SGAP

August 2012 Cairns Newsletter 123

Society for Growing Australian ( Region) Inc., Cairns Branch PO Box 199 EARLVILLE QUEENSLAND 4870. www.sgapcairns.org.au [ WebINSIDE site ] T [HISe- mail ISSU] [ E p h on e ] Trip Report – Behana Gorge Upcoming Activities 1 Excursion, 21 July 2012 Trip Report – Behana Gorge Excursion, 21 July 2012 1 Don Lawie Lost Treasures 2 About fourteen members and friends, including Kai, our latest Mosquito Orchids 3 and youngest, gathered at the roadhead into Behana Gorge. Cuttings 4 Part of Cairns City’s water supply is sourced from the Behana A day in Oslo Botanic Gardens 5 Creek and the track to the intake is a solid concrete sheet Behana Gorge List 7 beside the elevated pipeline. This is a 3.3 km walkers-only path August Excursion 10 through a variety of forest types, climbing slowly to a magnificent view of Clamshell Falls where we broke for lunch. We were well supplied with botanical experts, with Ing, Stuart, and Rob all keen to unlock the names and stories behind the plants we saw. The early part traversed some very confused forest with an intimate admixture of vegetation types. Open forest species such as Eucalyptus tereticornis, Corymbia SGAP CAIRNS BRANCH tessellaris, suaveolens and Cycas media appeared OUTING to be exisiting in harmony with decidedly rainforest species. I Sat 18 August 2012 suspect that these plants are survivors in a battle between Northern section of Ivan open and rain forest types and that they will eventually lose the Evans Walk, Mooroobool. battle. SGAP TABLELANDS BRANCH Fruiting and flowering OUTING. trees and were in Sunday after the 4 th abundance; most notable Wednesday were numerous specimens of Guioa acutifolia with Any queries please contact attractive bunches of Chris Jaminon 4095 2882 or creamy [email protected] overhanging the pathway. TOWNVILLE SGAP A large Cassowary Plum, Meets on the 2nd Cerbera inflata , covered in Wednesday of the month, , presented a picture February to November, in perfect view in a suntrap Annandale Community high in the canopy. Centre at 8pm, and holds Mischocarpus exangulatus excursions the following Tri butary of the Behana Ck. fruit hanging in bunches Sunday. brightened the endless greenness, as did some pale Glochidion harveyanum fruit.

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Numerous species laced trunks and sure that she amply epitomises the beauty of branches. subsp. tenuipes all this orchid. along the track gave promise of beauty to The walk up took 2 ½ hours followed by a come and Jo-Anne, who walks the track leisurely lunch break chatting and admiring regularly, reported that Hoya perfume hangs the double throated waterfall into which in the air when they are in flower. Large young people appeared to be fearlessly (or Faradaya splendida vines made a curtain over foolishly??) hurling themselves. The return a small creek crossing and will be in full flower took only an hour and a few of us ventured soon – October Glory is a very apt name for further down the creek for smoko at a them. beautiful peaceful creek lined with large naked trunked Kanuka Box ( Tristaniopsis exiliflora ) trees. Here Rob excelled himself by finding several specimens of the primitive orchid wallachi growing happily in spite of being inundated by frequent minor floods. He followed through with a small mature Meston’s Mangosteen ( Garcinia mestonii ) a relic of a previous flood. To find this plant one normally has to climb to the top of Bellenden Ker Range but here we had one at near sea level. What a way to finish the The crew gathering at the start of the walk. day!

