This Scribbly Gum Eucalyptus Rossi was painted by Stan Kelly to allow clear identification of the species by showing the stem, bud, leaf and flower. This painting is held in the collection of the Ararat & District Historical Society, located within the Langi Morgala Museum.
Stan Kelly O.A.M. (1911 – 2001) was known in the Ararat region as an engine driver with a passion for the bush, and painting plants and flowers. In the wider world, Kelly was recognised as one of Australia’s premier botanical illustrators, especially respected for his published works on eucalypts.
Kelly's first book, Australian Eucalypts in Colour, was published in 1949, followed by his most celebrated work, Eucalypts Volumes I & II, first published in 1969, which became a core reference for students of Australian botany.
In 2009, a selection of Kelly’s botanical illustrations was adapted for the ‘N’ series Australian passport.