Plant Descriptions – Laccospadix australasicus – Leptomeria drupacea

Laccospadix australasicus

Classification:

Unranked: Monocots

Unranked：Commelinids

Order: Arecales

Family: Arecaceae

Subfamily: Arecoideae

Tribe: Areceae

Genus: From Lakkos, which is Ancient Greek or later Lacos, which is Latin for a pit and Spadix which is Ancient Greek for a palm frond. It refers to the flowers, which are born in hollow pits on the same type of spadix as the fronds.

Specie: From Terra Australis, which is Latin for land of the south and Asiatica, which is Latin for Asia. It refers to plants, which are found from Asia (Minor) through to Australia.

Common Name: Walking Stick Palm.

Distribution:

Laccospadix australasicus is found south from Mount Finnegan to Benham Lookout in the Paluma National Park in far north Queensland.

It is also found in eastern Indonesia, New Guinee and the western Pacific Island Nations.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Laccospadix+australasicus#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Laccospadix australasicus prefers medium shade to heavy shade. It grows along creek banks in well-developed warm rainforests, wet littoral rainforests or Melaleuca forests. The altitude ranges from 100 meter ASL to 1600 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 10 degrees in August to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 1800mm to an average of 3200mm.

Soil Requirements:

Laccospadix australasicus prefer to grow on better quality sandy loams to light gritty clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granites. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the lower end of very saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 4m to 6.5m by 1.5m to 2m.

Characteristics:

Laccospadix australasicus’s grows as a small single trunk or multi trunked self-cleaning palm. The trunks are pale maroon with grey patches and often with lichens while the upper trunk is covered in scars from the old leaf bases and old fruiting spikes. The trunk measures 50mm to 80mm in diameter.

Laccospadix australasicus’s crown has 10 to 14 leaves. The rounded triangular petiole measures 550mm to 650mm in length by 10mm to 16mm in diameter. The petiole is grass-green.

The chartaceous, linear leaves measure 170mm to 400mm in length by 15mm to 30mm in width. There are 40 to 50 individual leaflets on a rachis. The bases are folded longitudinally and are convex on the upper lamina while the apexes are acute. The concolourous laminas are mid grass-green to deep grass-green and glabrous. The 7 to 9 major veins are prominent on the upper laminas and are visible from the lower laminas. The new growth is maroon-bronze and glossy.

The inflorescence of Laccospadix australasicus is born on a long pendulous spike. The peduncle measures 400mm to 500mm in length while the inflorescence rachis measures 200mm to 1600mm in length. The creamy–yellow male and female flowers are born on separate spikes.

The sepals are deep brown and measure 1mm to 2mm in length. The 3 yellow-ochre sepals are elliptical, cupuliform and coriaceous. The petals measure 8mm to 10mm in length by 5mm to 6mm in width.

The 3, 6, 9 or 12 white to translucent filaments measure 1mm to 1.5mm in length. The basifixed, oblong white anthers measure 4mm to 5mm in length.

The ovary is cream while the cream style is slightly exerted and measures 1.2mm to 1.3mm in length. The 3 or 6 staminodes surround the ovary.

Laccospadix australasicus’s fruits are small ovoidal to ellipsoidal berries. The berries measure 15mm to 16mm in length by 7mm to 8mm in diameter. The pale green berries turn deep scarlet-red when ripe.

Wildlife:

Laccospadix australasicus’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Laccospadix australasicus are beautiful small palms that grow particularly well on moist sandy loams. It is suitable for small, medium and large gardens close to the coast or high in the mountains in sub-tropical or tropical gardens. As garden subjects it will grow from 3 meters to 5 meters in height by 3 meters to 5 meters in diameter when grown in a cluster or 5 meters to 7 meters in height by 1.5 meters to 2 meters when grown as single trunk palm when grown in the shade. It is cold tolerant to temperatures at least as low as 3 degrees once established but are very slow in establishing themselves. I have grown this plant in Nana Glen where outside temperatures had dropped to minus 6 yet the plants inside and under the canopy of taller rainforest trees survived without any protection. They were not exposed to frosts at any stage. The plants were very slow in growth and after 12 years had just started to trunk. It is a very attractive palms for growing in rainforest gardens. Exposed plants tend to be yellow and bend excessively with the prevailing winds.

The plants need copious quantities of mulch for optimum growth.

Propagation:

Seeds: Laccospadix australasicus seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix after roughing the sides with fine sandpaper to assist in germination. Cover the seeds with 5mm to 10mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm shady position beneath 70{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth. When the seedlings are 50mm to 60mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 150mm to 200mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent positions.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September and March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

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Lachnagrostis billardierei

Classification:

Unranked: Monocots

Unranked: Commelinids

Order: Poales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: From Lakhne, which is Ancient Greek for woolly type hair and Agros, which is Ancient Greek for a field (grassy). It refers to the grass resembling those in the Agrostis genus.

Specie: Is named in honour of Billardier; 1755-1834 who travelled with the D’entrecasteaux Expedition to Western Australia and Tasmania where he discovered many new species.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Blowngrass.

Distribution:

Lachnagrostis billardierei is found in Western Australia along the Blackwood River and Flinders Peninsular south of Albany.

In the east it is found south along the coastal strip from the Clarence River in northern New South Wales to Sheringa in South Australia.

It is also found circumnavigating Tasmania and the Bass Straight Islands.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lachnagrostis+billardierei#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lachnagrostis billardierei prefers full sunlight to very light dappled shade. It grows in very exposed situations along the frontal dunes and creek, stream and river estuaries. The altitude ranges from 1 meter ASL to 10 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 3 degrees in August to 42 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 750mm to 1650mm average per annum.

Soil Requirements:

Lachnagrostis billardierei prefers course sands to fine sharp sands. The soils are usually derived from light alluvial sands or accumulated beach sands. The soils pH ranges from 4.5pH to 7.5pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the high end of very saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.25m to 0.8m by 0.25m to 0.4m

Characteristics:

Lachnagrostis billardierei grows as an open tufted annual or perennial without rhizomes or when present are very short. The culms are erect or geniculately ascending and measure 250mm to750mm in height. The 3 node culms and mid culms are glabrous.

The filiform to linear leaves measure 50mm to 500mm in length by 1mm to 8mm in width. The leaf sheaths are introrsely scabrous while the ligules are eciliate membranes. The sheaths measure 3mm to 12mm in length. It is abaxially scaberulous while the margins are lacerate. The bases merge into the sheaths while the apexes are obtuse or acute. The concolourous laminas are soft, pale blue-green and are sparsely covered in fine papillose lumps. The laminas are flat to conduplicate while the margins are entire. The midvein is slightly prominent on the lower lamina and is faintly visible from the upper lamina

The inflorescences are loose, open, pyramidal compound panicles. The panicles measure 100mm to 300mm in length by 50mm to 300mm in diameter at the base.

The pedicelled spikelets comprise of a single fertile floret with a barren rachilla extension. The laterally compressed spikelets measure 3mm to 7mm in length.
The similar glumes have a single keel with a single nerve. The lower lanceolate glumes are membranous, glabrous and measure 4mm to 7mm in length. The upper lanceolate glumes are membranous, scabrous and measure 4mm to 7mm in length.

The fertile lemmas are without keels and have 5 nerves and measure 2.5mm to 4.5mm in length. The glabrous lemmas apexes are dentate, muticus or have a single awn. The main awn is sub apical or dorsal and measures 3mm to 10mmin length. The awn’s column is twisted. The palae are dentate on the apex. The lodicules are present at the base and measure 0.7mm to 0.9mm in diameter.

The 3 stamens have filiform, white filaments while the pale yellow obloidal anthers measure 0.6mm to 1.5mm in length. The flowers appear from September to November.

The ovoidal caryopsis is pale fawn to pastel straw-yellow and measure 0.4mm to 0.8mm in length.