Without Mary’s orchid-spotting eyes we saw no orchids until I had the luck to distinguish a Lost Treasures battered Shepherd’s Crook Orchid – An occasional series discussing extinct plants densiflorum – preparing to return of the Wet Tropics, by Rob Jago. underground at the end of its flower/fruit Convolvulaceae cycle. Orchids aplenty followed – Rob found a Argyreia soutteri (F.M.Bailey) Domin rock face covered in tiny Bulbophyllum species with larger Bulbophyllum baileyana Synonyms: Lettsomia soutteri also root-attached to to the rock. A few Pencil Type: Cultivated at Bowen Park, Brisbane, May Orchids - Dendrobium teretifolium – in early 1890 ex Johnstone River bud were high in the trees, occasional Introduction: F.M. Bailey described this species in unimpressive Golden Orchids – Dendrobium A Synopsis of the Queensland Flora Suppl. 3; 130 discolor - will soon burst into golden bloom, (1890) from a flowering specimen forwarded to him by Mr. William Soutter in whose honour the and prize orchid of the day was a lone plant is named. Spathoglottis paulinae pointed out by Stuart growing on an open face opposite the Pronunciation: ar-jir-EE-a waterfall. This Spath is supposed to only grow Etymology: The generic name is derived from the at altitude but here we were at about the 120 Greek argyros (silver) in reference to the silver under surface of the . The species epitaph metre level. The plant had flowered and is in honour of Mr. William Soutter, the energetic fruited this year so we can hope that there Secretary and Manager of the Queensland will be a colony next time we visit. Our Acclimatisation Society. orchidological lady Pauline strenuously Common Name: None denied that it was named after her but I’m Page 3 SGAP Cairns

Conservation Status: Extinct in the wild under the References: Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Extinct under Bailey, F. M (1890) A Synopsis of the Queensland the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Flora, Suppl. 3: 130. Conservation Act 1999 . Bailey, F.M. (1900) The Queensland Flora 4: 1054. Habitat: Unknown Bailey, F.M. (1913) Comprehensive Catalogue of Phenology: Only record of flowering is May 1890. Queensland Plants, 347. Description: A climbing plant with white silvery Domin, K. (1928) Beitrage zur Flora und round to almost round stems. Leaves from Pflanzengeographie Australiense, Bibliotheca oblong-lanceolate to ovate-cordate; 60-150 mm. Botanica 22; Heft 89: 1087Y; 533; September. long, apex acuminate, upper surface of the

lamina, glabrous and green; under surface silvery white; primary veins, 7-9 pairs, prominent on both Mosquito Orchids sides; petioles 25-30 mm long and channelled on A report from the Tablelands SGAP July the upper surface. Peduncles about as long as the petioles, bearing a head of few, white coloured Excursion by Don Lawie flowers; bracts ovate, densely clothed with long There are about twenty species of the orchid silky hairs. about 6mm long, ovate, in Australia (Jones 1988) and glabrous on the inner surface, silky on the outer. the species borealis is one of my favourite Corolla about 25 mm. long, the diameter of the plants. It’s certainly not spectacular, but it is expanded flower rather above 25 mm; lobed the first species that was revealed to me by more than half-way down, lobes silky-hairy except the infolded margins. Stamens much shorter than Len Lawler on a trip in the Herberton ranges the lobes of the corolla, hairy at the base; disk many years ago. It was, as usual, a cool misty prominent. This description taken from F.M. day and Len was pointing to a decaying log Bailey 1901. beside the track. “There they are“ he said, Distribution: The only known specimen of this “Mosquito Orchids”. Well, I couldn’t see species was received by William Soutter in 1886 anything remotely like an orchid, just some attached to the stem of fern-tree from the target-shaped little leaves with a stem Johnstone (River), collector unknown. sticking out of them. I did have a lot to learn, Notes: F.M. Bailey described Argyreia soutteri and Len with his infinite patience was a great from the first flower it has put forth supplied to teacher. him by Mr William Soutter. The source of the plant material cultivated at the Queensland Acclimatisation Society’s Garden at Bowen Park, Brisbane was forwarded from the Johnstone (River) in 1886 attached to the stem of a fern tree. It is highly likely the reference attached to the stem of a fern-tree refers, not to habitat but to a cultivated specimen, as it was, at that time, common practice to attach epiphytic ferns and orchids to sections of fern tree stems. Sections of fern-tree stems were also used as container for the growing of plants & cuttings. William Soutter whose name is honoured in the species epithet held at various times the position of Secretary, Manager, Curator and Overseer of the Queensland Acclimatisation Society’s Garden at Bowen Park.”

