-0003-3142-2671
 

BT25001_toc.jpg

Cerberiopsis candelabra, a species endemic to New Caledonia, is one of the world’s rare monocarpic trees. This canopy tree flowers once and subsequently dies. The survival and growth rate of seedlings are significant preconditions for the maintaintenance of this strategy in tropical forests. We found that this species has a high survival rate to maintain high seedling density and we show that seedling growth is continuous but strongly responsive to climate seasonality. Image by authors.

BT25001 Abstract  | PDF (11.7 MB) - $35.00 
Published online 05 June 2025

BT24027Microhabitat traits and herbivory of Calodesma collaris (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) affect the establishment of Vriesea incurvata (Bromeliaceae) plants translocated to the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil

Márcio Hisayuki Sasamori, Delio Endres Júnior 0000-0002-1067-4362, Silvana Vargas do Amaral, Simeão Moraes and Annette Droste 0000-0001-8866-1599
 

Herbivory affects V. incurvata survival and development differently in forest interior versus gallery forest.

Vriesea incurvata is an epiphytic tank bromeliad endemic to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, a biodiversity hotspot with about 90% of its domain altered. We evaluate the influence of herbivory on the survival and development of micropropagated V. incurvata translocated into two micro-environments: (1) gallery forest; and (2) forest interior. Herbivory by Calodesma collaris, together with abiotic factors, exerts differential pressure on translocated populations, with a lesser negative impact in the gallery forest. Greater spacing between plants attached to the phorophyte, in trees scattered throughout the forest fragment, might minimise the impact of caterpillars on the translocated population. Image by Márcio Hisayuki Sasamori and Delio Endres Júnior.

BT24027 Abstract  | PDF (1.5 MB) - $35.00 
Published online 29 May 2025

BT24082The assembly of the vegetation near the treeline during the Late Glacial and Holocene in south-central Tasmania

G. A. Astorga 0000-0003-2923-8787, G. J. Jordan and A. Martel-Cea
 

Photographs of selected fossil bryophytes from Lake Dobson.

The study investigated the history of alpine and subalpine plants in south-central Tasmania over the past 15,000 years. By analysing fossil plant remains from Lake Dobson in Mount Field National Park researchers have uncovered evidence suggesting that the modern configuration of the vegetation near the treeline was reached c. 6000 years ago. These findings emphasise the individualistic plant responses and strategies during a time of significant environmental transformation, allowing us to understand how fast plant species can respond to such changes. Photographs by G. A. Astorga.

BT24082 Abstract  | PDF (5.4 MB) - $35.00   | BT24082Supplementary Material (411 KB)
Published online 13 May 2025

BT24083How soil fungal communities respond to invasive plant species treatments in soil from Banksia woodland, south-western Australia

Aaron J. Brace 0000-0001-9552-5800, Katinka X. Ruthrof, Joseph B. Fontaine, Ben P. Miller 0000-0002-8569-6697 and Anna J. M. Hopkins
 

Treatments and metrics used to observe herbicide effects on soil fungal communities in bare or planted pots.

Invasive species are mostly controlled by herbicides that may result in non-target effects on essential soil fungi. Diverse fungal communities were obtained from a native tree and invasive grass species for herbicide testing. Herbicides containing pelargonic acid decreased species richness and Shannon diversity and fluazifop-p-butyl herbicides increased the relative abundance of pathogenic fungi. Photograph by Aaron Brace.

BT24083 Abstract  |  BT24083 Full Text  | BT24083PDF (2.3 MB)  | BT24083Supplementary Material (922 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 01 May 2025

BT24079Plant competition reshapes nitrogen utilisation in native Vachellia nilotica (Fabaceae)

Anathi Magadlela 0000-0002-1381-2054, Zinhle Lembede, Zivanai Tsvuura 0000-0003-1852-4737, Naledi Zama, Nqobile Motsomane and María A. Pérez-Fernández
 

A diagram showing the effect of soil P and competition with a grass species on V. nilotica.

Vachellia nilotica, a nitrogen-fixing tree, can improve nutrient-poor soils in grasslands but faces challenges from nutrient deficiencies and competition with important grasses such as red oat grass/kangaroo grass. The tree grows better in phosphorus-rich soil and forms nodules for nitrogen fixation, whereas nutrient-poor soil and grass competition reduce growth and nitrogen efficiency. This study highlights how low soil phosphorus content and plant competition with grass species can reshape legume growth and nitrogen source utilisation. Photograph by Naledi Zama.

