Group Leader - Graham Quint, 16 Evan s Street, Peakhurst. 2210. N.S.W. Australia , !ENSLETTER bT! 5 PARCH, I984 PROPAGATIOI! REPORTS Following is a propagation report from Queensland member Mrs Jan Sked, "Seed raising methods - Method 1, - 3 parts (sometimes 2) sand to 1 part peatmoss in ice cream containers placed in full sun, Method 2 - Straight moistened peatmoss in clear plastic bags, Seed is placed in peatmoss in bag, sealed with a twist tie and tied onto clothes line under house, This method was most successful in the warmer months, I have found that fresh seed germinates very quickly. Old seed will take many weeks or months and, if too old, not at: all.'' INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:- planted 5pei i es germination period % germination Seed raising mix Barklya 15 days Mar 100% 3 parts sand + 1 peatmos syringifolia Ba rklya 12 days Sept 5 0% peatmoss in plastic bag syringifolia Castanospermum 12 weeks S~P 100% 3 sand/l peatmoss australe Commersonia 13 days Mar 100% 3 sand/l peatmoss f raser i Cupaniopsis 18 days Nov 100% peatrnoss in plastic bag serrata Erythrina sp. 10 weeks Ma Y 8 0% 2 sand/l peatmoss Eugen i a Nov hodgk inson i ae 4 weeks 100% peatrnoss in plastic bag Eugen i a Feb rubig inosa 23 days 100% II I I I I II Eugen ia Jan wi lsoni i 18 weeks 3 sand/l peatmoss Eustrephus S~P lat i fol i us 7 weeks ' 80% peatrnoss in plastic bag Fl inders ia Flov austral is 13 days 90% H icksbeachia Nov pinnatifolia 4 weeks 100% 2 sand/l peatmoss Leea Oct indica 6 weeks 90% peatmoss in plastic bag Mi 1 lettia S~P megasperma 12 weeks 5 0% 3 sand + 1 peatmoss Mi 1 lettia Mar megasperma 74 weeks 70% peatmoss in plastic bag planted Species germination period %germination Seedraisingmix sand/l peatmoss Omalanthus 13 days , Jan 60% 3 populifolius Omalanthus 5 days act 100% peatmoss in plastic bag populifolius Pittosporum 8 weeks Mar 75% rhombifolium Planchonella 20 days No" 100% austral is Planchonella 30 days Dee 100% 2 sand/l peatmoss eerwah Following is a propagation report from David Bray of Elands, N,S,W. planted Spec i es germination period %germination Seedraisingmix Podocarpus 4 months S~P ? sand 4/compost 1 elatus I I I I Planchonella 37 days Dec 50% austral is I I I I Synoum 32 days Dec 95% glandulosum I I I I Trochocarpa 18 months Jan 10% laurina Psychotria 33 days Dec ? loniceroides I I I I Glochidion 43 days Jan 2 5% ferdinandi .. Hymenosporum 36 days Jan f 1 avum I I I I Not01 aea 9 months Feb 8 0% longifolia >- I I I I Call icoma 8 months Feb 2 0% serrat i fol ia Eustrephus 2 months Feb latifolius Caldcluvia 7 months Feb paniculata Syzyg i um 45 days Feb paniculatum Mor inda 5 months Mar jasminoides Dysoxyl um 6 months Mar fraseranum Clerodendrum 8 months - tomentosum I I I I Syzyg i urn 8 months Mar 4 0% moore i I I I I L i nospad i x 11 months Mar 5 0% monostachyus I I I I E 1 aeodendron 8 months Mar 3 5% australe Elaeocarpus 18 months Mar still germinating " I' reticulatus Next, with the reports we have a propagation report from Richard Riley of Grafton. - planted Spec i es germination period % germinat ion Seed raising mix Araucar ia 22 days Feb 8 0% sand + so i 1 cunninghamii Araucar ia 7 months Feb sand + soil bidwillii Scheff 1 era 6 months Oct 95% actinophylla Castanospermum 4 months Aug 60% aust rale Finally we have a propagation report from David Thomas of Sydney:- planted Species germination period % germination Seed raising mix A ba rema 1 month - 8 0% 2 parts river sand/ sap indo ides 1 part peat moss Acacia 3 weeks - 8 0% I I I I melanoxylon Acmena 3 months Oct 7 0% brachyandra Acmena 4 months Jun smithi i A1 ect ryon 2 monchs Dee 1only 11 , II subcinereus A1 ph i ton ia. 1 month Nov 40% exce 1 sa Aphananthe 14 months Mar 8 0% phi1 ippinensis /!,I-aucar ia 3 months bidwi 11 i i Archontophoenix 5 months Aug 70% a 1 exand rae Archontophoenix 8 months May 90% cunningharniana Austromyrtus 2 months Dec 60% bidwi 11 i i Backhousia 2 months Feb 4 0% myrt i fol ia Castanospermum 1 month - 95% australe Ceratopetal urn 3 weeks Jan . 