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Acianthus borealis also perhaps known as the greatest changes to the Earth have been occurs in several areas driven, above all, by plants. Journeying from of the Atherton Tablelends, usually on the spectacular caves of to the trackside locations where there is some remote deserts of Africa this is one talk not to rainfall runoff. The plant consists of a single be missed. heart shaped held above the ground on a stem about 30mm high. The arises from the centre of the leaf, is held erect, and can with a bit of imagination be seen to resemble a mosquito. They usually occur in small colonies which appear to follow the course of ground ooze which dries out in summer. The plants then die down and spend the dry season below ground. When the rains come, their small tuber generates the energy to produce new stem, leaf and inflorescence, Prof Iain Stewart and the cycle continues. Where: Crowther Lecture Theatre, James They were found near Hall’s Falls on Sunday 1 Cook University, Cairns. July in good numbers and I was chuffed to meet an old friend which reminded me of a When: Monday 13th August. Arrive 5:30pm very Dear Friend. for wine and cheese, lecture 6.00pm-7:00pm Please register online at https://alumni.jcu.edu.au/FSECns2012 or Plant Cuttings RSVP Teresa Carrette by Friday 10th August Public Lecture by Ian on 4042 1211 or [email protected] Stewart, Monday 13 th August James Cook University – Faculty of Science New names and Engineering in conjunction with the One of the most common rainforest canopy Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the trees in the Cairns coastal zone has had a Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy name change. The familiar Sovereignwood, and the Australian Geosciences Council or Damson, Terminalia sericocarpa is now to present: be called Terminalia microcarpa. “How to Grow a Planet – how plants Why the change? T. microcarpa is a long- changed Earth history” by Professor Iain recognised species. Studies have Stewart shown that T. microcarpa and T. sericocarpa This lecture is brought to you by Professor cannot be distinguished, and should be Iain Stewart and is based on his recently aired recognized as the same species. Since T. BBC series of the same name. In this lecture microcarpa is the older name, it has priority. Professor Stewart explains the crucial This is not recent news – the change was interaction of our planet's physiology and its made as long ago as 2005. So, the elegant unique wildlife. Biological evolution is largely trees that dominate my front yard are no driven by adaptation to conditions such as longer ‘silky fruited’ T. sericocarpa, they’re climate, soil and irrigation, but biotopes were the dull sounding ‘small fruited’ T. also shaped by wildlife changing the earth's microcarpa. surface and climate significantly, even disregarding human activity. He reveals how Page 5 SGAP Cairns

Myrtle Rust A day in Oslo Botanic Gardens Tony and Trudi Roberts Last month, I presented a few photos taken by Tony and Trudi Roberts during their brief sojourn in London. From London, they proceeded to Scandinavia, where they visited the Botanic Gardens in Oslo. In Norway, with its months-long winters, Australian plants are kept in the safety of hothouses.

Myrtle Rust on Eugenia reinwardtiana (Beach The travellers are now returned, having flown C herry) into a typhoon in Hong Kong. Welcome back! Betsy Jackes has passed on the following information (from Day Dawn nursery in Townsville) concerning chemical control of Myrtle Rust. The table lists three fungicides that are now registered for use against the disease. Mixing instructions and application rates should be supplied with the chemicals. Fungicide Activity Minimum interval between consecutive treatments TRIFORINE Systemic, 7 days slightly curative and protectant MANCOZEB Protectant 7 days COPPER Protectant 7-14 days OXYCHLORIDE

Apparently Triforine is slightly curative as well as a protectant. It can be applied when disease is noticeably affecting plants or prior to this when warm wet and humid conditions

prevail. Agathis (Ka u ri) Both Mancozeb and Copper oxychloride are protectants and should be applied before disease is noticeably affecting plants when warm, wet and humid conditions prevail.

