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

Contact: Dr Kevin Mills – [email protected]

No. 15 - June 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 This edition of the newsletter concentrates on weeds; I shall attempt to define a weed in due course. Readers will notice that weeds have commonly featured in this newsletter. These exotic plants play an important role in modified ecosystems, some of which is positive but mostly it is negative. Of around 3,000 exotic plants that are naturalised weeds in Australia, nearly 400 are identified as being a serious environmental/agricultural weed and are declared noxious somewhere in Australia.

The weed information in this edition includes the region’s woody weeds, identification and story about last month’s mystery weed, an interesting beach weed and the introduced ferns of the region. In addition to information about weeds, this month’s newsletter contains an update on the Friends of Minnamurra Rainforest.

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.

Some weed quotes: “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American essayist, lecturer and poet.

"Sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste." - William Shakespeare, Richard III; Act 2, Scene 4.

"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" - A. A. Milne, said by Eeyore in 'Winnie the Pooh'.

"A weed is but an unloved flower." - Ella Wilcox, author and poet, 1850-1919.

I am not too sure of what to make of the following: “Intelligence is not knowing that the tomato is a fruit, it is not putting it in the fruit salad.” Notice outside a restaurant, Trinity Beach, North Queensland.

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

* Budawangia is a monotypic, endemic genus restricted to the Budawang Range 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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What is a weed? In Newsletter No. 3, I suggested a definition for a weed: “a plant introduced from elsewhere, that has become naturalised, and usually competes with more desirable plants.” Many definitions can be concocted; the result often aims to suit the purpose for which one requires a definition. For the home gardener, a weed may be a plant growing where it is not wanted, while the ecologist requires a more precise definition. Whatever definition one may develop, there are two key requirements; namely the species does not occur naturally in the locality and that it is naturalised (i.e. reproduces without human intervention to at least one new generation).

Woody Weeds – a major conservation and land management issue Woody weeds are perennial plants that have a woody stem; essentially trees, shrubs and robust vines. On preparing a list of the woody weeds in our region, I soon found that there are in fact a lot of them. Mind you, some are localised and of minor importance. The list I came up with is shown below, where the importance of each woody weed on the coast and on the highlands is indicated; this is a rather subjective assessment but is useful as a guide. Nine species are declared noxious, including the well known Bitou Bush, Lantana and Blackberry. The highlands has a suite of species absent or largely absent at lower altitudes near the coast; these species originate from cool European climates. The species include Indian Barbery, Hawthorn, Cherry Laurel, English Holly and Sweet Briar. On the other hand, the coast contains species that would never be found on the highlands, such as Bitou Bush, Lantana, Golden Wreath Wattle and Wild Tobacco Bush. The occurrence of these weeds reflects the conditions in the region of the origin of these species.

Species/Common Name Coast Highlands Noxious Acacia baileyana/Cootamundra Wattle Mn Mj Acacia cultrifomris/Knife-leaf Wattle Mn - Acacia saligna /Golden Wreath Wattle Mn - Baccharis halimifolia/Groundsel bush Mn - Nx Berberis aristata/Indian Barbery - Mn Caesalpinia decapetala/Thorny Poinciana Mn - Nx Celtis sinensis/Japanese Hackberry Mn Mn Chrysanthemoides monilifera monilifera/Boneseed Mn - Nx Chrysanthemoides monilifera rotundata/Bitou Bush Mj - Nx Cinnamomum camphora/Camphor Laurel Mn - Coprosma repens/ Mirror Plant Mn - - Cotoneaster sp./Cotoneaster Mn Mn Crataegus monogyna/Hawthorn - Mj Cyphomandra betacea/Tamarillo Mn - - Cytisus scoparius/English broom - Mn Nx Eriobotrya japonica/Loquat Mn - - Erythrina x sykesii/Coral Tree Mn - - Genista monspessulana/Montpellier Broom Mn Mn Grevillea robusta/Silky Oak Mn - - Ilex aquifolium/English Holly - Mj Lantana camara/Lantana Mj - Nx Ligustrum lucidum/Large-leaved Privet Mj Mn Ligustrum sinense/Small-leaved Privet Mj Mj Lycium ferocissimum/African Boxthorn Mn Mn Nx Ochna serrulata/Mickey Mouse Plant Mn - Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata/Wild Olive Mj - Paraserianthes lophantha/Crested Wattle Mn - Pinus radiata/Radiata Pine Mn Mn - Page | 2