Wildlife:

Lachnagrostis billardierei’s leaves have high nutritional value for stock but does not recuperate quickly from grazing nor does it accept heavy traffic. The leaves are eaten by the Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the Pretty Face Wallaby (Macropus parryi) and the Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).

Cultivation:

Lachnagrostis billardierei are unusual flowering grasses for dry sub-tropical to temperate gardens with sandy soils. It requires little water and attention though making it ideal for coastal sandy beach front homes. In cultivation they will grow 500mm to 700mm in height by 100mm to 200mm in diameter when grown in an open situation in full sun.

Lachnagrostis billardierei offers the non-conforming gardener an astonishing new concept for rockeries or small heaths. The fine wispy leaves and culms are very delicate offering a peaceful, tranquil setting.

It is easy to grow, harvest and propagate but needs other small fine leaf plants around it to be successful. Low mounded plants with small bright green leaves would add to the fairy like scene. Hibbertia linearis, Hibbertia obtusifolia, Isotoma axillaris, most of the dwarf Goodenia specie would be satisfactory despite having larger leaves as would and Viola betonicifolia would all suffice beautifully.

Mass plantings are best achieved by leaving spaces between the individual plants so plant them at 300mm to 600mm centers.

Propagation:

Seeds: Collecting seeds from mature plants of Lachnagrostis billardierei is not difficult but the collector must be vigilant as the seeds will disperse over in a matter of a couple of days to a week when fully ripe. The fresh seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix however better; more even germination is gained if the seeds are stratified for a short period and sown in spring. This can be achieved by placing the seeds in a paper bag in the vegetable crisper for a few weeks prior to sowing. Cover the seeds to a depth of 2mm. Seeds usually germinate rapidly with a strike rate of over 80{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f}.

When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good quality mix.

Once the seedlings reach 50mm in height they can be repotted for indoor use or 100mm to 150mm in height plant them out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lachnagrostis filiformis

Classification:

Unranked: Monocots

Unranked: Commelinids

Order: Poales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: From Lakhne, which is Ancient Greek for woolly type hair and Agros, which is Ancient Greek for a field (grassy). It refers to the grass resembling those in the Agrostis genus.

Specie: From Filum, which is Latin for a thread or a thin cord and Forme, which is Latin for to take the shape or form of. It refers to a structure or organ, which is thread like.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Blowngrass.

Distribution:

Lachnagrostis filiformis is found in the southern half of the continent including Tasmania and the Bass Straight Islands. It is found in a line east from Walabi Island to Meekatharra, Lorna Glen Station then south to Seemore Station near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

It then moves north east to Peterman-Simpson and the Ilparpa Swamp in the Northern Territory before heading east again at Orminston Station and south east to Thargomindah where it turns north east to Bauhinia, to Kroombit Tablelands National Park and Maryborough in Queensland. There are several isolated populations further north at the Upper Mossman River, Bellenden Kerr, Herberton, Einasleigh Uplands Broken River west of Mackay and east on Lord Howe Island.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lachnagrostis+filiformis#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lachnagrostis filiformis prefers full sunlight to light dappled shade. It grows in open dry eucalypt forests, open moist Eucalyptus forests, open woodlands, closed woodlands, open grass lands in shallow depressions, drainage lines riparian zones. It is found on steeper slopes and ridges in higher rainfall areas and on plains riparian zones in lower rainfall areas. The altitude ranges from 1 meter ASL to 950 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 4 degrees in August to 42 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 150mm to 2600mm average per annum.

Soil Requirements:

Lachnagrostis filiformis prefers medium clays to heavy clays or heavy alluvial silts. The soil’s pH ranges from 4.5pH to 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils but is usually found in areas where the soils retain some moisture well after rain has ceased. Non saline soils to very saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.5m to 0.8m 0.2m to 0.3m

Characteristics:

Lachnagrostis filiformis grows as an open tufted, annual or perennial with short, wiry rhizomes. The culms are soft pale blue-green erect or geniculately ascending and measure 150mm to 800mm in length. The 4 node culms are glabrous.

The linear basal leaves measure 80mm to 300mm in length by 1mm to 5mm in width. The leaf sheaths are scabrous and glabrous while the ligules are eciliate membranes and measure 1mm to 2.5mm in length. The sheaths measure 2mm to 8mm in length. The margins are lacerate while the apexes are obtuse to acute. The bases merge into the sheaths while the apexes are obtuse or acute. The concolourous laminas are soft, pale blue-green and glabrous. The laminas are flat to conduplicate while the margins are entire to finely scabrid. The midvein is slightly prominent on the lower lamina and is faintly visible from the upper lamina

The inflorescences are loose, open, pyramidal compound panicles. The panicles measure 90mm to 300mm in length by 50mm to 300mm in diameter at the base.

The filiform branches are unequal, finely scabrid and are enclosed at base by the uppermost leaf-sheath.

The spikelets are in small clusters of 2 to 5 florets. The laterally compressed pale silvery green to purplish spikelets measure 2.2mm to 4.2mm in length.

The sub similar glabrous glumes are with acute to acuminate apexes. The glumes have a single keel with a single nerve. The lower linear glume’s keel is scabrid and measure 2.2mm to 3mm in length. The upper narrow lanceolate glumes are glabrous and measure 2mm to 2.6mm in length.

The fertile lemmas are without keels and have 5 nerves and measure 1.3mm to 2.3mm in length. The oblong to ovate lemmas are sparsely covered in white puberulent hairs but are glabrous on the hyaline margins. The apexes are erose and have a single awn. The main mid dorsal to dorsal awn measures 3mm to 6mm in length. The awn’s column is geniculate twisted. The palea have a dentate apex.

The linear lodicules are acute at the apexes and measure 0.5mm to 0.9mm in length. The 3 stamens have filiform, white filaments while the pale yellow ovate anthers measure 0.2mm to 0.5mm in length. The flowers appear from September to February.

The ovoidal caryopsis are pale fawn to pastel straw-yellow and measure 0.8mm to 1.3mm in length by 0.3mm to 0.5mm in diameter.

Wildlife:

The leaves have high nutritional value for stock but does not recuperate quickly from grazing nor does it accept heavy traffic. The leaves are eaten by the Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the Pretty Face Wallaby (Macropus parryi) and the Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).

Cultivation:

Lachnagrostis filiformis are magnificent and unusual flowering grasses for dry sub-tropical to temperate gardens with sandy soils. It requires little water and attention though making it ideal for coastal sandy beach front homes. In cultivation they will grow 600mm to 800mm in height by 100mm to 250mm in diameter when grown in an open situation in full sun.

It offers the non-conforming gardener an astonishing new concept for rockeries or small heaths. The fine wispy leaves and culms are very delicate offering a peaceful, tranquil setting.

Mass plantings are best achieved by leaving spaces between the individual plants so plant them at 300mm to 600mm centres.

Propagation:

Seeds: Collecting seeds from mature plants of Lachnagrostis filiformis is not difficult but the collector must be vigilant as the seeds will disperse over in a matter of a couple of days to a week when fully ripe. The fresh seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix however better; more even germination is gained if the seeds are stratified for a short period and sown in spring. This can be achieved by placing the seeds in a paper bag in the vegetable crisper for a few weeks prior to sowing. Cover the seeds to a depth of 2mm. Seeds usually germinate rapidly with a strike rate of over 80{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f}.

When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good quality mix.

Once the seedlings reach 50mm in height they can be repotted for indoor use or 100mm to 150mm in height plant them out into their permanent position.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lagenophora sublyrata

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Asterids

Order: Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: From Lágēnos, which is Ancient Greek for flagon, pitcher or a flask, and Phóros, which is Ancient Greek for to bearing or I carry. It refers to plants, which bear an organ or structure which resemble a pitcher or flagon. Here it refers to the achenes resembling a pitcher.

Specie: From Sub, which is Ancient Greek and Latin for below or under and Lyrātum, which is Latin for the musical instrument – a lyre. It refers to leaves, which somewhat resemble a lyre in shape or form.

