Various approaches to forest management, which can generically be referred to as ‘community fores... more Various approaches to forest management, which can generically be referred to as ‘community forestry’, have become widely promoted in much of Asia in recent decades, but they have had mixed success in providing genuine benefits to the rural populations involved. One major limitation has been the limited recognition of local tenure and the associated lack of community decision-making power which limits the effective control of forest resources by the communities. Unlike the situation in most of Asia, rural people in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have legally recognised rights to land and forests under the nation’s Constitution. However, most commercial use of forests has been through concessions managed by the PNG Forest Authority. Royalties to communities are not always regarded as satisfactory by landowners and advocates, and much forest harvesting by concessionaires is frequently regarded as silviculturally unsustainable. One alternative approach that has been developed is ‘ecoforestry’ ...
Ted Henty, noted for his work in the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE), died aged 86 at E... more Ted Henty, noted for his work in the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE), died aged 86 at East Keilor, near Melbourne on 23 February 2002 after an illness of 6-8 months. Those dealing with New Guinea plants will know of his extensive collections in the NGF and subsequent LAE series from all over the country. The new Composite genus Piora from the alpine grasslands on Mt Piora was just one discovery made in 1963 with S. Carlquist. Those who knew Ted will consider him a fine field botanist, arguably one of the finest that has worked in Papua New Guinea. Not one to involve himself with revisionary studies, he was more concerned with the dissemination of floristic, practical and economic knowledge to the wider user (although with the intensive exploration of Papua New Guinea the opportunities were abundant, Ted never described a new taxon). [The only new combination I know of was made inadvertently: Digitaria microbachne Henrard var. calliblepharata (Henrard) Henrard ex Henty, Bot...
Four species of Tapeinochilos have been described from material collected in Wallacea. We designa... more Four species of Tapeinochilos have been described from material collected in Wallacea. We designate the lectotype of the genus, T. pungens, which was synonymized with T. ananassae in 1917 and add here T. teysmannianus as another synonym. The type of T. koordersianus from Sulawesi has been rediscovered at Herbarium Bogoriense and is identified as Etlingera heliconiifolia (Zingiberaceae), the combination of which is published here. After establishing that T. koordersianus applies to a species of Etlingera, there is no evidence that any species of Tapeinochilos occurs in the island of Sulawesi; the westernmost presence of the genus being in the Sula Islands represented by T. ananassae, the only species thus presently occurring in Wallacea.
This study investigates the species diversity, distribution, and community composition of birds i... more This study investigates the species diversity, distribution, and community composition of birds in different forest types in Papua New Guinea in response to environmental factors. The study further focused on individual feeding guilds. The analyzed data originate from 13 sites across the country. Each site was surveyed by standardized point count methods (seven point count 50-m radius points, 15 min per point). In total, we recorded 6,835 bird individuals belonging to 231 bird species. Specifically, this article addresses the results of surveys of bird communities of Forest Inventory from 13 sites that include the Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Morobe, and Madang provinces. We analyze these data in respect to various forest types that include disturbed and undisturbed selections. Across the complete study, the number of species rose rapidly for the first 40 point counts and then decelerated but continued to increase for the entire sampling, which means that not whole regional...
Tuberculosis has become a major health problem, in particular with the emergence of extremely dru... more Tuberculosis has become a major health problem, in particular with the emergence of extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDRTB). In our search for new therapeutic leads against TB, we isolated a new triterpene (1) from the plant Rhus taitensis collected in Papua New Guinea. Tetrahydroxysqualene (1) was isolated using bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanolic extract of R. taitensis leaves and twigs. The structure of tetrahydroxysqualene (1) was elucidated on the basis of HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Tetrahydroxysqualene (1) exhibited anti-tuberculosis activity with an MIC of 10.0 μg/mL while showing only modest cytotoxicity.