Populus alba/White Poplar Mn Mn - Prunus laurocerasus/Cherry Laurel - Mn - Prunus sp./Plum - Mn - Psoralea pinnata/Blue Proralea Mn - - Pyracantha angustifolia/Orange Firethorn Mn Mn Ricinus communis/Castor Oil Plant Mn - Rosa rubiginosa/Sweet Briar Mn Mj Rubus fruticosus sp. agg./Blackberry Mj Mj Nx Salix babylonica/Weeping Willow Mn Mn Salix sp./Willows Mn Mn Nx Senna pendula var. glabrata/Winter Senna Mj - Senna septemtrionalis/Smooth Senna Mn - Sida rhombifolia/Paddy’s Lucerne Mn - Solanum mauritianum/Wild Tobacco Bush Mj - Solanum pseudocapsicum/Madeira Winter Cherry Mn Mn Ulex europaeus/Gorse Mn Mn Nx Note. Mj – major weed; Mn – miner weed; - not present or extremely rare. Nx – noxious in at last one local government area in the region.

Key Threatening Processes Key threatening processes (KTP) are declared under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Several KTPs are relevant here and highlight the importance of woody weeds to the well-being of the natural environment:  Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers;  Invasion and establishment of Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius);  Invasion of native plant communities by African Olive Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata;  Invasion, establishment and spread of Lantana camara;  Invasion of native plant communities by Chrysanthemoides monilifera (bitou bush and boneseed);  Loss and degradation of native plant and animal habitat by invasion of escaped garden plants, including aquatic plants.

Bug release to help with weed control The following piece is extracted from the Sustainable Shellharbour newsletter of June 2013. Local LandCare and BushCare volunteers do an incredible job improving our natural environment by removing weeds and encouraging native plants to thrive. Now Tullimbah LandCare and Oakey Creek BushCare are trying something really new and innovative - calling on specialist bugs to help them with weed control. In early May, a bunch of Madeira beetles (Plectonycha correntian) were released by volunteers at Elizabeth Brownlee Reserve, Horsley Creek and Oakey Creek. These beetles eat the leaves of Madeira Vine Anredera cordifolia, a really troublesome introduced weed that climbs up and smothers native plants. The release is part of a regional trail by the Illawarra District Noxious Weeds Authority, in partnership with Landcare and local councils, to see how the beetle might help controlling Madeira vine in the Illawarra. For more details see: http://www.idnwa.com.au/latest-news/south-american-beetle-fights-madeira-vine

Trivia spot – the word botany The word botany, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, comes from the late 17th century: from earlier botanic (from French botanique, based on Greek botanikos, from botanē ‘plant'). Related words are botanist, botanising, botanical and botanic

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Mystery Weed Answered Last month’s mystery weed is Richardia humistrata (Rubiaceae). Kerry Thompson of Nowra quickly came back with the correct answer, while Jennifer Liney from the Eurobodalla and Marcus Burgess from Dapto were close behind. Jennifer has also prepared some notes on this species; see below.

This herbaceous species is prostrate with spreading stems that form mats, often in lawns; it originates from South America. A related species R. stellaris is more common and has narrower leaves (2–5 mm wide) compared to R. humistrata (3–10 mm wide).

Richardia humistrata I live in Moruya and volunteer at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. I recognised the mystery plant in the May issue of Budawangia, because it is growing in my lawn, and has increased in abundance since my husband and I moved to Moruya in 2006. I emailed Kevin with my answer, and he replied that I was quite correct, and as my reward, I get to write a piece about it. Rather easier said than done; researching information about Australian plants is relatively uncomplicated (most have only a short written history), but an exotic from subtropical and tropical America is a bit more difficult. However, I did find out a few facts.

The genus Richardia was first named by Linnaeus after an English botanist Richard Richardson (1663-1741); in 1818 it was said that Linnaeus should have used the name Richardsonia, so the name was changed and was current up until the mid 20th century when Richardia was restored. The specific name humistrata means low growing or sprawling, or, in modern usage – prostrate. The common name of Mexican Clover is also applied to another South American species - R. brasiliensis that has 4-6 bracts surrounding the flower heads.