BT24079 Abstract  | PDF (1.2 MB) - $35.00   | BT24079Supplementary Material (494 KB)
Published online 29 April 2025

BT24059Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.) invasion has only a small effect on the diversity of a subalpine grassland

Keith L. McDougall 0000-0002-8288-6444, Jackie Miles and Genevieve T. Wright
 

Leucanthemum vulgare (ox-eye daisy) invasion of subalpine grassland in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales.

Leucanthemum vulgare (ox-eye daisy) has become highly invasive in subalpine communities in Kosciuszko National Park, Australia. We conducted experiments to assess the effects of its addition and removal on grassland diversity, finding that it can cause a reduction in diversity following disturbance and that herbicide effects are temporary. Despite the effects we identified, the grassland vegetation appears to be generally resilient to ox-eye daisy invasion. Photograph by Keith McDougall.

BT24059 Abstract  |  BT24059 Full Text  | BT24059PDF (2.1 MB)  | BT24059Supplementary Material (1000 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 11 March 2025

BT24020Implications of varroa mite establishment for Australian plants and their persistence

Tom Le Breton 0000-0001-9353-0067, Amy-Marie Gilpin, Chantelle Doyle and Mark K.J. Ooi 0000-0002-3046-0417
 

Distribution of European honeybee (yellow) and varroa mite (red) in Australia, and potential for viral spread.

Varroa mite, a parasite associated with the collapse of European honeybee populations globally, has recently become established in Australia and will inevitably spread across the country. If feral honeybee populations drastically decline across Australia there may be serious consequences for native plant species in terms of their reproductive ecology and conservation. We highlight potential consequences of the spread of varroa mite, and knowledge gaps and research opportunities to prevent avoidable negative impacts on Australian flora. Illustration by Juan Camilo.

BT24020 Abstract  |  BT24020 Full Text  | BT24020PDF (663 KB)  | BT24020Supplementary Material (229 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 06 March 2025

BT24060An assessment of the accuracy of satellite-derived woody and grass foliage cover estimates for Australia

Randall J. Donohue 0000-0002-9901-9136 and Luigi J. Renzullo
 

A 22-year history of total, woody and grass foliage cover for a Eucalyptus mallee woodland site in western Victoria.

Reasonably accurate predictions of the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of green foliage cover can be made from satellite imagery. We have produced fortnightly, Australia-wide woody and grass foliage cover layers for the past 24 years and have assessed their accuracy across a range of vegetation types and productivity gradients. Data are publicly available. Image by Randall Donohue.

BT24060 Abstract  |  BT24060 Full Text  | BT24060PDF (14.8 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 21 February 2025

BT24064Habitat for the endangered ephemeral Monotaxis macrophylla (Euphorbiaceae) in New South Wales: how do predictions compare with the evidence?

Stephen A. J. Bell 0000-0001-9315-724X
 

Flowering shoot of Monotaxis macrophylla

The endangered short-lived, ephemeral herb Monotaxis macrophylla is detectable only after fire or ground disturbance and has been attributed to 262 Plant Community Types in NSW for regulatory purposes. A review of evidence for occurrence has concluded that only 15 PCTs might be expected to support the species, substantially altering survey and assessment requirements. Photograph by Stephen Bell.

BT24064 Abstract  |  BT24064 Full Text  | BT24064PDF (1.3 MB)  | BT24064Supplementary Material (1 MB)   Open Access Article

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Most Read

The Most Read ranking is based on the number of downloads in the last 60 days from papers published on the CSIRO PUBLISHING website within the last 12 months. Usage statistics are updated daily.

Collections

Rare Plants

The conservation, management and recovery of rare and threatened species is complex and requires an understanding of many aspects of a species biology. It is also important to understand key threats to population and species persistence. This Collection of papers from the Australian Journal of Botany highlight three important research areas for plant conservation and recovery – genetics, ecology and ex-situ conservation.

Last Updated: 17 Nov 2016

Committee on Publication Ethics

Submit Article

Visit the journal’s submission site

Australian Journal of Botany Submissions

Submit in the format of your choice with Format-Free Submission.

Best Student Paper

The Best Student Paper published in 2024 has been awarded to Chieh Lin.

Advertisement