2. an invitation… The Australian botanical community invites you to Melbourne, Australia July 2011 XVIII International Botanical Congress

3. The Australian flora …..  many endemics, and  strong Gondwanan element provides a unique opportunity full of inspiring experiences for everyone interested in botany

4. Its ancient landscape ….  Vast deserts & arid shrublands  Tropical and temperate rainforests  Floristically rich heathlands  Unique eucalypt forests

5. scientific program topics The scientific program will accommodate all aspects of the botanical sciences, particularly the core disciplinary areas of:  Ecology and the environment  Conservation and restoration biology  Population biology  Systematics and evolutionary biology  Physiology and phytochemistry  Botanical diversity and taxonomy  Cell Biology  Molecular Genetics  Physiology and Functional Genomics  Structure and Development  Botanical History  Ethnobotany  Bioinformatics, biological databases, knowledge management

6. What’s the current agenda in 2011 …  Systematics and botanical diversity in the genomics age  Genes and genome evolution  Restoration ecology  Urban plant ecology and conservation  Sustainable agriculture  Climate change  The rhizosphere  Function and development  Biosecurity – invasives and invasiveness  Evolution of gondwanic floras  Biogeography of Oceania  Tropical forests

7. Field trips …. Wide range of trips will be provided to cover:  Floristic diversity  Broad spectrum of vegetation communities  Endemic groups  Varying levels of “accommodation” and length of trip  Including New Zealand and New Caledonia