The Type specimen, i.e. the specimen on which the description associated with the original publication of the name is based, was collected in Southern Brazil, in the province of Montevideo, by a botanist called Sellow ‘when the year 1826 was at its best’. There are four species of Richardia, of the coffee family Rubiaceae, in New South Wales, all four are introduced. The Flora of NSW, Vol.3, does not list any of the species this far south. However, R. stellaris has been collected north from Nowra, but is quite recognisably different to R. humistrata.

R. humistrata is native to the Florida region of the USA, and northern parts of Brazil and Uruguay. It inhabits sandy grasslands and savannas. The Flora of NSW describes R. humistrata as ‘a prostrate, perennial herb, hispid, often forming dense mats and rooting at the nodes… Involucral bracts [surrounding the flowers], 4, broader than the leaves. Flowers up to 15 in a head … Weed of disturbed sites, chiefly from the Cessnock- Newcastle districts.’ Volume 3 was published in 1992; since then, collections have been made from Moruya and further south in the Bega Valley, and lodged with the New South Wales National Herbarium in Sydney. Who knows where it will appear next. It does not bother me in the lawn; as long as it stays low and does not produce any prickles, I will leave it alone.

Jennifer Liney Eurobodalla

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Craetagus monogyna Ilex aquifolium

Pyracantha angustifolia

Lantana camara

Senna pendula var. glabrata Ulex europaeus

Some woody weeds are garden escapes and produce attractive flowers and/or fruit, as the photographs above attest. This is usually the reason why they were brought to Australia in the first place.

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Naturalised ferns The region contains 114 species fern and fern ally; additionally three introduced species are naturalised. One of these is declared noxious, one is very invasive in some circumstances and one is rare and innocuous. One indigenous species, a tree fern, is often found naturalised in urban creeks and gullies.

Salvina Salvinia molesta (Salviniaceae) This fern is one of the world’s worst aquatic weeds. The fern floats on the water surface and can spread rapidly to completely cover a water body. It was introduced as a garden pond plant, and is still sometimes illegally kept for the purpose; it is declared noxious throughout NSW. This species is seldom seen in our region, but occasionally turns up in waterways.

Right: Salvinia, a floating aquatic weed. This species comes from Brazil, South America. Photograph not taken in the South Coast region.

Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum (Dryopteridaceae) Holly Fern is a garden fern that is very occasionally found naturalised near urban areas.

Left: Holly Fern growing in a drain in Kiama. This species originates from eastern Asia.

Fishbone Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia (Oleandraceae) This popular garden fern is occasionally found growing near old house sites or where garden waste has been dumped on roadsides and sometimes in the bush. This fern is commonly planted and has become naturalised much further to the south than its natural range in Northern NSW and Queensland. Below: The frond of Fishbone Fern.

Cyathea cooperi Straw Tree Fern (Cyatheaceae) This species grows naturally as far south as about Lake Conjola, occasionally being found naturally growing in rainforest in places such as Beecroft Peninsula. More commonly, it is found naturalised in urban situations, from Batemans Bay to Helensburgh. A photograph of this tree fern is included in Budawangia Number 7. Page | 6

An interesting beach weed Sea Holly Eryngium maritimum (Apiaceae) is an exotic originating from Europe, where it is widespread along the coasts, including Britain, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and Baltic, and Black Sea. The species is also introduced to New Zealand and the eastern United States. It was probably introduced into Australia as a garden plant, as its blue-grey leaves are attractive. The plant is occasionally naturalised on coastal beaches. In a study of beach flora in 2006, I found in on two beaches (<2% of the 114 beaches surveyed), namely Jones Beach north of Kiama and on Steamers Beach at Jervis Bay. This exotic is related to the Blue Devil Eryngium ovinum, a native grassland species growing on the tablelands. E. maritimum is endangered in most of Northern Europe, where the species is on the northern margin of its natural range. Some populations have reduced in Photograph: Kevin Mills, Jones Beach, Kiama. size and some have become extinct.

Friends of Minnamurra Rainforest – Update

The Friends have now carried out four days of weeding since their inaugural day in March 2013. Eighteen weeders turned up on 2 June and made considerable progress along the edge of the river near the picnic area.

Right: The Friends hard at work on morning tea!

Below: Information about the Friends of Minnamurra Rainforest, showing the group’s new logo. This illustrates a stylised Lyre-bird feather and a fern frond, both so typical of the rainforest at Minnamurra.

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