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Thilo Krueger is a PhD student at Curtin University researching carnivorous plants, including plant-animal interactions, describing new species, and preparing assessments of the conservation status of potentially threatened species.Thilo became interested in carnivorous plants at 11 years old, after receiving a Venus flytrap as a birthday present from his parents. He quickly started to grow a collection of different species and tried to find as many species as possible in the wild during family holidays across Europe. However, he soon realised that central Europe only has a small selection of species.
After finishing high school, Thilo conducted a six-month field trip from Darwin to Perth. During this trip, he observed over 175 carnivorous plant species and even discovered several new ones. This life-changing experience heavily influenced his career and led to his decision to relocate to SW WA which is the world's hotspot for carnivorous plant diversity.
In this special presentation, Thilo will provide an overview of the recent taxonomic revision of the Drosera microphylla complex, enabled by crucial contributions by citizen scientists and social media. This group of closely related carnivorous plants only occurs in SW WA and most of them are rare, micro-endemic, and potentially threatened by habitat destruction and illegal collection.
Following two decades of fieldwork, thorough studies of herbarium collections around the world, and crucial contributions by citizen scientists and social media, it was recently established that the Drosera microphylla complex comprises nine distinct species, three times the number previously recognised. Two of these new species were re-discovered in the Wildflower Society’s Facebook group almost 170 years after they were collected by WA’s first resident botanist James Drummond. All nine species of the complex will be introduced with numerous pictures and information about their taxonomic history, potential threats, and how to find and identify them.
Please join us to hear from our guest speaker and meet up with other nature and wildflower enthusiasts.
Entry only $3 with supper provided and door prizes. Members and non-members welcome. Annual membership for students is just $10!
Doors open at 7:30pm at The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, Hope Road, Bibra Lake.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, Hope Road, Bibra Lake WA, 184 Hope Rd, Bibra Lake WA 6163, Australia,Perth, Western Australia