Common Name: Slender Bottle-daisy or Slender Lagenophora

Distribution:

Lagenophora sublyrata is found south from Cape York Peninsular in far north eastern Queensland to Kangaroo Island in southern South Australia. It is mainly found on and east of the Great Dividing Range to the coast.

It is mainly found on the eastern side of Tasmania including the eastern Bass Straight Islands.

The previous plants known as Lagenophora gracilis are now considered only to be foundin the south west corner of Western Australia close to the coast, south from Boonanarring Brook near Gin Gin to Poronguruup.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lagenophora+sublyrata#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lagenophora sublyrata prefers full sun to filtered light. It is found on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops, valleys and headlands. The altitude ranges from 5 meter ASL to 300 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 10 degrees in August to 30 degrees in January.

The rainfalls range from lows of 700mm to an average of 3200mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lagenophora sublyrata prefers rocky loams to medium rocky clays. It can be found on hill slopes valleys and plains. The soils are usually derived from decomposed black basalts. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6.5pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the medium saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants 200mm to 350mm by 100mm to 150mm.

Characteristics:

Lagenophora sublyrata is a perennial herb with short rhizome and fleshy roots that has a life span of 3 to 4 years.

The rosette leaves of Lagenophora sublyrata are obovate to spathulate, obtuse and fleshy. They measure 10mm to 80mm in length by 6mm to 20mm width. The bases taper to a winged petiole while the apexes are obtuse. The discolourous laminas are deep green and glabrous or sparsely covered in white hirsute hairs and semi glossy on the upper lamina, while the lower is much paler and dull. The laminas gently recurve upwards slightly from the mid vein to the sinuate to toothed with acute or obtuse teeth. The mid vein and lateral veins are prominent on the lower lamina and are visible from above.

The inflorescence of Lagenophora sublyrata appear as composite heads on a long spike from the rosette of leaves. The heads measure 30mm to 40mm in diameter. The long scape is glabrous to sparsely covered in appressed, antrorse pubescent hairs and measure 50mm to 150mm in length. The deep green cauline leaves when present measure up to 3mm in length. The green, linear, glabrous bracts measure 1mm to 2mm in length, while the narrow to linear involucral bracts are glabrous and measure 2.5mm to 3mm length. The 30 to 80 ray floret’s ligules are white to lilac and measure 10mm to 12mm in length. The flowers appear from September to March.

Lagenophora sublyrata’s fruits are oblanceolate achenes that measure 2mm to 3.5mm in length glandular hairs or at times with straight hirsute hairs at the base. The apical beak is curved, with thickened white apical ring and measures 0.2mm to 0.5mm in length. The beak and adjacent margins are glandular.

Wildlife:

Lagenophora sublyrata’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lagenophora sublyrata makes an interesting addition to any moist or rockery. In my garden the simplicity has made it an immediate favourite of young and old when they see it. Its round yellow center glistens with gladness like the sun and its white or lilac ray florets add the brilliance to remember.

In the garden, perennial daisies can carry a bed all by themselves or make a great filler amongst rocks or between old logs. The first flush of blooms in spring not only heralds warmth but bridges the gap between new flushes of growth and winter colour and summer colour. A single plant can add colour but a mass planting is vividly displayed during the warmer months as the first flowers open.

Daisies have a versatility and when white can make a strong statement that only daisies the ability to do. Once established Lagenophora sublyrata will match any exotic daisy, will flourish in almost any soil and with our fertilizing programme will flower all spring and summer. It has not been troubled by insects or disease in my garden.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lagenophora sublyrata seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm sunny position or beneath 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth.

When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix or straight out into their permanent position, but first prepare the ground for their arrival.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lagunaria patersonii

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Genus: Is named in honour of Andrea de Laguna; 1499-1560, who was a Swiss botanist and Botanical author.

Specie: Is named in honour of William Paterson; 1755-1810, who was a British governor and founder of Launceston and botanical collector.

Sub species: Lagunaria patersonii subsp. bracteatus. Is named in honour of William Paterson; 1755-1810, who was a British governor and founder of Launceston and botanical collector.

Sub species: Lagunaria patersonii subsp. pattersonii. Is named in honour of William Paterson; 1755-1810, who was a British governor and founder of Launceston and botanical collector.

Common Name: Norfolk Island Hibiscus.

Distribution:

Lagunaria patersonii subsp. pattersonii is found in 2 disjunct populations on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

Lagunaria patersonii subsp. bracteatus is found in far north Queensland from Ravenswood on the Burdekin River to Port Cowper including the Cumberland Islands and near the mouth of the Flinders River near Kurumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is found mainly on and east of the Great Dividing Range.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lagunaria+patersonii#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lagunaria pattersonii prefers full sun. It is found on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops, valleys and headlands. The altitude ranges from 10 meter ASL to 300 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 10 degrees in August to 30 degrees in January.

The rainfalls range from lows of 1000mm to an average of 1490mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lagunaria pattersonii prefers rocky loams to medium rocky clays. It can be found on hill slopes valleys and plains. The soils are usually derived from decomposed black basalts. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6.5pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the medium saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants 16m to 22m by 5m to 8m.

Characteristics:

Lagunaria pattersonii’s stems are pale grey and glabrous or slightly flaky. The branchlets are pale grey-green and covered in minute, coarse fawn to golden-fawn scurfy which is often fringed.

Lagunaria pattersonii’s alternate, sub opposite or right angled leaves are sub coriaceous to coriaceous laminas are usually elliptic to broad elliptic or at times lanceolate. They measure 40mm to 90mm in length by 13mm to 50mm width. The petioles are densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales and measure 16mm to 26mm in length. The bases are symmetrical or slightly asymmetrical, slightly oblique rounded, broad cuneate while the apexes are tapering-obtuse. The discolourous laminas are grey-green and are covered in pale golden-fawn to pale golden-grey scurfy and appressed hirsute hairs on the upper lamina while the lower lamina is densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales. The laminas gently recurve upwards slightly from the mid vein to the margins and decurve gently from near the base to the apex or decurve gently on the apical quarter while the margins are entire. The mid vein and lateral veins are prominent on the lower lamina and is visible from above.

The inflorescence of Lagunaria pattersonii is sessile and is born singularly from the leaf axils. The epicalyxes are pale grey-green and are densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales. The calyxes are densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales and measure 12mm to 15mm in length. The broad triangular calyx lobes measure 2mm to 3.5mm in length. The petals are asymmetrical especially near the apexes and are elliptic to lanceolate. The mid pink to deep rose pink flowers fade to yellowish–pink at the base internally. The petals are densely covered in pastel pinkish to white scales and sparsely covered in white appressed hairs externally and are glabrous internally. The petals measure 40mm to 45mm in length. The pedicels are densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales and measure 11mm to 16mm in length. The flowers appear from November to February.

Lagunaria pattersonii’s fruits are ovoidal to spherical coriaceous capsules. The capsules measure 18mm to 26mm in length by 18mm to 26mm in diameter. The remnant of the style is persistent on the capsules which turn a dull, pale grey-brown to creamy fawn prior to dehiscing. The surface are densely covered in very pale silvery-green scales to very pale silvery-grey scales externally while the seeds are packed tightly in long, white, coarse hispid and hirsute hairs. The capsules are septate and have 5 longitudinal divisional, chartaceous membranes internally. The orbicular seeds are glossy reddish-tan.

Confusing Subspecies:

Lagunaria patersonii subsp. pattersonii’s bracteoles are reduced to a ridge surrounding the base of calyx.

Lagunaria patersonii subsp. bracteatus’s bracteoles are cupular.

Wildlife:

Lagunaria pattersonii’s flowers like most Hibiscus are attractive to the Black Hibiscus beetle (Several genre and species in the Family Nitidulidae) which feed on the pollen and the beautiful Harlequin Bugs (Tectocoris diophthalmus).