Account of the 3 species in Cibodas, Java; M. fasciculata is not aheterostylous form of M. caulif... more Account of the 3 species in Cibodas, Java; M. fasciculata is not aheterostylous form of M. cauliflora; lectotype specimens of M. fasciculata and M. javanica are indicated
The methanol extract of Melochia odorata yielded three 4-quinolone alkaloids including waltherion... more The methanol extract of Melochia odorata yielded three 4-quinolone alkaloids including waltherione A (1) and two new alkaloids, waltherione C (2) and waltherione D (3). Waltheriones A and C showed significant activities in an in vitro anti-HIV cytoprotection assay at concentrations of 56.2 and 0.84 μM, and inhibition of HIV P24 formation of more than 50% at 1.7 and 0.95 μM, respectively. The structures of the alkaloids were established by spectroscopic data interpretation. Quinolone-based agents have demonstrated antiviral activity. A review by Ahmed and Daneshtalab 1 of different quinolone-based antiviral structures contained the basic β-diketo 4-quinolones, which are active against human-immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), and the fluoroquinolones, which protect cells from HIV-mediated cytotoxicity. The review also cited several proposed mechanisms for these compounds, including inhibition of the transcription of proviral DNA into mRNA, inhibition of HIV integrase, and interference with post-integrational processes. Antiviral 2-quinolones, exemplified by efavirenz, are HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors. 2,3 In the present study, a set of 4-quinolones possessing activities against HIV-1 are presented. Under a drug discovery program targeting infectious diseases, known as the "Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG)" International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG), a cell-based anti-HIV assay 4,5 was used to screen botanical collections from PNG. A methanol extract of the stems and twigs of Melochia odorata L.f. (Sterculiaceae) was identified as active. Bioassay-guided isolation yielded quinolone alkaloids including waltherione A (1), and two new analogues that we named waltheriones C (2) and D (3).
Ixora amplexifolia (Ixoroideae, Rubiaceae), belongs to subgenus Sathroclamys, section Hypsophyllu... more Ixora amplexifolia (Ixoroideae, Rubiaceae), belongs to subgenus Sathroclamys, section Hypsophyllum. It is endemic to the northern part of Papua New Guinea (PNG). This paper updates the morphological description of the species to incorporate new fruit data, and review its alignment with its cohorts of section Hypsophyllum and their distribution in PNG.
International Journal of Crude Drug Research, 1989
The New Ireland Province is situated about 400 miles (640 km) north east of the New Guinea mainla... more The New Ireland Province is situated about 400 miles (640 km) north east of the New Guinea mainland. It lies between the equator and latitude 5” S, and longitudes 149-154” E and is almost 400 square miles in area. It arcs New Britain island to its south and east, ...
Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants, 2009
The Milne Bay Archipelago includes a series of larger islands-Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby... more The Milne Bay Archipelago includes a series of larger islands-Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby (collectively called the D'Entrecasteaux Islands); the northern chain of island groups-Trobriand and Woodlark; and the southeastern chain-the Louisiade Archipelago-which includes Misima, Rossel, and Sudest. Within the archipelago there are thousands of smaller, often unnamed, islands. The vegetation includes mangrove and coastal rainforest, lowland tropical rainforest and lower montane rainforest. Higher altitude vegetation types are confined to the D'Entrecasteaux Islands. Mt Vinevo (Goodenough Island), the highest mountain in the archipelago, reaches a height of 2 566 m (Table 1). Several islands have extensive areas of limestone and ultramafic floras which are poorly collected. With the extension of mining activities plant species on the ultramafics are threatened with extinction. HISToRy of BoTAnICAL ExpLoRATIon The first European explorer to sight the d'Entrecasteaux Islands was Rear Admiral Bruny d'Entrecasteau in 1793. Early European settlement in the islands dates back to a group of missionaries who established a Catholic Mission station on Woodlark Island from 1854-1856. There are no records of any botanical specimens being collected during this period. Captain John Moresby visited the area in 1874.
