By popular demand The REPRINTING of •

PLANTS OF CAPRICORNIA

BY RHONDA MELZER AND JOEL PLUMB

Plants of Capricornia fills a gap in available plant recognition and identification guides for Queensland – that of central coastal Queensland. The book uses the area defined as Capricornia to introduce the reader to a rich diversity of landscapes, vegetation communities and plant species. It meets the needs and interests of a wide audience. Students and those unfamiliar with botanical literature will find a ‘user-friendly’ introduction to the language and concepts of plant taxonomy and classification including the meaning of scientific names and how to pronounce them. Those for whom plant identification is fundamental to their livelihood – environmental consultants, landscape regenerators, graziers, horticulturalists and staff from government agencies responsible for land management – will findPlants of Capricornia an invaluable resource describing and illustrating more than 600 native species including trees, shrubs, mistletoes, vines and herbaceous plants. Fifty weed species are described and photographed. Information provided on the timber, fibre, medicinal, food and horticultural uses of the plant species, and their ecological values including use by mammals, birds and insects, will appeal to professional and personal interests alike. Plants of Capricornia will engender an awareness and understanding of, and fascination with, native plants and their role in natural systems and daily life.

ORCHIDACEAE

Dipodium (di–PO–dee–um) FLAGELLARIACEAE Dipodium variegatum Flagellaria ORCHIDACEAE (hyacinth orchid, slender hyacinth orchid) (fladj–ell–AIR–ee–a) Diuris (di–YOO–ris) NAME Five species have been recorded in the area. Their taxonomy is very uncertain at present and Dipodium from the Greek di two and podion Flagellaria indica genus are provided here together with a couple of photographs to illustrate the two common colours. apparatus; variegatum little foot – refers to the two stalks in the pollen producing Dipodium is the Latinisation of variegated – refers to the flower colour. NAME so only general details for the DESCRIPTION Flagellaria (flagellaria, bull cane) Form – Slender, leafless, terrestrial orchid usually not much taller than from 25cm; the Latinthick roots. DESCRIPTION Leaves – Absent. flagellum Diuris spp. Form a whip – refers to the (donkey orchids) Inflorescence – Erect, terminal racemes of creamyFlagellaria white to light – Robust, pink flowe herbaceous climber with conspicuous whip NAME Leaves long, flexuous shoots; petals narrowly ovate, up to 1.7 x 0.4cm; labellum is three-lobed and up to 1.5cm long; winter to Diuris – Leaf bladesrs 7–50 with x maroon 1–2cm withblotches; the apex drawn out into Diuris from the Greek summer. is used for climbing; many parallel veins; leaf di two and indica from India. oura tail – the long, lateral sepals look like tails. Inflorescence DESCRIPTION Fruits – Capsules. -like tendrils on the ends of the leaves. Fruit – Erect, terminal, branched panicles Form – Slender, terrestrial orchid, up to about 40cm tall, with small tubers. HABITAT – Pink or red, 4–6mm in diameter; Nov sheaths closed. a slender, twisted tendril which Leaves Open forests, woodlands and heathlands. HABITAT – One to several, basal, linear, narrow. HEMEROCALLIDACEAE ORCHIDACEAE of small, white flowers; June to December. In riparian rainforest. Inflorescence – Raceme, slender, erect; flowers one to several; mostly spring. DISTRIBUTION ember to April. Geitonoplesium Fruit – Capsules. Geitonoplesium cymosum Qld (DD, Mo, PC, WB) and NSW. DISTRIBUTION (scrambling lily) Qld (Co, Mo, NK, PC, SK, WB), NSW, NT, WA, NG, M B HABITAT HUMAN USAGE (guy–ton–o–PLEEZ–ee–um) Coastal open eucalypt forest, heath and grasslands on headlands.NAME The fleshy roots were eaten by some Aboriginal communities.HUMAN USAGE Geitonoplesium IN FULL COLOUR!COLOUR! Young leafy shoots can be boiled and used as a green vegetable. Abori ECOLOGICAL NOTES ORCHIDACEAE 600 PAGESS ECOLOGICAL NOTES for sewing bark canoes together. Grow from el, Mal, As and PI. PHOTOS: J. PLUM Pollinated mostly by native bees. to the genus from the Greek FLAGELLARIACEAE Luzuriaga; cymosumgeiton This species is saprophytic – it uses organic matter for food rather than producing food by DESCRIPTION a neighbour and ECOLOGICAL NOTES – the flowers are in cymes. P photosynthesis. Thought to be pollinated by native bees. Form plesios Fruit eaten by the silvereye, golden bowerbird freshand frui seed; remove the seed from the flesh before sowing. – Slender perennial vine with fibrous roots. near gines used strips from the stems Leaves – because of its close affinity – Alternate, linear to ovate, 2–13 x 0.2–3.5 reviously in Philesiaceae. is conspicuous and raised on upper side.

