Alex George – My Life in Botany

Alex George became interested in the native orchids around his home as a child, which led surprisingly to a Bachelor of Arts, then back to Botany at the Western Australian Herbarium. Since then Alex has traveled and collected plants through most of Western Australia.

Alex has been Editor of the Flora of Australia, named over 200 new species of flowering plants and written at least 10 books. His achievements include revising the iconic genus Banksia and the Feather Flowers (Verticordia) and being always interested in promoting our wildflowers to the public.

As part of Perth Branch’s theme for 2018 speakers are asked to talk about why they became involved with wildflowers, and Alex will revisit his “early years” as a Botanist, often being the first trained botanist in many areas with John Beard the then Director of Kings Park, in what was a very unknown Wildflower State.

John liked scale in his photos so you can spot many young WA botanists of the 1960s to 1970s, including Alex, in his plant and landscape photos published in ‘Plant Life in Western Australia’ (J Beard 1990). This book was reprinted in 2015 edited by Alex George and Neil Gibson with names for most of the people that provided scale. (Photo above of Alex in 1967.)

Meetings of the Perth Branch of the Society are held on the second Tuesday of each month in the Subiaco Community Centre across the road from Crossways Shopping centre in Bagot Road. Doors open at 7.45pm and the meeting begins at 8pm. Supper is served after the talk and everyone is eligible for the night’s door prize. You do not need to be a member of the Society to attend, entry requiring a $2 door donation.