Various approaches to forest management, which can generically be referred to as ‘community fores... more Various approaches to forest management, which can generically be referred to as ‘community forestry’, have become widely promoted in much of Asia in recent decades, but they have had mixed success in providing genuine benefits to the rural populations involved. One major limitation has been the limited recognition of local tenure and the associated lack of community decision-making power which limits the effective control of forest resources by the communities. Unlike the situation in most of Asia, rural people in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have legally recognised rights to land and forests under the nation’s Constitution. However, most commercial use of forests has been through concessions managed by the PNG Forest Authority. Royalties to communities are not always regarded as satisfactory by landowners and advocates, and much forest harvesting by concessionaires is frequently regarded as silviculturally unsustainable. One alternative approach that has been developed is ‘ecoforestry’ ...
Ted Henty, noted for his work in the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE), died aged 86 at E... more Ted Henty, noted for his work in the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE), died aged 86 at East Keilor, near Melbourne on 23 February 2002 after an illness of 6-8 months. Those dealing with New Guinea plants will know of his extensive collections in the NGF and subsequent LAE series from all over the country. The new Composite genus Piora from the alpine grasslands on Mt Piora was just one discovery made in 1963 with S. Carlquist. Those who knew Ted will consider him a fine field botanist, arguably one of the finest that has worked in Papua New Guinea. Not one to involve himself with revisionary studies, he was more concerned with the dissemination of floristic, practical and economic knowledge to the wider user (although with the intensive exploration of Papua New Guinea the opportunities were abundant, Ted never described a new taxon). [The only new combination I know of was made inadvertently: Digitaria microbachne Henrard var. calliblepharata (Henrard) Henrard ex Henty, Bot...
Four species of Tapeinochilos have been described from material collected in Wallacea. We designa... more Four species of Tapeinochilos have been described from material collected in Wallacea. We designate the lectotype of the genus, T. pungens, which was synonymized with T. ananassae in 1917 and add here T. teysmannianus as another synonym. The type of T. koordersianus from Sulawesi has been rediscovered at Herbarium Bogoriense and is identified as Etlingera heliconiifolia (Zingiberaceae), the combination of which is published here. After establishing that T. koordersianus applies to a species of Etlingera, there is no evidence that any species of Tapeinochilos occurs in the island of Sulawesi; the westernmost presence of the genus being in the Sula Islands represented by T. ananassae, the only species thus presently occurring in Wallacea.
This study investigates the species diversity, distribution, and community composition of birds i... more This study investigates the species diversity, distribution, and community composition of birds in different forest types in Papua New Guinea in response to environmental factors. The study further focused on individual feeding guilds. The analyzed data originate from 13 sites across the country. Each site was surveyed by standardized point count methods (seven point count 50-m radius points, 15 min per point). In total, we recorded 6,835 bird individuals belonging to 231 bird species. Specifically, this article addresses the results of surveys of bird communities of Forest Inventory from 13 sites that include the Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Morobe, and Madang provinces. We analyze these data in respect to various forest types that include disturbed and undisturbed selections. Across the complete study, the number of species rose rapidly for the first 40 point counts and then decelerated but continued to increase for the entire sampling, which means that not whole regional...
Tuberculosis has become a major health problem, in particular with the emergence of extremely dru... more Tuberculosis has become a major health problem, in particular with the emergence of extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDRTB). In our search for new therapeutic leads against TB, we isolated a new triterpene (1) from the plant Rhus taitensis collected in Papua New Guinea. Tetrahydroxysqualene (1) was isolated using bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanolic extract of R. taitensis leaves and twigs. The structure of tetrahydroxysqualene (1) was elucidated on the basis of HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Tetrahydroxysqualene (1) exhibited anti-tuberculosis activity with an MIC of 10.0 μg/mL while showing only modest cytotoxicity.
