Budawangia* an E-Newsletter for All Those Interested in the Native Plants of the Nsw South Coast
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BUDAWANGIA* AN E-NEWSLETTER FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE NATIVE PLANTS OF THE NSW SOUTH COAST Contact: Dr Kevin Mills – [email protected] No. 16 - July 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 contains some examples of plant-animal interactions, including plants that eat animals! Co-evolution of plants and animals over millennia has produced some quite amazing inter-dependent relationships; this is particularly so in the invertebrate world. Pollination of some plants depends entirely on a particular species of insect. Butterflies are often very fussy about the plant species they lay their eggs on, as the larvae can only eat that plant. Some orchids require one particular insect species to achieve pollination, going so far as producing flowers that look like the insect. Below there are articles on some local plant – animal relationships, along with information on Bush Medicine from a recently completed local book. I have also come across another species of naturalised fern (see also June edition of Budawangia). Plant of the month is an interesting rainforest mistletoe, while the mystery weed of the month also makes its usual appearance. 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. “The vegetation of the district of Illawarra is very peculiar, and has more of a tropical character than that of other districts in the colony considerably farther to the northward. This may arise partly from its being sheltered from the cold westerly winds of the winter months, by the mountains that run parallel to the coast. I presume, however, it is owing chiefly to the nature of the soil, the district exhibiting various indications of a volcanic origin.” From: An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales, both as a Penal Settlement and as a British Colony (London, 1834) by J. D. Lang. John Dunmore Lang (1799-1878), Presbyterian clergyman, politician, educationist, immigration organizer, historian, anthropologist, journalist, gaol-bird and, in his wife's words engraved on his statue in Sydney, 'Patriot and Statesman'. From: Australian Dictionary of Biography. 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. Drosera – the insect eating Sundews Two photographs of Sundews at Barren Grounds sent in by Mike Clear prompts me to prepare a piece about these most interesting plants. The genus Drosera (Droseraceae) contains over 100 species worldwide, with some 54 species occurring in Australia; NSW contains 13 species. The sundews are carnivorous plants; the plants are specially adapted to lure, capture and digest small insects using glands covering their leaf surfaces that produce a sticky substance that traps the insects. The insects supplement the low nutrient levels of the soil in which most Drosera grow. The common name Sundew refers to the drops of sticky fluid over the leaves that glisten in the sun. The botanic name derives from the Greek drosos meaning dew or dewdrops. The plants can move their stemmed glands on the leaves to cover a trapped insect and so absorb the nutrients from their bodies. Drosera species are common on the sandstone country on moist sites. At Barren grounds, the species can be found in the swamps that are extensive in that reserve. The two species featured here are quite common in the Sydney Basin and further afield. Both species were named by Labllardiere in 1805, based on specimens from Tasmania. Forked Sundew Drosera binata Rosy Sundew Drosera spatulata Photographs: Mike Clear, Barren Grounds, 2013. Mystery Weed This small woody weed is abundant throughout the region. Any suggestions (not that hard really)? Answer next edition. Plant of the Month – a rainforest mistletoe The Jointed Mistletoe Korthalsella rubra subsp. rubra is the only local rainforest mistletoe. This parasitic plant grows mostly on Sassafras Doryphora sassafras, at least locally and reaches its southern limit of distribution in our region. A second subspecies Korthalsella rubra subsp. geijericola grows on semi-arid woodland trees in inland New South Wales. Other species of Korthalsella occur from Japan through the western Pacific islands to the eastern states of Australian, New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Jointed Mistletoe growing on Sassafras Doryphora sassafras. Photographed on Saddleback Mountain. Photograph: Kevin Mills © 2013. Callitris muelleri turns up again C. muelleri was not included in the book Native Trees of the NSW South Coast, although the species has since been found by the author in Morton National Park (see Budawangia no. 8). In early May 2013, another population was found in the northern part