VMS -- Botany (f50v) Waratah

["Dana F. Scott" <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Telopea speciosissima, also known as Waratah in Australia, is a
wonderful match for the f50v botanical drawing in the VMS. I find myself
at the same time both delighted and somewhat stunned by this revelation.
The implications here may be considerable. This plant is indiginous to
New South Wales; however, from botanical history we learn that it was
first introduced in Europe by Sir James Smith in 1793. While it is
possible that Marco Polo may have gone to Australia, though this is
apparently not a verified historical fact, the Dutch navigator Plesart
did explore Western Australia in 1629. So, assuming that the match is
correct, unless a similar Genus/species of this plant could be found
elsewhere, such as in South Africa, it seems to me that there is a great
deal of fruit for thought here as it applies to the VMS.

Photo:
http://capricornica.com/plants/tel_spec.htm
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/630930713442/093.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/813340821461/059.html
http://waratah.www.nsw.gov.au/waratah.gif
http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL21/mar01-9a.html
http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL21/mar01-9c.html
http://wildflowers.ozthunder.com/rnp4.jpg
http://www.feca.org.au/telopea.htm
http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL14/jun99-5d.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/630930713442/091.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/813340821461/058.html
http://www.ausflorapacific.com.au/gemwar.html
http://waratah.www.nsw.gov.au/waratah.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/telopea-braidwood-brilliant/telopea-braidwood-brilliant4.html

http://www.anbg.gov.au/telopea-braidwood-brilliant/telopea-braidwood-brilliant3.html

http://www.anbg.gov.au/telopea-braidwood-brilliant/telopea-braidwood-brilliant1.html

http://www.biologie.uni-ulm.de/systax/dendrologie/Teloptrun.htm
http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL17/mar00-4e.html

Description:
http://www.anbg.gov.au/emblems/nsw.emblem.html
http://www.mountain-nursery.com.au/warainfo.htm
http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/load/oznative/msg0306370522348.html
http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL21/mar01-9.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/telopea-braidwood-brilliant/telopea-braidwood-brilliant.html

http://www.anbg.gov.au/acra/descriptions/acc403.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/acra/descriptions/acc322.html

Illustration:
http://www.mountain-nursery.com.au/images/telopea.htm
http://www.rareprintsgallery.com/Botanicals/Paxton/pax54.htm
http://www.museum-prints.com/english/start_eng/start_eng.htm?../detail3e/telopea.htm

Stamp:
http://www.anbg.gov.au/stamps/stamp.459.html
http://www.anbg.gov.au/stamps/stamp.359.html

Australian History:
http://www.aaa.com.au/hrh/aboriginal/hist1.shtml#Australia 1

Marco Polo:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/000724/mysteries/marco.htm
http://www.tk421.net/essays/polo.shtml

Regards,
Dana Scott