Account of the 3 species in Cibodas, Java; M. fasciculata is not aheterostylous form of M. caulif... more Account of the 3 species in Cibodas, Java; M. fasciculata is not aheterostylous form of M. cauliflora; lectotype specimens of M. fasciculata and M. javanica are indicated
The methanol extract of Melochia odorata yielded three 4-quinolone alkaloids including waltherion... more The methanol extract of Melochia odorata yielded three 4-quinolone alkaloids including waltherione A (1) and two new alkaloids, waltherione C (2) and waltherione D (3). Waltheriones A and C showed significant activities in an in vitro anti-HIV cytoprotection assay at concentrations of 56.2 and 0.84 μM, and inhibition of HIV P24 formation of more than 50% at 1.7 and 0.95 μM, respectively. The structures of the alkaloids were established by spectroscopic data interpretation. Quinolone-based agents have demonstrated antiviral activity. A review by Ahmed and Daneshtalab 1 of different quinolone-based antiviral structures contained the basic β-diketo 4-quinolones, which are active against human-immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), and the fluoroquinolones, which protect cells from HIV-mediated cytotoxicity. The review also cited several proposed mechanisms for these compounds, including inhibition of the transcription of proviral DNA into mRNA, inhibition of HIV integrase, and interference with post-integrational processes. Antiviral 2-quinolones, exemplified by efavirenz, are HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors. 2,3 In the present study, a set of 4-quinolones possessing activities against HIV-1 are presented. Under a drug discovery program targeting infectious diseases, known as the "Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG)" International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG), a cell-based anti-HIV assay 4,5 was used to screen botanical collections from PNG. A methanol extract of the stems and twigs of Melochia odorata L.f. (Sterculiaceae) was identified as active. Bioassay-guided isolation yielded quinolone alkaloids including waltherione A (1), and two new analogues that we named waltheriones C (2) and D (3).
Ixora amplexifolia (Ixoroideae, Rubiaceae), belongs to subgenus Sathroclamys, section Hypsophyllu... more Ixora amplexifolia (Ixoroideae, Rubiaceae), belongs to subgenus Sathroclamys, section Hypsophyllum. It is endemic to the northern part of Papua New Guinea (PNG). This paper updates the morphological description of the species to incorporate new fruit data, and review its alignment with its cohorts of section Hypsophyllum and their distribution in PNG.
International Journal of Crude Drug Research, 1989
The New Ireland Province is situated about 400 miles (640 km) north east of the New Guinea mainla... more The New Ireland Province is situated about 400 miles (640 km) north east of the New Guinea mainland. It lies between the equator and latitude 5” S, and longitudes 149-154” E and is almost 400 square miles in area. It arcs New Britain island to its south and east, ...
Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants, 2009
The Milne Bay Archipelago includes a series of larger islands-Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby... more The Milne Bay Archipelago includes a series of larger islands-Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby (collectively called the D'Entrecasteaux Islands); the northern chain of island groups-Trobriand and Woodlark; and the southeastern chain-the Louisiade Archipelago-which includes Misima, Rossel, and Sudest. Within the archipelago there are thousands of smaller, often unnamed, islands. The vegetation includes mangrove and coastal rainforest, lowland tropical rainforest and lower montane rainforest. Higher altitude vegetation types are confined to the D'Entrecasteaux Islands. Mt Vinevo (Goodenough Island), the highest mountain in the archipelago, reaches a height of 2 566 m (Table 1). Several islands have extensive areas of limestone and ultramafic floras which are poorly collected. With the extension of mining activities plant species on the ultramafics are threatened with extinction. HISToRy of BoTAnICAL ExpLoRATIon The first European explorer to sight the d'Entrecasteaux Islands was Rear Admiral Bruny d'Entrecasteau in 1793. Early European settlement in the islands dates back to a group of missionaries who established a Catholic Mission station on Woodlark Island from 1854-1856. There are no records of any botanical specimens being collected during this period. Captain John Moresby visited the area in 1874.
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