Cultivation:

Lagunaria pattersonii is a beautiful neat small pyramidal tree that is frequently overlooked by gardeners but are exceptionally beautiful trees along the coast on average to better quality soils facing the ocean. It is suitable for small, medium and large sunny gardens close to the coast or inland in warm temperate or semi-arid zones. As garden subjects it grows from 10 meter to 15 meters in height by 3.5 meters to 6 meter in diameter when grown in the open. It is relatively fast growing on better quality loams and is cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 2 degrees once established but will need protection in the early stages.

It makes a very good dense screen and contrasts well with plants which have large deep green leaves or fine bright green leaves. It can be grown with most coloured flowers except pink which tend to blend and detract from each other.

It is an excellent tree that makes very good accent trees in front of low set commercial buildings, industrial sheds or school playgrounds offering dense shade and will break up hard rigid architectural lines and give warmth and breadth to a building. In front of high rise buildings they give balance and give no problems when the trees are planted on the nature strip.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lagunaria pattersonii seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm sunny position or beneath 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lambertia echinata

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Order: Proteales

Family: Protaceae

Genus: Is named in honour of Aylmer Burke Lambert; 1761-1842, who was an English Botanist who studied the Pinus genus.

Specie: From Echinus, which is Latin for a prickle or bristly. It refers to being covered in spines or bristle like the hairs on an echidna.

Sub species: Lambertia echinata subsp. citrina. From Citrinus, which is old Anglo-French for yellow and later Citrinus, which is Latin for Citrus. It refers to the colour or scent of lemon.

Sub species: Lambertia echinata subsp. echinata. From Echinus, which is Latin for a prickle or bristly. It refers to being covered in spines or bristle like the hairs on an echidna.

Sub species: Lambertia echinata subsp. occidentalis. From Occident/Occidēns, which is Latin for western as in coming from Europe or the Middle East. It refers to plants, which were grow further west than the other subspecies.

Common Name: Prickly Honeysuckle.

Distribution:

Lambertia echinata subsp. citrina is found between Albany east to Wellstead in south western Western Australia.

Lambertia echinata subsp. echinata is found in 3 isolated populations. The largest population is found east of Esperance with a small population north west of Albany and the last between Kalbarri and Gregory in southern Western Australia.

Lambertia echinata subsp. occidentalis is found south west and east south east of Bussleton in far south west Western Australia.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lambertia+echinata#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lambertia echinata prefers full sun. It is found on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops, valleys and headlands. The altitude ranges from 2 meter ASL to 650 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 4 degree in August to 35 degrees in January.

The rainfalls range from lows of 400mm to an average of 1600mm. The lower rainfall areas around the Stirling ranges may receive additional moisture through orographic precipitation.

Soil Requirements:

Lambertia echinata sub sp. citrine prefers to grow on gravelly loams to light gritty clays. They can be found on hill slopes valleys and plains. The soils are usually derived from decomposed lateritic sandstone or granites. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the lower end of very saline soils are tolerated.

Lambertia echinata sub sp. echinata prefers to grow on skeletal sandy soils, rocky loams to rocky medium clays associated with skeletal soils close to the parent rock on ridges and cliffs. The soils are usually derived from decomposed brown lateritic sandstones or course white granitic sands. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to the lower end of very saline soils are tolerated.

Lambertia echinata sub sp. occidentalis prefers to grow on fatty sands, light clays or red-brown medium clays over ironstone. The soils are usually derived from decomposed lateritic sandstone. They grow on flats where winter rains collect and the soils remain wet for long periods.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants:

Lambertia echinata sub sp. citrine 2m to 2.5m by 2m to 2.5m.

Lambertia echinata sub sp. echinata 1m to 1.5m by 1m to 1.5m.

Lambertia echinata sub sp. occidentalis 2.5m to 3m by 1m to 1.5m.

Characteristics:

Lambertia echinata subsp. citrine’s stems are pale grey, semi glossy and glabrous. The branchlets are pale red-brown and covered in soft white hirsute hairs. The plants form a small lignotuber at ground level.

Lambertia echinata subsp. Echinata’s stems are pale grey, semi glossy and glabrous. The branchlets are pale red-brown and covered in white canescent hairs. They do not form a lignotuber.

Lambertia echinata subsp. occidentalis’s stems are pale grey, semi glossy and glabrous. The branchlets are pale red-brown and covered in soft white hirsute hairs. They do not form a lignotuber.

Lambertia echinata’s leaves are in whorls of 3 divaricate and measure 30mm to 80mm in length by 20mm to 50mm width overall. The base section that is not divided is linear to narrow oblanceolate. The leaves measures 15mm to 40mm in length by 3mm to 9mm in width. The base is tapering, sessile and spreads where it attaches to the stem. The apex is divaricate with triangular to narrow triangular lobes that measure 5mm to 12mm in length by 3mm to 10mm in width. The lobes have a long, rigid, sharp, pungent spine. The margins curve strongly upwards from the mid vein while at the same time is strongly decurve as they approach the apex. The discolourous laminas are deep sea green and glabrous on the upper lamina while the lower lamina is slightly paler. They turn yellow at the apex of each lobe near the spine. The mid vein is prominent on the lower lamina and is visible from above.

The inflorescences of Lambertia echinata are sessile and are born a cluster of 7 from the terminals or leaf axils. The 20 plus involucral bracts comprise of shorter ovate outer bracts and longer linear inner bracts. The bracts are cream. The perianth and lobes are the most prominent part of the flower.

Individual perianths on Lambertia echinata subsp. citrine are yellow.

Flowering occurs from August to January.

Individual perianths on Lambertia echinata subsp. echinata are red, orange-red, orange-pink or orange. Flowering occurs from September to October.

Individual perianths on Lambertia echinata subsp. occidentalis are yellow. Flowering occurs from April to December.

The perianths are sparsely covered in rusty hirtellous hairs externally while it is covered in white hirtellous hairs internally below the anthers. The perianths measure 25mm to 40mm in length. The lobes are recurved. The styles are the same colour as the perianth and have a cream or white, lateral stigma. The pistils measure 35mm to 45mm in length and are covered in short white pilose to villous hairs on the basal half.

Lambertia echinata’s fruits are ovoidal woody follicles. The follicles measure 6mm to 9mm in length by 5mm to 5mm in width. The woody follicles turn a dull grey-brown prior to dehiscing. The surface are sparsely covered in small spines. The 2 seeds are obloidal to orbicular with a narrow annular wing.

Wildlife:

Lambertia echinate’s flowers are very popular amongst small and medium size nectar feeding birds.

Cultivation:

Lambertia echinata are beautiful neat small native shrubs that are frequently overlooked by gardeners because of their pungent spines and poor survival rates in heavy soils. It is suitable for small, medium and large sunny gardens close to the coast or inland in temperate or semi-arid zones especially where the soils are well drained, poor and sandy or on rocky ledges and escarpments. As garden subjects they will grow from 2 meter to 2.5 meters high by 2 meters to 2.5 meter wide. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 2 degrees once established.

They would be an excellent plant for deterring unwanted guests, like dogs and cats because of their pungent leaves yet offer complete protection for all the small birds that frequent the flowers.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lambertia echinata seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm sunny position. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or a half strength solution of organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every month until the plants are established then once a year in early spring or late autumn for continual health and vitality.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lambertia formosa

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Order: Proteales

Family: Protaceae

Genus: Is named in honour of Aylmer Burke Lambert; 1761-1842, who was an English Botanist who studied the Pinus genus.

Specie: From Formosum, which is Latin for beautiful or vivacious. It refers to the species being the most beautiful in the genus.

Sub species:

Common Name: Mountain Devil.

Distribution:

Lambertia formosa is endemic to New South Wales in several disjunct populations south from The Pinnacles north of Grafton, Glenreagh in the Pyriformis Floral Reserve west of Coffs Harbour and south from the Hawkesbury River to Port Stephens.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lambertia+formosa#tab_mapView

Habitat:

Lambertia formosa prefers full sun to light dappled shade. It grows on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops, plateaus and headlands. The altitude ranges from 10 meter ASL to 550 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 2 degree in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfalls range from lows of 650mm to an average of 1200mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lambertia formosa prefers on red sands, light fatty clays to light clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed sandstones. The soils pH ranges from 5.5pH to 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 1.5m to 2m by 1.5m to 2m.

