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Tribute papersand maywell suitothertaxonomists makeanotherextremelyimportantcontribu- who are intimately conversant with subtle tion to the education of many botanical differences between taxa. However, 1 won- enthusiasts and naturalists in this part of der whether this medium will suit the Australia. I thoroughly commend it for its manyamateurenthusiasts who have grown treatmentofanextremelycomplexandcon- to depend on the author’s excellent line- tentiousgenusandhavenohesitation inrec- drawings of his previous texts. Only time ommending that it becomes a worthy addi- will tell whether this strategy has been tiontoanyenthusiast’sprofessional library. appropriate. In my opinion, and with regard to euca- K. Rule lypts, the Supplement has been profession- EucalyptusTaxonomist Email: ally assembled and presented logically. Over all, they enhance the text which will Dr John (Jack) Gordon George Douglas Palaeobotanist and Naturalist 2 June 1929- 6 February 2007 Jack Douglas was born at Colac, Victoria, to William and Lorna. He was the eldest child, brother to Elizabeth, Colin, Owen,and Ken. When the family moved to Melbourne he attended St Kevin’sCollege and then the University of Melbourne, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science. He married Anne Moore, his labo- ratory assistant, in 1960 and gained great happiness from his family life - his wife of 46 years, their six children and 16 grandchildren. In 1955 Jack began work with the Geological Survey of Victoria, specialising in fossil plants. Jack collected fossils extensively and was granted leave to undertake a PhD. He graduated in 1967. The thesis was published as a monograph that gained him a worldwide reputation. He published widely He was a life member ofthe Geological on hisresearch into palaeobotany andpaly- SocietyofVictoria. nology, with a record ofmore than 70 sci- Jack’s passion for fossil plants took him PenltainfticIspaTphaetr?s,. pHuibslibsohoedklbeyttWhheaFtNFCoVssiiln tihnatto athpelapnutblfiocssailrelnoacawlhiteynneitarbeYceaamewacsleainr 1983, remains as popular as ever. Jackalso danger ofbeing destroyed. This locality in was a contributor to Geology of Victoria. central Victoria contains the oldest vascu- Vol. 124(1)2007 45 NaturalistNote lar land plants in the world (420 million valuable resource by naturalists, students years old), including the world-famous andtourists. Atthetime ofhis death hewas Baragwanathia. It was Jack who pointed working on a book titled The Whales of out to the authorities the unique value of Warrnambooland was also President ofthe the site, which has recently been added to Warrnambool FieldNaturalistsClub. theNational Heritage Register. His love ofreading and writing, his thirst Jack served as President ofthe FNCV for learning, and storytelling reverberated from 1986 to 1988. This was an important with his audiences. Other pastimes includ- time in the Club's history as it sought to ed collecting firewood, fishing the southern reaffirm its role as the oldest continuous shores,andplayingwith hisgrandchildren. conservation society in Australia. When I Cancer caught up with Jack in the last (RW) joined the Council in 1993 Jack three years ofhis life. Despite this, hecon- served as a wise and active co-Councillor. tinued to play his regular Tuesday after- He was ofgreat help to me when 1 became noon tennis with the ‘sheilas’ at the President in 1995. During my four years as Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club. The self President, the Geology Group was strug- styled ‘Last Action Hero’ passed away on gling and Jack, along with another recently the court from heart disease. Appropriately deceased member. ProfessorNeil Archbold, he won the point. Dr John Gordon George helpedtoreactivateit. Douglas departed this world a legend in In retirement. Jack spent much ofhis time mostthingsheattempted. in Warrnambool. continuing his work on fossilplants, aswellasediting TheNatureof Anne Douglas, Warrnambool (Warrnambool Field Natur- with additionalcomments alists Club Inc., 2004) which is used as a from Rob Wallis Notes on recruitment in Sphacelaria biradiata Askenasy (Sphacclariales, Phaeophyceae) Sphacelaria biradiata (Fig. 1) is a small scrapings of selected stems, examined brown alga in the division Sphacelariales. using a compound microscope, did not Itgrowsup to 30 mm in length andmay be show any growths. Rocks were 30 - 50 cm epilithic or epizoic but is mainly epiphytic in length, 15-50 cm in width and were up on larger algae or seagrasses (Table 1). Its to 15 cm in height. The larger rocks recruitment and dispersal were investigat- required two people to move them. They ed in a rock pool on Glaneuse reefat Point were placed at various locations in relation Lonsdale, Victoria, to determine the dis- tance that propagules travelled. Propagules are any structure that can develop into another plant. Sphacelaria biradiata can reproduce by vegetative propagules (Fig. 2), which are small deciduous branchlets, as well as by spores (Fig. 3) and fertilisa- tion ofgametes (Figs. 4and 5). Eleven tagged Caulocystis uviferaplants, the main host of S. biradiata were , attached to rocks and placed into a study pool (Fig. 6). Each C. uvifera plant com- prised four to five stems completely devoid of S. biradiata. This was deter- Fig. 1. Sphacelaria biradiata epiphytic on mined visually with the naked eye, but Caulocystisuvifera 46 The Victorian Naturalist