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Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine) Eucalyptus globulus (Blue Gum)

Banksia Page 7 SGAP Cairns

Araucariaceae Behana Gorge Species Agathis robusta (Queensland Kauri Pine) List Cycadaceae Compiled by Rob Jago and Boyd Lenne Cycas media subsp. (Cycad Palm) The attached plant list contains plants observed Flowering plants - along the road from the water treatment plant dicotyledons carpark to the locked gate adjacent to Clamshell Falls. Most of the plants in the list can be readily Anacardiaceae observed from this road but some such as Blepharocarya involucrigera (Rose Butternut) Garcinia mestonii, Pullea stutzeri, Syzygium Euroschinus falcatus var. falcatus (Blush Cudgerie or sharoniae, Brackenridgea australiana, Pink Poplar) darlingiana, coriaceum, *Mangifera indica (Mango) Gynochthodes sessilis and the orchid Apostasia Rhus taitensis (Sumac) wallichii were only seen on the track from the Annonaceae carpark down to the creek. The substrate Melodorum leichhardtii (Acid Drop Vine) throughout appeared to be derived from Melodorum uhrii Bellenden Ker Granite. Polyalthia nitidissima (Canary Beech) Ferns Xylopia maccreae (Orange Jacket) Adiantaceae Adiantum hispidulum var. hispidulum (Rough Alstonia muelleriana (Hard Milkwood) Maidenhair Fern) Alstonia scholaris (Milky Pine) Aspleniaceae Alyxia oblongata (Chain Fruit) Asplenium nidus (Birds Nest Fern) Alyxia spicata (Chain Fruit) Cyatheaceae Cerbera inflata (Grey Milkwood) Cyathea cooperi (Scaly Tree Fern) Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes (Rainforest Wax Flower) Davalliaceae Ichnocarpus frutescens Davallia denticulata Melodinus acutiflorus (Yappa Yappa) Gleicheniaceae Parsonsia latifolia (Milky Silkpod) Dicranopteris linearis var. linearis Parsonsia velutina (Velvet Silkpod) Nephrolepidaceae Tabernaemontana pandacaqui (Banana Bush) Nephrolepis biserrata Aquifoliaceae Nephrolepis obliterata Ilex arnhemensis subsp. Ferdinandi (Northern Holly) Polypodiaceae Araliaceae Dictymia brownii Polyscias australiana (Ivory Basswood) Drynaria rigidula (Basket Fern) Polyscias elegans (Celerywood) Drynaria sparsisora Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree) Microsorum punctatum Argophyllaceae Platycerium bifurcatum (Elkhorn Fern) Argophyllum lejourdanii Platycerium hillii (Northern Elkhorn Fern) Asteraceae Pyrrosia longifolia *Ageratum conyzoides (Blue Top or Billygoat Weed) Pyrrosia rupestris *Bidens pilosa var. pilosa (Cobbler's Peg) Schizaeaceae Coronidium rupicola Lygodium reticulatum Cyanthillium cinereum (Purple Fleabane) Schizaea dichotoma (Branched Comb Fern) *Praxelis clematidea (Praxelis) *Pseudelephantopus spicatus Gymnosperms *C3 Sphagneticola trilobata (Singapore Daisy) Page 8 SGAP Cairns

