Expeditions and other fieldwork

Irian Jaya — The collections, some 1200, of the recent expedition to Irian Jaya for the Biodiversity Project with RTZ/Freeport by K have arrived in K with the exception of those that come under CITES regulations, which are expected to arrive a considerable time later. There are also some 250 specimens in spirit for anatomical work and Dr. R.J. Johns is preparing a list of these for circulation. A collection of note is that of Papuacalia carstenszensis (Compositae), an endemic only 3 times collected before, not so rare in the field at all, but usually not flowering. The 1998 expedition left at the end of July. The first reports (September) say that despite local difficulties such as strikes, floods, and heavy rain the collecting has been excellent. Participants are Ms. C. Barker, Dr. J.H. Beaman, Dr. R.E. Johns, Mr. M. Sands, (all K), Mr. R. Woodman (LCD), and Ms. R. Wise (Plant Sciences, Oxford), and two employees of BO.