Peter K. Latz

Peter Kenneth Latz (born 1941) is an agrostologist, botanist and author from Central Australia. He has published articles and books on Australian plants, particularly on arid grasses and vegetation.

Early life

Latz was born in Alice Springs in 1941 and grew up at the Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia. His parents were Lutheran missionaries.

In his early adult life Latz worked as a stockman, road train driver, buffalo wrangler and stock inspector. He worked as a ringer of Mount Riddock Station from 1959.

Botany

Latz has a bachelor's degree in Zoology and Botany from the University of Adelaide and a master's degree at the University of New England on the Aboriginal use of plants ("bush tucker" and "bush medicine").

Latz worked Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife for four decades, most recently at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Alice Springs. Latz developed the collection of the Alice Springs Herbarium with colleague David Albrecht, growing to more than 50,000 specimens. Latz won a NT Landcare Award in 2015 in the Australian Government Individual Landcarer category.

Latz regularly participates as a field researcher in the annual excavation program at the Alcoota Scientific Reserve.