Characteristics:

Lambertia formosa’s grows as an erect to semi spreading open shrub with woody pale grey, glabrous stems. The stems are semi glossy and glabrous.

Lambertia formosa’s linear to narrow lanceolate leaves are in whorls of 3 or at times 4 or 6 and measure 30mm to 80mm in length by 2mm to 5mm width. The bases taper to a 0.5mm to 1.5mm petiole while the apexes are acute with a short sharp pungent spine. The discolourous laminas are sea-green and glabrous on the upper lamina while the lower laminas are paler. The laminas are flat and straight while the margins are entire and recurved. The mid vein is prominent on the lower lamina and is visible from above.

The inflorescence of Lambertia formosa are sessile and are born in small clusters of 7 from the leaf axis. In good seasons all 7 flowers will open however in poor seasons many of the flowers will be aborted. The 20 plus involucral bracts comprise of shorter ovate outer bracts and longer linear inner bracts. The bracts are yellow-green or khaki sometimes tinged red. The perianth and lobes are the most prominent part of the flower. Individual perianths are red from the base turning pink and white at the lobes. The perianth is glabrous externally with short white hirtellous hairs internally below the anthers. The perianths measure 38mm to 48mm in length. The lobes are covered in white villose hairs and are strongly recurved. The styles are orange to orange-red and have a cream or white, lateral stigma. The style and ovary measure 40mm to 55mm in length. The style is covered in short white pilose hairs on the basal half. The flowers appear throughout the year with a peak from September to February.

Lambertia formosa’s fruit is an oblong woody follicle. The follicles measure 8mm to 10mm in length by 7mm to 9mm in width. There is a 3mm to 5mm beak while each valve has an 8mm to 10mm horn. The follicles are glabrous to sparsely covered in small spines and turn a dull grey-brown prior to dehiscing. The ovoidal to ellipsoidal seeds are red-brown.

Wildlife:

Flowers are very popular amongst small and medium size nectar feeding birds. The New Holland Honey Eater is always attending the flowers in our area.

Cultivation:

Lambertia formosa is a beautiful clean small native shrub that is frequently overlooked by gardeners because of their pungent spines and poor survival rates on heavy soils. It is suitable for small, medium and large sunny gardens close to the coast or inland in temperate, sub-tropical or semi-arid zones especially where the soils are well drained, poor and sandy or on rocky ledges and escarpments. As garden subjects it will grow from 1.5 meters to 2 meters in height by 2 meters to 2.5 meters in diameter when grown in the open. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees once established.

Lambertia formosa can be lightly tip pruned to assist in bushiness and flowering. They resent heavy pruning so this should not be considered.

It would be an excellent plant for deterring unwanted guests. (Dogs and cats) because of their pungent leaves yet offer complete protection for all the small birds that frequent the flowers.

In Native gardens it can be used for attracting smaller or medium honeyeaters like the Brown or yellow face honeyeaters which will seek the protection offered by the dense pungent leaves and use the plants as a regular feed source.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lambertia formosa seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm sunny position and keep moist not wet.

When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Further Comments from Readers:

Landoltia punctata

Classification:

Unranked: Monocots

Order: Alsimatales

Family: Araceae

Subfamily: Lemnoideae

Genus: Is named in honour of Dr. Elias Landolt; 1926–2013, who was a Swiss Professor of geobotanical science and is regarded as the expert on the various pond duck weeds.

Specie: From Punctatus, which is Latin for small dots or small depressions. It refers to surfaces or organs, which have small dots or small depressions on the surface.

Sub species:

Common Name: Duck Weed.

Distribution:

Landoltia punctata is very widespread throughout Asia from China to northern Australia and New Guinea. It is found in permanent waterways in Western Australia from the Ord River south to Broome and from the Swan River to Fremantle.

In the Northern Territory there is an isolated population on Dashwood Creek in the Tanami Desert. I would suspect that it is more widespread in the northern third of the Northern Territory.

In the east it is found in most the water catchments that flow east from the Atherton Tableland in far north Queensland to Melbourne and most of the larger River systems that hold permanent slow water flows west including the Darling, Murrumbidgee and the Murray River to Lake Alexandra in South Australia. In Queensland it is found on the Leichardt River and Lake Moondarra near Mount Isa.

It is also found on the southern flowing Rivers in Victoria and the Thermal Springs near Deloraine in northern Tasmania.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Landoltata+punctata#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Landoltia punctata prefers full sun to light dappled shade. It grows along slow flowing creeks alluvial plains, billabongs in most types of permanent fresh water ponds. The altitude ranges from 5 meter ASL to 600 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 6 degrees in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfalls range from lows of 200mm to an average of 3000mm.

Soil Requirements:

Landoltia punctata prefers growing in water that overlies soils derived from decomposed sandstones, alluvial flats, alluvial laterites or accumulated dune sands. The soils are pure sands to light clays and heavy silts. The soils pH varies from 5pH through to 8pH are preferred. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 2mm to 3mm by 3m to 15mm.

Characteristics:

Landoltia punctata’s usually consists of a single leaf or 2 or up to 5 leaves joined in the process of rapid vegetable reproduction. The plants have 1 to 11 individual roots that measure 15mm to 35mm in length.

Landoltia punctata’s oval to orbicular leaves are thick and measure 2mm to 5mm in length by 1.2mm to 2.5mm in width. The discolourous leaves are grass-green and glabrous or covered in fine punctate dots on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are usually deep maroon-red. The margins are entire while the upper laminas are slightly convex to flat.

The new daughter leaves remain attached to the parent leaf until they reach maturity.

There is a budding pouch located adjacent to the roots on the upper lamina where the protogynous flowers emerge. The inflorescences of Landoltia punctata are minute spathes almost covering the pouches. The 1 or sometimes 2 stamens and pistil are green and glabrous. It must be noted that the plants rarely flower and no flowering has been recorded in the Australian plants.

Landoltia punctata’s fruits are minute globular capsules. The seeds are minute.

Confusing Genre:

The following genre is rather difficult to distinguish without a microscope to observe the flowering pouches. The characteristics below must be taken as a guide only. Australia can brag though with Wolffia angusta to have the smallest known flowering plant in the world.

Landoltia punctata has 2 to 7 roots. Lower surface purplish.

Lemna specie’s roots are absent or with a single root. The lower surface is green. Usually in long strings held together but easily broken.

Spirodela polyrhiza has 5 to 18 roots. Lower surface purplish.

Wolffia angusta roots are absent. Lower surface green.

Wildlife:

Landoltia punctata are feasted upon by many fresh water fish and fresh water birds especially the surface filter feeders like ducks.

Cultivation:

At first glance Landoltia punctata may appear to be a floating water weed but in fact has an extremely important role to play in recycling waste matter and preventing nutrient blooms which occur in nature.

The plants make an interesting addition to the outside fish pond or internal glass aquariums where they will remove large quantities of ammonium from the water without affecting the pH or oxygen content. In fact they improve the conditions to allow greater oxygen uptake by the water.

Phytoremediation Landoltia punctata is an all-round phytoremediator meaning that it can take up large amounts of metals from the water. It can be used very successfully in controlling very acid or alkaline water nutrient rich water which is acid due to high levels of nitrate fertilizers leaching from the soil. It is a safer method than using chemicals, is more cost effective, is environmentally friendly, non-disruptive as opposed to physically filtering the water or using chemicals to dissolve the mineral toxicity and pumping water into the polluted water it dilute it to safer levels.