t-doves. Inflorescence

PHOTOS: J. PLUMB September to May. – Terminal cymes or panicles of one tocm; many, petiole 0.5–1.5mm; multi-veined but the midrib

J. PLUMB Fruit :

– Berries, 0.7–2cm in diameter, bluish black; November to July. TOS

HABITAT small white to mauve flowers; PHO Mainly in moist areas of eucalypt communities, rainfores DISTRIBUTION Qld (Bn, Co, DD, Le, Mo, NK, PC, SK, WB), NSW, NG and Mel. ts and along stream lines. HUMAN USAGE Geitonoplesium In Papua New Guinea the tough, wiry stems are used ORCHIDS shoots emerging from the ground are edible. Grows readily from seed. It

PHOTOS: J. PLUMB ECOLOGICAL NOTES VINES Fruit eaten by the rose-crowned fruit-dove, mistletoebird in and house satin construction. The young, tender, pale IDENTIFICATION TIP is a hardy, adaptable plant. PROTEACEAE This species can be difficult to distinguish from the narrow-leaved not fertile. However, the latter has several veins con (BANK–see–a) bowerbird. Geitonoplesium Banksia fleshy roots. has a conspicuous and raised midrib on the up ORCHIDS spicuous on theforms lower of surface of the leaf whilst Eustrephus latifolius per surface. Furthermore, when Eustrephus has

HEMEROCALLIDACEAE var. spinulosa Banksia Banksia spinulosa (hairpin banksia) gins of the leaf.

PROTEACEAE NAME e lignotuber. spinula a very small spine, thorn or prickle. Refers to the mar (BANK–see–a) Latin ds the apex.

DESCRIPTION th a whorl of branchlets FOR MORE INFORMATION Banksia PROTEACEAE – Shrub to about 3m usually with several stems arising from th y spring. Form VINES Leaves – Very narrow, linear, revolute, usually with tiny serrations towar 500 – Usually terminal on three to six year old branchlets wi PLANTS OF CAPRICORNIA Inflorescence Banksia robur beneath; yellow to golden with yellow, red or purple on the style; autumnld, to includingearl in Bayfield State – Woody follicles with valves 1–1.5cm across.

374 Fruit PLUMB J. PHOTOS: (broad-leaved banksia, swamp banksia) and Corymbia intermedia. AND TO ORDER GO TO ­ HABITAT PLANTS OF CAPRICORNIA Syncarpia glomulifera NAME hardness, firmness, strength – refers to the leaves. lly not taller than 3m. Not common on the Capricorn Coast. It is found in a small area at Byfie Latin robur roboris to reddish hairs on

Forest, on sandy soil in open forest of J. PLUMB J. Banksia PLANTS OF CAPRICORNIA DESCRIPTION ough a range of colours DISTRIBUTION 501 Form – Low shrub with several stems arising from the lignotuber; usua er to winter. Qld (Co, Le, Mo, PC, WB) and NSW. Leaves – Large, obovate, stiff leaves with toothed margins; dense curly white undersurface. HUMAN USAGE spinebill, noisy – Terminal, 10–20 x 8–10cm. The inflorescences proceed thr land, white-cheeked, Inflorescence Commonly used in horticulture. Seeds germinate readily; can be grown from cuttings. eastern yellow robin. www.cccqld.org.au/book.html with age including iridescent jade when young to golden yellow when mature;e.g summ. closed sedgelands ECOLOGICAL NOTES by the greater – Follicles, woody with valves 1–1.3cm across. Fruit astal headlands including Corio Nectar is eaten by the brown antechinus, red wattlebird, noisy friarbird, eastern es. Resprouts from HABITAT miner, the cresent, Lewin’s, blue-faced, yellow-faced, brown-headed, New Hol

woodlands but also found in moist areas on co white-eared, white-naped, white-plumed and scarlet honeyeaters and the PROTEACEAE PROTEACEAE Most commonly found on sand or peaty sand in areas of impeded drainage and Melaleuca viridiflora Yellow-tailed black cockatoos have been observed eating the seeds. Leaves eaten and Five Rocks Headlands. glider. Larvae of the fiery jewel and purple oak-jewel butterflies feed on the leav lignotuber after fire. DISTRIBUTION d the flowers go

Qld (Co, Mo, PC, WB) and NSW. R. MELZER R. HUMAN USAGE PLANTS OF CAPRICORNIA Commonly used in horticulture; new growth is a beautiful velvety rusty-brown blue-faced,an Lewin’s,

through an amazing range of colours with age. Useful in honey production.ers and/or nectar eaten by the 375 ECOLOGICAL NOTES opened by fire; resprouts readily Nectar eaten by the little and red wattlebirds, little friarbird and the brown, Available Nov 2011 New Holland, tawny-crowned and white-cheeked honeyeaters. Flow swift parrot. Larval food plant of the fiery jewel butterfly. Follicles

from lignotuber after fire. WERING TREES AND SHRUBS AND TREES WERING

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