*Synedrella nodiflora (Cinderella weed) Austrosteenisia blackii var. blackii (Blood Vine) Balanophoraceae *Crotalaria pallida var. obovata (Streaked Rattle Pod) Balanophora fungosa Millettia pinnata (Pongamia) Mucuna gigantean (Burny Bean) (Golden Bouquet Tree) Ormosia ormondii (Yellow Bean) Burseraceae Lamiaceae Canarium australianum var. australianum (Scrub Clerodendrum longiflorum var. glabrum (Witches Turpentine or Mangobark) Tongues) Byttneriaceae Clerodendrum traceyanum (Flowers of Magic) Commersonia macrostipulata (Kuranda Kurrajong) Faradaya splendida (October Glory) Casuarinaceae Plectranthus apreptus (Plectranthus) Allocasuarina torulosa (Rose She Oak or Forest She V Plectranthus gratus Oak) Lauraceae Celastraceae Cryptocarya clarksoniana (Clarkson's Laurel) Denhamia celastroides Cryptocarya hypospodia (Northern Laurel) Hedraianthera porphyropetala Cryptocarya murrayi (Murray's Laurel) Salacia disepala Cryptocarya pleurosperma (Poison Laurel) Clusiaceae Cryptocarya vulgaris (Northern Laurel) Calophyllum sil (Blush Touriga) Endiandra acuminata (Brown Walnut) Garcinia mestonii (Meston's Mangosteen) Endiandra hypotephra (Rose Walnut) Garcinia warrenii (Native Mangosteen) Neolitsea brassii Connaraceae Neolitsea dealbata (Grey Bollywood) Connarus conchocarpus (Shell Vine) Maesaceae Convolvulaceae Maesa dependens var. dependens Erycibe coccinea Malvaceae *Ipomoea hederifolia (Cardinal's Flower) Hibiscus meraukensis (Merauke Hibiscus) Cunoniaceae *Sida acuta (Spinyhead Sida) Pseudoweinmannia apetala (Marara) *Sida rhombifolia (Common Sida) Pullea stutzeri (Hard Alder) Melastomataceae Dilleniaceae Melastoma malabathricum var. malabathricum Hibbertia scandens (Melastoma or Blue Tongue) Tetracera nordtiana var. nordtiana (Fire Vine) Menispermaceae Ebenaceae Hypserpa laurina Diospyros cupulosa (Scrub Ebony) Pachygone ovata Elaeocarpaceae Pycnarrhena novoguineensis Elaeocarpus grandis (Silver Quandong) Mimosaceae Euphorbiaceae celsa (Black Wattle) Claoxylon hillii (Hill's Brittlewood) Acacia flavescens (Red Wattle) Homalanthus novoguineensis (Native Bleeding Heart) V Acacia hylonoma Macaranga involucrata var. mallotoides (Brown Acacia mangium (Sally Wattle) Macaranga) Moraceae Macaranga polyadenia (Swamp Macaranga) Ficus drupacea Macaranga subdentata (Needlebark) Ficus fraseri Macaranga tanarius (Blush Macaranga) Ficus microcarpa (Small-fruited Fig) Mallotus repandus Ficus obliqua (Small Leaf Fig) Ficus opposita (Sandpaper Fig) Page 9 SGAP Cairns

Ficus virens var. virens (White Fig) Peperomia blanda var. floribunda Ficus virgata var. virgata (Figwood) Piper caninum (Native Pepper) Trophis scandens (Crow Ash Vine) Piper hederaceum (Native Pepper) Myristicaceae Piper macropiper (Native Pepper) Myristica globosa subsp muelleri (Nutmeg) Pittosporaceae Myrsinaceae Bursaria tenuifolia (Slender Bursaria) Embelia caulialata Pittosporum ferrugineum subsp. linifolium (Rusty Myrsine subsessilis subsp. cryptostemon Pittosporum) Pittosporum venulosum Acmenosperma claviflorum (Trumpet Satinash) Polygalaceae (Pink Bloodwood) *Polygala paniculata Corymbia tessellaris (Moreton Bay Ash; Carbeen) Xanthophyllum octandrum (MacIntyre's Boxwood) Corymbia torelliana (Cadaghi) Eucalyptus pellita (Daintree Stringybark; Red sublimis (Northern Silky Oak) Mahogany) arallifolia var arallifolia (Cakedonian Oak) Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Red Gum; Blue Gum) (Brown Silky Oak) Gossia myrsinocarpa (Malanda Ironwood) baileyana (Findlay's Silky Oak) Lophostemon confertus (Brush Box) Lasjia whelanii (Whelan's Silky Oak) Lophostemon suaveolens (Swamp Mahogany) Placospermum coriaceum (Rose Silky Oak Melaleuca leucadendra (Tea Tree) Putranjivaceae Melaleuca viminalis (Red Bottlebrush) Drypetes deplanchei (Grey Boxwood) Rhodamnia sessiliflora (Iron Malletwood) Rhamnaceae Rhodamnia spongiosa (Northern Malletwood) Alphitonia excelsa (Red Ash) Syncarpia glomulifera subsp. glomulifera (Turpentine) Alphitonia petriei (Pink Ash) Syzygium cormiflorum (Bumpy Satinash) Ventilago ecorollata Syzygium sharoniae Rhizophoraceae Tristaniopsis exiliflora (Kanuka Box) Carallia brachiata (Corky Bark) Xanthostemon chrysanthus (Golden Penda Rosaceae Ochnaceae) Rubus probus (Wild Raspberry) Brackenridgea australiana (Brown Ochna) fitzalanii subsp fitzalanii (Brown Chionanthus ramiflora (Native Olive) Gardenia) Jasminum didymum subsp. didymum (Native Jasmin Gynochthodes sessilis Oxalidaceae Psychotria dallachiana Oxalis corniculata (Creeping Oxalis) *Spermacoce exilis) Passifloraceae *Spermacoce remota) Adenia heterophylla subsp heterophylla (Lacewing Tarenna dallachiana subsp. dallachiana (Tree Ixora Vine) Rutaceae *Passiflora suberosa (Corky Passion Flower) Acronychia acronychioides Phyllanthaceae Acronychia imperforata (Logan Apple) Breynia cernua (Fart Tree) Sapindaceae Glochidion harveyanum var. harveyanum (Harvey's Alectryon tomentosus (Red jacket) Buttonwood) Castanospora alphandii (Brown Tamarind) Glochidion sessiliflorum var. pedicellatum (Pin Flower Cupaniopsis foveolata (White Tamarind) Tree) Guioa acutifolia (Glossy Tamarind) Piperaceae Jagera pseudorhus var. pseudorhus (Foambark) Page 10 SGAP Cairns