Eutrophication is Greek for eutrophic—healthy, adequate nutrition while hypertrophication relates to the excess of nutrient within the body of water usually caused by factory or mining discharge farm discharge and decaying vegetable and animal matter. Professors Randall Kerstetter, Joachim Messing and Todd Michael research on different duckweeds from the Delaware and Raritan Canal near Rutgers University in the USA showed they were able to extract nitrogen and phosphate pollutants from agricultural and municipal wastewater. Their research concluded in reducing algae growth, coliform bacterial counts and mosquito larvae on ponds, while at the same time concentrated heavy metals, capturing or degrading toxic chemicals, and encourage the growth of other aquatic animals such as frogs, fish and waterfowl. Duckweeds produce biomass faster than any other flowering plant. It can be used as high-protein feed for domestic animals and shows great potential as an alternative for biofuel production.

Spirodela specie along with punctata sequence could unlock the remarkable potential of rapidly growing aquatic plants for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide to help break the present unbalanced spiraling ecosystem carbon cycle we have created.

Culley et al 1981 found that a mixture with various specie 1,378 kilograms of Nitrogen, 347 kilograms of Phosphorous and 441 kilograms of Potassium could be removed from 1 hectare of land every 12 months.

Under ideal conditions Nitrogen uptake can reach 1,890 kilograms a year. Landolt and Kandeler 1987 also noted that some specie achieved a biomass of in excess of 75 tons a year per hectare with a protein content of 45{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} which would make it an ideal dietary supplement for pigs, livestock, fish and fowls.

Landoltia punctata like Spirodela polyrhiza has tremendous potential to supply the world’s protein needs being up to 45{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} protein producing up to $300,000 a hectare at present wholesale prices for human consumption. It is far more environmentally friendly. The biggest drawback is government regulation, lack of support for new agricultural industries. The Chinese are now seriously contemplating their use as alternately protein source. This however would not discourage me one little bit in recommending it as the next crop of the future because of its huge potential, ease of growth and present worldwide prices.

Spirodela polyrhiza is high in vitamin A, amino acids, 25{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} to 48{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} protein, and 17 to 18{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} fiber. Up to 22{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} calcium, 15{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} magnesium, 0.11{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} zinc and 0.14{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} sodium by dry weight. Nutrition and Food Research Centre in Freising (Germany) (I believe Landoltia punctata would return similar nutritional values to Spirodela polyrhiza because it has a similar rate of growth and similar nutrient requirements. Window tests we conducted showed identical growth reproduction rates with various soluble nutrients added to the water.)

Propagation:

Seeds: Landoltia punctata can be easily grown by allowing the plants to self-bud in water with the absence of water fowl and herbivorous fish.

Further Comments from Readers:

Larsenaikia ochreata

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Order: Gentiales

Family: Rubiaceae

Genus: From Larsenaikia, which is an anagram of Kailarsenia. Kailarsenia is named in honour of Professor Kai Larsen; 1926–2012, who was an eminent Danish botanist and professor at Aarhus University. He did a great deal of research into the flora of South-East Asia, especially Thailand, Malaysia and Indo-China.

Specie: From ōchreāta, which is Latin for a sheath. It refers to sheaths, which form at the nodes by two stipules often uniting as a single unit and remaining as a scar after the leaf has dropped or the branch has grown out.

Sub species:

Common Name: Native Gardenia.

Distribution:

Larsenaikia ochreata is found in Queensland south from the tip of Cape York Peninsular to west of Mackay in the Eungella National Park.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Larsenaikia+ochreata#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Larsenaikia ochreata prefers full sun to light dappled shade. It grows on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops and headlands. The altitude ranges from 50 meter ASL to 1000 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 8 degree in August to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 1220mm to an average of 2800mm.

Soil Requirements:

Larsenaikia ochreata prefers growing on better quality light clays to medium clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed basalts or Granites. The soils pH ranges from 6pH through to 7pH are preferred. It does not tolerant of water logged soils however soils do have good moisture retention qualities. Non saline to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 5m to 8m by 3m to 5m.

Characteristics:

Larsenaikia ochreata’s stems are grey, dull and slightly scabrous. The branchlets are pale grey and glabrous.

Larsenaikia ochreata’s opposite elliptical leaves measure 80mm to 130mm in length by 50mm to 75mm in width. The thickened petiole measures 12mm to 15mm in length. The bases are cunneate while the apexes are broad accuminate. The concolourous laminas are mid grass-green to sea-green or at times yellow-green and are covered in white puberulent hairs. The margins are entire, undulating and curve slightly upwards from the mid vein or curve slightly downwards from the mid vein. The mid vein is prominent on the lower lamina and is visible from above. The shrubs are deciduous towards the end of the dry season.

The inflorescences of Larsenaikia ochreata are born singularly from the new terminal shoots. The pedicels measure less than 2mm in length. The fragrant white flowers turn creamy yellow with age. The pale green calyx has 6 linear lobes that measure 7mm to 9mm in length by 1mm to 1.5mm in width. The corolla measures 25mm to 45mm in length. The 6 linear to oblong, white to cream, divaricated lobes recurve slightly from the middle to the margins and close to the apex. They measure 25mm to 40mm in length by 6mm to 14mm in width. The sweetly scented flowers appear as the new shoots grow out towards the end of the dry season from November to January.

Larsenaikia ochreata’s fruits are obloidal berries. The berries measure 30mm to 40mm in length by 20mm to 24mm in diameter. The calyxes are persistent on the green berries which turn a pale yellow green when ripe. It is covered in white puberulent hairs.

Wildlife:

I have been told that the flowers are very popular with several species of butterflies while the fruits are eaten by several species of pigeons, larger honey eaters and Cassowaries, Casuarius casarius.

Cultivation:

Larsenaikia ochreata are beautiful clean small trees or large shrubs that are suitable for medium and large sunny or partly shaded gardens close to the coast in tropical, subtropical or semi-arid zones especially where the soils are of better quality loams. As garden subjects it will grow from 6 meter to 8 meters high by 3 meters to 5 meters in diameter. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as 4 degrees once established.

It is best planted amongst other shrubs that will gain plenty of attention outside the flowering season as the leaves are only found at the ends of the branchlets when in leaf.

It can be used as a rainforest under story shrub in smaller gardens. Plant them at 2 meter to 3 meter centers for quicker growth. The flowers have a sweet scent reminiscent of the exotic Gardenias followed by the large oblong fruits over a long period adding to their versatility around the home. It is also good trees for small epiphytic orchards and ferns.

Propagation:

Seeds: Larsenaikia ochreata seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm sunny position. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or a half strength solution of organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every month.

Cuttings:

Use 100mm long half ripened material when growing from cuttings from the present season’s growth. Take them in warmer months of the year. Remove half the leaves from the bottom section being careful not to tear the bark. Take a 10mm slice off the bark from the bottom of the cutting on one side.

1 Prepare the cutting mix by adding one third sharp clean river sand, one third peat and one third perlite. These ingredients are sterilize,

2 Select good material from non diseased plants,

3 Select semi green stems for cuttings. Look for a stem with two or three nodes,

4 Place the cutting on a flat, hard surface, and make a clean cut down one side of the cutting at the base for 10mm with a sharp sterile knife or razor blade. – This scarification of the node will increase the chances of roots emerging from this spot. Now remove all but one or two the leaves, leaving the apex leaves in tact. If the leaves are very large in proportion to the stem, cut off the apical halves.

5 Fill a saucer with water, and place a little medium strength rooting hormone into another container like a milk bottle top. Dip the node end of the cutting into the water and then into the rooting hormone. Tap off any excess hormone,

6 Use a small dipple stick or old pencil to poke a hole into the soilless potting mix. Ensure the hole is slightly larger than the stem diameter and be careful not to wipe the rooting hormone off the cuttings base, place the cuttings in a pattern ensuring the cuttings are not touching each other,

7 I like to place the pots in Plastic bags to help maintain temperature and moisture. Place in a semi shaded place like under 50{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth.

