During World War II, Smith made collections of rainforest species in
New Guinea and subsequently studied these species with the help of
Cyril Tenison White and
William Douglas Francis and some of his collections become the nucleus of the herbarium at
Lae. He made extensive studies of the
genus Lantana, a group of
invasive species in Australia, collecting many specimens in Australia and overseas. His notes on the biological control of
Lantana were published after his death by his wife,
Doris Alma Goy. The
family Myoporaceae (now
Scrophulariaceae) was a particular interest as were the mangroves. Smith was an active field naturalist, a member, occasional President and Honorary Treasurer of the
Queensland Naturalists' Club and his biographer,
Selwyn Everist noted that he will be "remember[ed] [for] his vast knowledge of plants and his patient courtesy in answering the many questions put to him by fellow naturalists at meetings and excursions". Smith suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 52, doing his work collecting plants at
Mount Barney with his wife. ==References==