Mischocarpus exangulatus (Rex Tokoonja) Oplismenus mollis Mischocarpus lachnocarpus (Woolly Tamarind Pogonantherum crinitum Sapotaceae Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass) Pouteria xerocarpa (Blush Coondoo) Smilaceae Sparrmanniaceae Smilax calophylla *Triumfetta rhomboidea (Chinese Burr) Zingiberaceae Urticaceae Alpinia caerulea (Native Ginger) Pipturus argenteus (Native Mulberry) Verbenaceae *C3 Lantana camara (Lantana) *Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Snakeweed) *Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (Blue Snakeweed Vitaceae Cissus penninervis (Native Grape) Tetrastigma nitens (Shining Grape Flowering Plants - Hoya australis Arecaceae Calamus motii (Wait-a-While Lawyer Cane) Cyperaceae August Excursion Cyperus polystachyos subsp. polystachos) Saturday 18 th August 2012 Scleria polycarpa) Scleria sphacelata The lower half of the Ivan Evans walk, from Ellen Close to the lookout, was explored by Flagellariaceae Cairns SGAP in February 2011 (see Rob Jago’s Flagellaria indica (Supplejack) species list from the excursion at Hemerocallidaceae www.sgapcairns.org.au/SpeciesLists/Species% Dianella caerulea var. vannata (Blue Flax Lily) 20list%20for%20Ivan%20Evans%20Walk.pdf). Laxmanniaceae Eustrephus latifolius (Wombat Berry) This month’s excursion takes us on the upper half of the walk. We will meet at 10 am at the Lomandra hystrix (Creek Matrush) northern entrance to the walk, located near the top end of Toogood Road (see map, next Apostasia wallichii (Yellow Grass Orchid) page). Bulbophyllum baileyi (Fruit Fly Orchid) Dendrobium discolor (Golden Orchid) The Wet Tropics Management Authority describe the walk as “ a short, but very Dendrobium tattonianum (Southern Tea Tree Orchid) pleasant climb to a lookout in Bayview Geodorum densiflorum (Pink Shepherd's Crook) Heights, a southern suburb of Cairns. Leaving NTSpathoglottis paulinae from Toogood Road, the track winds through Pandanaceae a scenic patch of rainforest along side a fast Freycinetia scandens flowing creek before ascending the hill to the Pandanus monticola (Scrub Breadfruit) lookout over the Cairns suburbs to the coast Poaceae and the mountains of Yarrabah. The climb Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum) down to Ellen Close is short and steep .” Eriachne pallescens var. pallescens Bring lunch, water, good walking shoes and *Melinis minutiflora (Molasses Grass) good humour. See you there!! Oplismenus compositus Page 11 SGAP Cairns