BUDAWANGIA* AN E-NEWSLETTER FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE NATIVE OF THE NSW SOUTH COAST

Contact: Dr Kevin Mills – [email protected]

No. 20 - November 2013

Aims: To connect those interested in the native flora of the NSW South Coast, to share up to date information on the flora of the region and to broaden the appreciation of the region’s native plants.

Editorial The dry ended early in November and the bush and our gardens are looking much better for it; it had been some two months since we had any good rain. From my front veranda, I can see the escarpment slopes above Minnamurra Rainforest; it is going to be a great year for the Coachwood flowering. I attended the opening of the new facilities at Cecil Hoskins Nature Reserve at Moss Vale during the month. Some good work has been done by the NPWS, their sponsors and helpers in upgrading the tracks and lookout area (see photograph below). This small reserve is well worth a visit, for birdos and also for enthusiasts. It is surprising the number of native plants that one can find on this old grazing land. The reserve contains an important stand of the threatened tree Paddy's River Box Eucalyptus macarthurii. Weeds are a major problem and it will take a long time to achieve adequate control.

This edition contains an article on an ancient plant, the Burrawang Macrozamia communis. This species is sometimes mistakenly called a palm, although it has no relationship to palms at all. The ‘reader’s question’ in this edition is about Geebungs, while ‘plant of the month’ and ‘mystery weed’ make their usual appearance. The spread of Myrtle Rust continues with a recent find in the Shoalhaven Gorge near Tallowa Dam; see story below.

I would be pleased to receive appropriate articles, however small, on interesting observations, new discoveries, plant name changes, etc., up to two A4 pages, including some photographs.

Kevin Mills, Jamberoo, NSW. Tel. 02 4236 0620

* Budawangia is a monotypic, endemic genus restricted to the on the western edge of the South Coast region. The genus was named by Telford in 1992; the species Budawangia gnidioides (Ericaceae) was previously Rupicola gnidioides.

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Macrozamia communis - an ancient plant The genus Macrozamia (Zamiacaee) contains 14 species, all endemic to Australia; NSW has nine of these species. This genus is in a Class known as the Cycads, a group with several genera found in many tropical and subtropical regions. The fossil record can be traced back over 250 million years (Permian), so that cycad-type plants have been around for a long time. One species occurs on the south coast, namely Burrawang Macrozamia communis. Despite some popular belief, this is not a palm, a group of flowering plants of much more recent origin. M. communis is common in the near-coastal forests in the region; such as at Seven Mile Beach and in Spotted Gum Forest around Batemans Bay. Specimens with above ground trunks up to one metre tall are probably very old.

Macrozamia communis near Batemans Bay. Immature female cone.

Female cone split at time of ripening. Spent male cones.

Right: Trunk of M. communis supporting four epiphytic fern species: Birds Nest fern Asplenium australasicum, Hares Foot Fern Davallia pyxidata, Rock Felt Fern Pyrrosia rupestris and Elkhorn Platycerium bifurcatum.

All photographs © Kevin Mills, 2013.

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Misspelt word in No. 19 Correct spelling for the Musk Daisy-bush is Olearia argophylla; meaning silvery .

Plant of the Month – Bulbophyllum exiguum The small epiphytic orchid Bulbophyllum exiguum usually grows on rocks in rainforest.

Above. A tiny bulb and a single characterise the orchid Bulbophyllum exiguum.

Right. The small flowers of Bulbophyllum exiguum.

Mystery Weed

This month’s weed is a common coastal species, and comes from a close neighbour.

Too easy!

Answer next month.

Reader’s Question - Geebungs and more Geebungs Terry Dunlea (Bowral) has asked about Geebungs, noting there seems to be many more species than there used to be. There are about 100 species of the Australian endemic genus (), commonly known as Geebungs; NSW contains 49 species. Many species are localised and quite restricted in their distribution. The generic name is in honour of Dutch botanist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon; the common name Geebung is derived the Dharug language. The genus is primarily concentrated in the subtropical to temperate parts of south- eastern and south-western Australia, including Tasmania. A closely related genus, , is found in New Zealand and has previously been placed in the genus Persoonia; the yellow flowers and fruit are very similar to Persoonia species.

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Within our region there are 14 species of Persoonia, ranging from very rare and restricted species to common and widespread species. Five species are listed as threatened in NSW. The following is a brief summary of the region’s species. P. acerosa – south to Hill Top area (vulnerable). P. bargoensis – restricted to Bargo area (endangered) (see Budawangia no. 5). P. chamaepitys – Wingello to Budawang Range. P. glaucescens – limited to Picton - Berrima district (endangered). P. hirsuta – south to Appin - Dharawal National Park area, also at Hill Top (endangered). P. lanceolata – south to Sassafras district. P. laurina – south to Conjola area. P. levis - widespread and common. P. linearis – widespread and common. P. microphylla – south to Budawang Range area. P. mollis – common; seven of the nine subspecies occur in the region. P. nutans – west of Menai is closest (endangered) (see Budawangia no. 5). P. oxycoccoides – endemic to area from Mittagong to Tallong. P. pinifolia – south to Dharawal National Park.

The rare ; characterised by its very narrow leaves. An almost prostate form of Persoonia oxycoccoides.

The broad leaves and flowers of . Leaves and fruit of .

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Myrtle Rust in the Shoalhaven Myrtle Rust has botanists worried; it has the potential to decimate populations of some species in the family . The DPI website states: “The initial detection occurred on the NSW Central Coast on a stand of Agonis flexuosa (willow myrtle) grown for the cut flower market. In the early stages secondary detections were observed on (turpentine) and Callistemon (bottlebrush). Myrtle rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Uredo rangelii, a member of the Puccinia psidii sensu lato Eucalyptus / guava rust group, was confirmed on 23 April 2010 as the first report of the disease in Australia.”

“These rusts are serious pathogens which affect plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae including Australian natives like bottle brush (Callistemon spp.), tea tree (Melaleuca spp.) and eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp.). Myrtle rust is distinctive in that it produces masses of powdery bright yellow or orange-yellow spores on infected plant parts. It infects leaves of susceptible plants producing spore-filled lesions on young actively growing leaves, shoots, flower buds and fruits. Leaves may become buckled or twisted and may die as a result of infection. Sometimes these infected spots are surrounded by a purple ring. Older lesions may contain dark brown spores. Infection on highly susceptible plants may result in plant death.”

In late October, I came across my first example of Myrtle Rust in the region, on a small specimen of the rainforest tree rubescens (Myrtaceae). The location was just below Tallowa Dam on the . On sending Bob Makinson (Conservation Botanist, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney) information on my discovery, he responded, “There have been numerous reports from the Shoalhaven over the last 3 years, I think mostly on Rhodamnia rubescens, which is a Myrtle Rust magnet – if it’s around you will see it on this species.”

If you do come into contact with this rust, Bob Makinson advises “...by being in an infected patch with this level of sporulation, you now almost certainly have a spore load on your clothes and gear. Ordinary machine laundering with detergent will kill the spores. For anything that won’t go in the washing machine, either a soak or scrub with a strong truck-grade detergent solution, or a thorough spray with 70% methylated spirits in 30% water. Don’t forget the hat.”

Myrtle Rust on Rhodamnia rubescens near Tallowa Dam; 27 October 2013. The yellow colour on the immature fruit and spotting on the leaves is Myrtle Rust.

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