80% apetal um Chrysophyllum 2 months Dec 10% pruniferurn C i ssus 3 months J un 2 0% antarct ica Clerodendrum 1 week Feb 90% tomentosum Cordyl ine 1i months Ap r 90% f rut icosa Cordyl ine 2 months - 7 0% stricta . Spec i es germination period planting % germination Seed raising mix Cryptpcarya 3 months - 8 0% 2 parts river sand/ glaucescens 1 part peat moss Cryptoca rya 5 months May 7 0% laevigata var bowe i I I I I Cryptocarya 33 months Mar 3 0% rigida Diploglottis 1 month Dec 7 0% cunninghamii E 1 aeocarpus 4 months Feb 5% kirton i i E 1 aeocarpus 4 months J un 5 % reticulatus Elattostachys 2; months July 7 0% nervosa Emmenosperma 2+ months Nov 50% alphitonioides End i andra 6 months b:a y 10% pubens Eust rephus latifol ius Fl indersia 2 months - 7 0% austral is Fl indersia 3 months Dec 7 0% xanthoxyla Glochidion 2 months Nov 90% I I I I ferdinandi Gymnostachys 4 months - 8 0% anceps Hymenosporum 2 months - 8 0% f 1 avum Jage ra 3 weeks Dec 6 0% pseudorhus Linospadix 12 months - 60% monostachyus Livistona 2 months Dec 8 0% I I I I austral is Macadamia 2 months - 8 0% integrifol ia Me1 ia 3 months Jul azederach va r australasica Mu sa 3 months blov 40% I I I I banks i i Oreocall is 1 month - 7 0% I I I I wickhami i GROWING RAINFOREST PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS by Graham Quint, To date I have tried several rainforest species from cuttings and the majority have not proved difficult ro grow in this manner. I do use a misting system and the cuttinhs frame is in full sun so I would be interested in hearing whether the fallowing species can be grown as easily without misting. The two local species of Davidsonia are rainforest trees with excellent potential for cultivation as food producers. One, Davidson's Plum grows to 12 metres and has large ornamental leaves, The Smooth Davidsonia is an unnamed, rare tree with smaller, hairless leaves, It is restricted to a few locations on the North Coast. It is known to grow only from cuttings, for the seeds are mysteriously sterile. These Davidsonias bear prolific quantities of plum size purple fruit with crimson edible flesh. They can be used for jams, pies, jellies and juices and are also said to make an excellent \vine, $/henever I go bush I eagerly seek the tangy, sometimes aromatic fruit of the Lillypillies (Acmena and Syzygium species), a welcome change from cultivated foods These plants belong to the same botanical family as the better-known Eucalypts. The common Lillypilly (Acmena smithii) is a tree which grows in coastal forests from Gippsland (~ic)to Cape York (QLD), As with many other native plants, there is a great variation in the quality of its fruit, The Brush Cherry (Syzygium paniculatum), a native of the Big Scrub, usually is said to have the highest quality fruit of this group, with a distinctive flavour all of its own. The Blue Lillypilly (S. coolminianum) and the Riberry (S. luehmannii) also produce exceptional fruit. Fruits from the Lillypillies can be eaten raw, in jams and jellies. Their closest relatives in Indonesia and South America are some of the staple fruits for the people of these countries, The Bauple Nut (~icksbeachiapinnatifol ia) is closely related to the Macadamia, whose foliage it resembles, but with larger leaves and more striking appearance, It too has a fine quality nut, The tree's ornamental value and small size (6 m high) make it an ideal tree for the back yard, The Native Tamarind (~iploglottisaustral is) is a distinctive rainforest tree, its canopy crowned with large coarse leaves. Its fruit is very sour-tasting when eaten raw, but excellent as a fruit drink when diluted with water and sweetened to taste. The Native Tamarind is a member of -the Sapindaceae botanical family making it closely related to the highly regarded Litchi, Rambutan and Longan of South- east Asia, The Lacebark Kurrajong (~rachychitondiscolor) and the Flame Tree (B, acer if01ium are two local trees commonly grown as ornamentals. Their seeds are edible and can be eaten raw or roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee, The Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus) has been described as having the best of the indigenous fruits. The tree is elegant and renowned for its fine quality timber, Its fruit can be eaten rai.1, and provides a tasty difference in a fruit salad, The fruit's mucilaginous nature also lends it well to jellies. Like the Plum Pine, the Black Apple fruit (~lanchonellaaustral is) needs to 22 eaten !vhen thoroughly ripe, , . The fruit are large, almost black, plum like up to 5cm long, sometimes founc In considerable quantities on the rainforest floor. When soft and ripe I find their flavour like a cross between guava and custard apple, With a little variety selection, this could easily become an excellent dessert fruit. The huge cones of the Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) contain large seeds akcut 5 cm long.