8 When the cuttings have struck, open the bag to allow air circulation for a few days to a week,

9 Once hardened off remove the cuttings from the bag and allow to further hardening for a few more days,

10 Transplant into a good potting mix to grow on.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lasiopeatalum ferrugineum

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Genus: From Lasios, which is Ancient Greek for soft and woolly and Petánnumi, which is Ancient Greek for to spread out or later Pétalon/Pétalos, which is Ancient Greek for thin metal leaf. It refers to specialized usually coloured leaves, which surround the ovaries and aid in the attraction of pollinators. It refers to petals which are covered in soft, woolly hairs.

Specie: From Ferrugineus, which is Latin for rusty iron coloured. It refers to leaf hairs or other physical properties of a plant which have a rusty iron colour.

Sub specie: Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. cordatum. From Ferrugineus, which is Latin for rusty iron coloured. It refers to leaf hairs or other physical properties of a plant which have a rusty iron colour.

Sub specie: Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. ferrugineum. From Ferrugineus, which is Latin for rusty iron coloured. It refers to leaf hairs or other physical properties of a plant which have a rusty iron colour.

Common Name: Rusty Velvet Bush.

Distribution:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. cordatum is found on and east of the Great Dividing Range south from Port Curtis in coastal central Queensland to the Genoa River in far north eastern Victoria.

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. ferrugineum is found on and east of the Great Dividing Range south from Mount Walsh in southern Queensland to Noorinbee in far north eastern Victoria. There is a disjunct population further north on the Blackland Tableland in Queensland.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lasiopetalum+ferrugineum#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum prefers full sun to light dappled shade. It grows in semi open forests, semi open woodlands and semi open heaths on coastal slopes and hills, rocky outcrops and headlands. The altitude ranges from 5 meter ASL to 450 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 3 degrees in August to 39 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to an average of 1600mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum prefers to grow on better sands, sandy loams, and fatty sands to light clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed sandstones, granites or at times accumulated peaty beach sands. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.5m to 1m by 0.5m to 1m.

Characteristics: Lasiopetalum ferrugineum’s stems are reddish–brown dull and slightly glabrous. The branchlets are pale grey-green and densely covered in rusty-red tomentose hairs which are often matted.

The opposite elliptical leaves measure 20mm to 120mm in length by 5mm to 40mm in width. The bases are truncate or cordate while the apexes are obtuse to acute. The discolourous laminas are mid grass-green to sea-green and are glabrous to sparsely covered in rusty-brown puberulent hairs while the lower laminas are usually moderately covered in rusty-brown or at times white tomentose hairs. The laminas recurve very slightly on the upper laminas from the mid vein to the margins and decurve downwards sharply at the margins. The margins are entire, slightly sinuate or sinuate and maybe slightly undulating. The mid vein is strongly prominent on the lower lamina and is impressed on the upper laminas while the lateral veins are at 90 degrees to the main vein and are slightly prominent on the lower laminas and slightly impressed on the upper laminas. The thickened petiole is moderately covered in rusty-brown tomentose hairs and measures 2mm to 20mm in length.

The inflorescences are short compound cymes born from the leaf axils with 5 to 10 flowers on a cyme. The peduncles and pedicels are covered in rusty-brown tomentose tor glandular hairs. The pedicels measure 1mm to 2mm in length. The linear bracteoles are covered in rusty-brown tomentose or glandular hairs and measure 3mm to 5mm in length. The calyx lobes are reddish-brown externally and covered in rusty-brown tomentose to glandular hairs externally. It is creamy to pastel yellow internally and pale rusty-brown to white puberulent hairs internally. The 5 pale yellow-green calyx lobes are elliptical to oblong with a broad acute apex. The calyx lobes measure 5mm to 10mm in length by 4mm to 7.5mm in width.

The anthers are brown while the style is pastel yellow mounted on the raised ovary. The sweetly scented flowers appear as the new shoots grow out towards the end of the dry season from September to November.

The fruits are orbicular capsules. The capsules are densely covered in long rusty-brown to rusty-red tomentose hairs admeasure 3mm to 6mm in diameter. The calyxes are persistent on the green berries which turn a reddish-brown when ripe. The compressed ovoidal seeds are black and are strongly rugose.

Confusing Subspecies Varieties:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. ferrugineum’s leaves are narrow elliptic to lanceolate and measure 35mm to 120mm in length by 5mm to 12mm in width while the bases are truncate, taper to petiole or at times are lobed while the apexes are obtuse to acute. The margins are usually entire or at times shallowly lobed or sinuate.

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum subsp. cordatum’s leaves are ovate to lanceolate and measure 20mm to 90mm in length by 8mm to 40mm in width. The bases are cordate or lobed while the apexes are obtuse to acute. The margins are usually entire or rarely shallow sinuate.

Wildlife:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum is a beautiful neat small shrub that is suitable for small, medium and large sunny or partly shaded gardens close to the coast in tropical, subtropical or semi-arid zones especially where there are better quality loams with plenty of leaf litter. As garden subjects it grows from 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters in height by 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters in diameter. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees once established.

It is best planted amongst other shrubs that will gain plenty of attention outside the flowering season as the flowers are not spectacular in their own right but are unusual.

It can be used as a rainforest under story shrub or placed adjacent to a native bush garden or beneath tall trees in an open woodland setting. Plant them at 1.5 meter to 3 meter centers depending on the type of scene being created but give them space to develop fully and without being overcrowded. The flowers have a sweet scent reminiscent of the exotic Gardenias followed by the large oblong fruits over a long period adding to their versatility around the home. It is also good trees for small epiphytic orchards and ferns.

It is great in larger rockeries where it can be successfully used as a fill in plant. Here it can be planted in small groups of 2 or 3 as a standalone plant to break a continuous barrier of green. If it is surrounded by shorter plants with fine foliages, will make its foliage will still dominate at the center giving strength and breadth to the bed especially when it is in flower. Think of the flowers when considering companion plants as they can easily be lost amongst strong colours and large leaves especially if the other plants flower at the same time.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lasiopetalum ferrugineum seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm semi shaded position preferably beneath 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or a half strength solution of organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every month.

Cuttings:

Use 100mm to 130mm long half ripened material when growing from cuttings from the present season’s growth. Take them in warmer months of the year. Remove half the leaves from the bottom section being careful not to tear the bark. Take a 10mm slice off the bark from the bottom of the cutting on one side.

1 Prepare the cutting mix by adding one third sharp clean river sand, one third peat and one third perlite. These ingredients are sterilize,

2 Select good material from non diseased plants,

3 Select semi green stems for cuttings. Look for a stem with two or three nodes,

8 When the cuttings have struck, open the bag to allow air circulation for a few days to a week,

9 Once hardened off remove the cuttings from the bag and allow to further hardening for a few more days,

10 Transplant into a good potting mix to grow on.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Specie: From Makrós, which is Ancient Greek for large and Phyllum, which is Ancient Greek for a leaf. It refers to plants, which bear large leaves that are often much larger than other species in the genus.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Large Leaf Velvet Bush.

Distribution:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum is found south from Glassy Mountain near Woodenbong in far north eastern New South Wales to Wilson Promatory in far south eastern Victoria. It is mainly found on the Great Dividing Range.

It is also found in the Grampians in south western Victoria and further south on the eastern Bass Straight Islands and the eastern and north coast of Tasmania.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lasiopetalum+macrophyllum#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum prefers light dappled shade but will grow in full sun. It grows in semi open forests, semi open woodlands and semi open drier heaths on coastal slopes and hills, especially rocky outcrops near watercourses. The altitude ranges from 50 meter ASL to 1650 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 8 degrees in August to 34 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to an average of 1400mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum prefers to grow on better quality sands, sandy loams, and fatty sands to light clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granites and acidic basalts. The soils pH ranges from 4.5pH to 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.5m to 1m by 0.5m to 1m.

Characteristics: Lasiopetalum macrophyllum’s branches are reddish–brown dull and are densely covered in white pubescent hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs. The juvenile stems are creamy-green dull and are densely covered in white and rusty hirsute hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs.

