Plant Identification Procedure

When identifying plants that may be species on the National Pest Plant Accord, the initial identification is to be undertaken by an Authorised Person. The Authorised Person may decide to:

A) Take action under the Biosecurity Act based on their identification; or
B) Wait for the confirmation of the identification before taking action

A decision to take action immediately will require the Authorised Person to be confident that they have identified the plant as an unwanted organism and immediate action is required.

In all cases where identification by an Authorised Person is in question, whether or not action has been taken by the Authorised Person based on their own identification, a formal identification from recommended identification provider will be required. It is also recommended that photographs are taken, especially for specimens with features that may deteriorate.

Financial arrangements for identification remain the responsibility of the organisation to which the Authorised Person belongs.

Information on how to collect and send specimens for identification is available from the recommended identification providers or from MAF Biosecurity New Zealand.

Once identification is confirmed, a specimen must be lodged in a recognised herbarium (i.e. member of the NZ Herbarium Network) and also photographed if possible (particularly in the case of aquatics or other species where features may be lost when the specimen is processed). The original sample collector must also send confirmation to MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, including the herbarium number of the specimen.

Current recommended providers

Auckland War Memorial Museum - key contact Ewen Cameron (Curator)

• Attn: Ewen Cameron
  Herbarium
  Auckland War Memorial Museum
  Private Bag 92018 (postal address)
  The Auckland Domain (physical address)
  Parnell
  Auckland
• Telephone: 09 309 0443
  Fax: 09 379 9956

Landcare Research Plant Identification Service - key contact Ines Schoenberger

• Attn: Plant Identification Service
  Landcare Research
  PO Box 40 (postal address)
  Gerald Street (physical address)
  Lincoln 7640
• Phone: 03 321 9999
  Fax: 03 321 9998

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) (aquatic plants only) - key contact Paul Champion

• Attn: Paul Champion (mark URGENT)
  National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
  PO Box 11-115 (postal address)
  Gate 10 Silverdale Road, Hillcrest (physical address)
  Hamilton
• Phone: 07 856 7026
  Fax: 07 856 0151

Criteria for plant recommended providers

The criteria for recommended providers are as follows:

1) The person doing the identification has to be experienced at botanical identification

2) The person doing the identification has to have access to an institution with

• (a) The required literature; and
• (b) A recognised reference collection (herbarium or in some cases a living collection)

Anyone who wishes to be listed as a recommended provider must submit a request to MAF Biosecurity New Zealand with an explanation to show that they meet the criteria. If approved, they will be added to the list of recommended providers.

Page last updated: 18 September 2008