5 THINGS ARBAORUET PLANTS

1 DESTROYED

Australian customs officers destroyed “irreplaceable” 19th century plant specimens from the Museum of Natural History in Paris, prompting a review of the government’s apparently overzealous quarantine procedures. The pressed plant specimens, dating back to the mid-1800s, were being sent on loan to the state of Queensland’s herbarium but were deemed a potential biosecurity threat and incinerated.

2 IRREPLACEABLE

Michelle Waycott, from the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria, said the items were “literally irreplaceable” collections of high historic and scientific value. “They were the first type specimens collected of a species,” she told ABC News.

3 UNHAPPY

In a separate incident, Australian customs officers destroyed rare lichen specimens being sent from New Zealand’s Allan Herbarium. The incident prompted the herbarium to ban lending such specimens to Australia. Prof Waycott said the French were also “very unhappy” about their loss.

4 ENFORCERS

The French and New Zealand institutions were apparently not informed of the decision to destroy the specimens, nor were the Australian scientists due to receive them. Australia has some of the world’s strictest quarantine and biosecurity laws, and they are strictly enforced.

5 PREMATURE

The department of agriculture conceded the destruction was “premature.” But it said the packages did not indicate the samples’ value and that officials held them for 46 days longer than required. “Herbarium specimens are not without biosecurity risk,” a department spokesman said. “They can include soil and other items that present a pest and disease risk to Australia.”