of that national park; this time on a ridge to the east (downstream) of Tallowa Dam. The mature plants had died in a bushfire some time ago but there are many sapling-sized plants present, one of which had cones. C. muelleri is quite rare in our region, growing in the sandstone country along the western part of the region. It is likely to be found in other localised populations in future. The related C. rhomboidea is also rare in the region, but is more common than C. muelleri. As the accompanying photograph shows, the latter species can be identified by its smooth cone scales, which have a fine point at the top. Photograph Tallowa Dam area, May 2013. Kevin Mills, Jamberoo. Trivia Spot - Plant names containing an animal reference A few plants have taxonomic names that refer to animals, including the local plants Sheep's Burr Acaena ovina (ovinus refereeing to sheep, presumably because the burr-like fruit get caught in fleece) and Spider Tea Tree Leptosperum arachnoides (the branches are low and quite arachnid–like in habit). Many more plants have common names related to animals, such as Tiger Lily, Spider Plant, Parrot-pea, Emu-bush, Wallaby Grass and Fishbone Fern. Page | 3 Fungus that eats animals! Fungi are not plants, although they are often considered with them, but are in a Kingdom of their own. Fungi are mostly noticeable only when they send up their fruiting bodies above the surface of the soil. One fungus, somewhat unremarkable in terms of colour or shape, has a most amazing lifestyle. Known as the Vegetable Caterpillar Cordyceps gunnii, it has a black fruiting body and white spores with a large yellowish underground stem. The mycelium (underground filaments) invades the large larvae of Ghost Moths in south-eastern Australia, which tunnels below the ground feeding on roots. The fungus eventually completely fills the larvae body and takes its shape, hence the name Vegetable Caterpillar. Above left: Fruiting body of Cordyceps gunnii, note white spores. In rainforest, Saddleback Mountain, Kiama, 4 May 2012. Above right: Cordyceps gunnii after digging up the whole fungus; note caterpillar shape of underground portion. Saddleback Mountain, Kiama, 27 April 2013. Signs of vertebrate animals using plants An important method of finding animal species in fauna surveys is to identify indirect signs of their presence; this can be easier than actually observing the animals. In addition to finding remains, droppings, nests and footprints, evidence of plant use is characteristic of some species. Right: Chewed cones of Black She-oak Allocasuarina littoralis, a sure sign that Glossy Black-Cockatoos have been feeding in the tree above. Left: Evidence of feeding by Sugar Gliders on a Red Bloodwood Corymbia gummifera tree. Such scars are caused by the animals chewing through the bark of the tree to lick up the sap. The Yellow-bellied Glider also makes similar marks; in our region this is often on Grey Gum Eucalyptus punctata. Page | 4 Bush medicine Bush Medicine Plants of the Illawarra Terry Rankmore, Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation, Wollongong, 2013. Full colour, 131 pages. Distributed to libraries, schools, etc. “Bush Medicines of the Illawarra is designed as an appreciation of the medical value plants gave the indigenous people of Australia..., and how plants have been extensively studied for medicinal use in today’s world.” Foreword, Bush Medicine Plants of the Illawarra. Over many millennia, the Australian Aboriginal people through trial and error identified medically useful plants within the Australian flora. Many parts of a plant were found to be useful, for ailments ranging from a sore toe to a headache. This book, which is presented in full colour, describes many of the medically useful plants found in the Illawarra region of NSW. Leaves are perhaps the most commonly used part of a plant. Examples include the juice from the succulent leaves of Pigface Carpobrotus glaucescens; this was used in a variety of ways, including relieving an insect bite, treating burns and scolds, and as a gargle for a sore throat. The fronds of Common Bracken Pteridium esculentum were employed as an antidote for insect bite and to reduce fever. The leaves of Small-leaved Bramble Rubus parvifolius were made into a tea and drunk to relieve the symptoms of diarrhoea. Many other plant leaves were found to be useful in treating almost any ailment one can think of. Plant sap was used in a variety of ways. The milky sap of Sandpaper Fig Ficus coronata was placed on warts to remove them, while wounds could be sealed, thus aiding healing. The sap from Cumbungi Typha orientalis was used to protect against leeches, while a ball of gum (sap) from Smooth-barked Apple Angophora costata would be placed in a tooth cavity to ease the pain.