Overview
In February 2020, Research Scientist Heidi Meudt and Collection Manager Antony Kusabs made botanical collections in Southland, Fiordland and Otago. They visited the following areas:
- Eyre Mountains
- Fiordland National Park
- Takitimu Mountains
- West Dome
- Harris Mountains
They were joined in their search at different places by visiting Spanish botantist Santiago Martin-Bravo, Department of Conservation botanists John Barkla and Brian Rance, Botanical Society of Otago member David Lyttle, Ahika botanist Mike Thorsen and Otago University student Cara-Lisa Schloots.
Twenty one populations of twelve native Myosotis species were located. A herbarium specimen and leaf samples for DNA research were collected for each species to help address key research questions as part of Te Papa's Myosotis research program.
Other indigenous and naturalised species were also collected as part of general Te Papa collection development to improve our knowledge of what grows where in New Zealand.
Most of the collection records and photos of plants we collected on this trip can be seen here (scroll down to "Related Objects" below).