Seed seized by AQIS - Australian Quarantine

[arillady]

Just wondering if any of the seeds that I had seized are a synonym for another that might be permitted.
Ornithogalum schelkovnikovii
Narcissus varduliensis (I believe this is a cross Rafa)
Eremurus Thiodanthus
Antirrhinum tortosum
Albuca namaquensis
If any of these are already in Australia I do not see why they might have been seized.
I should have checked ICON before ordering.

[John Kitt]

Pat,
I also had some seized
Campanula Burghalti
Campanula Dolomitica
Dianthus arvernesis
Dianthus oschtenicus
Gentiana sino

All were part of a "surplus seed" order so I had no opportunity really to avoid any prohibited seeds.

I did some checking on the ICON data base and, without wasting too much time on that,  I came to the conclusion that these are NOT listed on ICON and so are rejected. As to whether they should be rejected or not I think is an argument that we are unlikely to win.

Given I had four packages come through  - two were opened, two weren't - suggests it is a bit of the luck of the draw.  In future I'll be a little more careful.

[Diane Clement]

Just wondering if any of the seeds that I had seized are a synonym for another that might be permitted.

Here's some possible synonyms to try for, Pat:
Ornithogalum schelkovnikovii = Ornithogalum arcuatum Steven (Kew database)
Narcissus varduliensis = Narcissus pseudonarcissus subsp. leonensis (Pugsley) Fern.Casas & Laínz (Kew database) - Rafa might disagree   
Eremurus thiodanthus is an accepted name on Kew list
Antirrhinum tortosum is an accepted name on IPNI
Albuca namaquensis is accepted but a synonym for Ornithogalum namaquense (Baker) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt

hope that helps you to free up some of your seeds

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Pat,

John is unfortunately right on winning arguments with AQIS. If the name isn't on ICON then it isn't permitted. The only way to get things on the list, apart from finding it a synonym (and Kew database is a good place to start), is to submit the species you would like to have added via the risk assessment process. Thats how most of the others got on and if more people take the time to do this the more get on and everybody benefits.

Marcus

[Hillview croconut]

PS It greatly improves your chances of a positive risk assessment if you can prove the plant already exists in Australia. A catalogue entry or a citation or a photograph from yours or someone else's collection is very helpful.
Another useful tactic in the case of already well represented genera in Australia is to point out that a significant proportion, or 95% of all known species, already exist here and none have proven a weed or disease host risk so the risk from a new species introduction would be reasonably expected, on probabilty, to be zero.

[Lesley Cox]

Wish it were so easy here. The risk assessment alone now costs $1600 per species!

[John Kitt]

At the risk of having somebody hammering at my door............

My strategy as a relative neophyte to growing from seed I would this year order a fair number of items that would give me relatively instant success so I wouldn't have to wait a year or three for seeds to come up.

I ordered a number of Dianthus.

In a package that was opened D. Dainty Dame was confiscated (NOT ON ICON)- in a package that was unopened D. Dainty Dame came through.

Where's the rationality?

Beginning to really understand your frustrations Marcus.

[rob krejzl]

Perhaps I should start another thread for this, but since most of those interested are likely to be viewing this one already, here's something posted on another forum (apologies to Paul and any others who've already seen this):

http://www.gardenfreedom.com/,

http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Consultationsreformsandreviews_ConsultationonimplementationofmodeldrugschedulesforCommonwealthseriousdrugoffences,

http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Consultationsreformsandreviews_ConsultationonimplementationofmodeldrugschedulesforCommonwealthseriousdrugoffences.

[Hillview croconut]

In response to the issue that  Rob has just raised I urge all who are going to be affected by this proposal can to read the linked discussion paper and submit an objection. It is one of the stupidest acts of bureaucratic nuttery I have ever encountered. Please use your voices in this debate. It doesn't have to be authorative or tome-like just make a commonsense plea for sanity.

Can I attach my submission? I'll try. All of you please feel free to read and USE any part of it for your own efforts. Use the whole thing if you wish!

Marcus

[Lesley Cox]

While many seed packets come through our system uninspected, we have a statutory obligation to return these to an appropriate MAF inspection point so that they WILL be inspected. Of course we all do that.

[Ezeiza]

The coiled leaves Albuca namaquensis has been known as A. circinata.

[Diane Whitehead]

I also had some seized
.......
Gentiana sino

This partial name wouldn't be on the approved list.  It would be Gentiana sino-ornata, and that is probably on the list.

[Ray]

Hi Dianne,yes it is, but it is spelt as one word sinoornata bye Ray

[Hillview croconut]

Wish it were so easy here. The risk assessment alone now costs $1600 per species!

Let the parlous situation in New Zealand be a wakeup call to those of us who take for granted being able to import plant material at will.

Bureaucracies left to their own devices will find any and every way to maximize their influence (read that as interference) at other people's expense. Plants people need to push back at every opportunity otherwise they will be the "pushover". New Zealand is a horrible example of what happens when the "cart starts dragging the horse". I don't think anyone has a snowball's hope in Hell of changing that now - the games been lost - but we in Australia can make a big difference still.
Cheers, Marcus

[fermi de Sousa]

Pat,
the Narcissus at least should be released to you. Just e-mail them the link to the Kew index or "The Plant List" showing that N. pseudonarcissus is a synonym. We've had 5 out of 14 packets released this way.
cheers
fermi