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum alternate, ovate to lanceolate or more or less cordate leaves measure 25mm to 130mm in length by 10mm to 70mm in width. The terete petiole is moderately to densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs and measures 5mm to 20mm in length. The bases are rounded to cordate while the apexes are obtuse, broad acute or acute. The discolourous laminas are mid to deep green and densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs eventually becoming somewhat glabrous on the upper laminas, while the lower laminas are usually whitish and densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs. The laminas recurve slightly from the mid vein to the margins. The margins are entire and are slightly undulating. The mid vein is strongly prominent on the lower lamina and is impressed on the upper laminas, while the lateral veins are set at 40 degrees to the main vein and form loops inside the margins.

The inflorescences of Lasiopetalum macrophyllum are short tightly packed racemes born from the leaf axils with 6 to 12 individual flowers. The entire inflorescence densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs. The peduncles and pedicels are densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs. The raceme measures 22mm to 30mm in length, while the pedicels measure 5mm to 6mm in length.

The 3 broad lanceolate bracteoles measure 3mm to 4.5mm in length. The calyx segments are moderately to densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs externally, are cream and glabrous internally and measure 6mm to 8mm in length. The petals measure less than 1mm in length. The crimson anthers split longitudinally, are dorsifixed and measure 2mm in length. The erect, white style is glabrous. The flowers appear from September to December.

The capsule are densely covered in rusty or white hirsute and tomentose hairs and measure 3mm to 5mm in diameter.

Wildlife:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum is a beautiful neat small shrub that is suitable for small, medium and large sunny or partly shaded gardens close to the coast in tropical, subtropical or semi-arid zones especially where there are better quality loams with plenty of leaf litter. As garden subjects it grows from 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters in height by 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters in diameter. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees once established.

It is best planted amongst other shrubs that will gain plenty of attention outside the flowering season as the flowers are not spectacular in their own right but are unusual.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lasiopetalum macrophyllum seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm semi shaded position preferably beneath 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or a half strength solution of organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every month.

Cuttings:

1 Prepare the cutting mix by adding one third sharp clean river sand, one third peat and one third perlite. These ingredients are sterilize,

2 Select good material from non diseased plants,

3 Select semi green stems for cuttings. Look for a stem with two or three nodes,

8 When the cuttings have struck, open the bag to allow air circulation for a few days to a week,

9 Once hardened off remove the cuttings from the bag and allow to further hardening for a few more days,

10 Transplant into a good potting mix to grow on.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Sub specie:

Common Name: Schulzenii’s Velvet Bush.

Distribution:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii is found east from Port Lincoln in southern South Australia to Otway southern Victoria. It is mainly found along the coastal strip.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lasiopetalum+schulzenii#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii prefers light dappled shade but will grow in full sun. It grows in semi open forests, semi open woodlands and semi open drier heaths on coastal back dunes and headlands. The altitude ranges from 50 meter ASL to 1650 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 2 degrees in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 450mm to an average of 650mm.

Soil Requirements:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii prefers to grow on better sands, sandy loams, and light fatty sandy clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed limestone or accumulated beach sands. The soils pH ranges from 7pH to 8pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 1.5m to 2m by 1.5m to 2m.

Characteristics: Lasiopetalum schulzenii branches are reddish–brown dull and are glabrous to densely covered in white tomentose and hirsute hairs and white and fawn stellate hairs. The juvenile stems are creamy-green dull and are densely covered in white and rusty hirsute hairs and white, stellate hairs.

Lasiopetalum schulzenii’s alternate, cordate leaves measure 30mm to 70mm in length by 20mm to 50mm in width. The terete petiole is are densely covered in white tomentose and hirsute hairs and white and fawn stellate hairs and measures 4mm to 10mm in length. The bases are cordate while the apexes are acute. The discolourous laminas are mid to mid blue-green and are densely covered in white tomentose and hirsute hairs and white and fawn stellate hairs becoming sparsely covered on the upper laminas, while the lower laminas are usually whitish and are densely covered in white tomentose and hirsute hairs and white and fawn stellate hairs. The laminas curve downwards from the mid vein to the margins and on the apical half to the apex. The margins are entire and at times are slightly undulating. The mid vein and main lateral veins are strongly prominent on the lower lamina and are impressed on the upper laminas.

The inflorescences of Lasiopetalum schulzenii are short tightly packed racemes born from the leaf axils with 5 to 12 individual flowers. The entire inflorescence sparsely covered in rusty to fawn hirsute stellate hairs. The peduncles and pedicels are densely covered in white and rusty hirsute and hirsute and tomentose hairs and rusty-brown stellate hairs. The raceme measures 40mm to 70mm in length, while the pedicels measure 2mm to 5mm in length.

The 1,2 or 3 linear bracteoles measure 2mm to 5mm in length. The calyx segments are moderately covered in rusty-fawn stellate hairs externally and are white and glabrous internally and measure 6mm to 10mm in length. The deep redddis-brown petals measure 1mm in length. The marron to reddish brown anthers split longitudinally, are dorsifixed and measure 1.5mm in length. The erect, white style is densely covered in white hirsute or tomentose hairs. The flowers appear from September to December but the odd flower will continue through the warmer months of summer and autumn.

The capsule are densely covered in fawn or white hirsute and tomentose hairs and measure 3mm to 5mm in diameter.

Wildlife:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lasiopetalum schulzenii is a beautiful neat small shrub that is suitable for small, medium and large sunny or partly shaded gardens close to the coast in tropical, subtropical or semi-arid zones especially where there are better quality loams with plenty of leaf litter. As garden subjects it grows from 0.8 meters to 1.8 meters in height by 0.8 meters to 2 meters in diameter. It is fast growing and are cold tolerant to temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees once established.

It is best planted in small clusters with more showy small shrubs either side so it will gain plenty of attention outside the flowering season as the flowers are not spectacular in their own right but are unusual.

It can be used very successfully in sea side gardens as an under story shrub below plants like Banksia integrifolia, Brachychiton discolour or Agonis flexuosa for a formal look or Leptospermum laevigatum where a windswept look is wanted. Plant it at 1.5 meter to 3 meter centers depending on the type of scene being created but give them space to develop fully and without being overcrowded. The flowers are especially different and pleasing to the eye and flower over a long period.

Propagation:

Seeds: Lasiopetalum schulzenii seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix. Cover them with 5mm to 6mm of fine weed free mulch and keep moist. Place the tray in a warm semi shaded position preferably beneath 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade cloth. When the seedlings are 20mm to 30mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 100mm to 150mm in height they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or a half strength solution of organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every month.

Cuttings:

1 Prepare the cutting mix by adding one third sharp clean river sand, one third peat and one third perlite. These ingredients are sterilize,

2 Select good material from non diseased plants,

3 Select semi green stems for cuttings. Look for a stem with two or three nodes,

8 When the cuttings have struck, open the bag to allow air circulation for a few days to a week,

9 Once hardened off remove the cuttings from the bag and allow to further hardening for a few more days,

10 Transplant into a good potting mix to grow on.

Fertilize using seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then twice annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Further Comments from Readers:

\In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl and all aboriginal nations throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and future for the pleasures we have gained.

Lasteopsis acuminata

Classification:

Unranked: Pteridophyta

Class: Pteridospida

Order: Polypodiales

Family: Dryopteridaceae

Genus: Is named in honour of Charles Jean Louis Delastre; 1792-1859, who was a French Botanical author and Opsis, which is Ancient Greek for having a liking to. It refers to ferns, which resemble of the European Lastrea genus.

Specie: From Acūmināta, which is Latin for being contracted or concave on the sides before protracting to a sharp point. It refers to apexes on the leaves or phyllodes, which have short sharp points.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Creeping Shield Fern or Glossy Shield Fern or Shiny Shield Fern.

Distribution:

Lastreopsis acuminate is found south from Boonah and the Macpherson Ranges in far south east Queensland to near Mount Gambier in south eastern South Australia. It is mainly found on and east of the Great Dividing Range.

In Tasmania it is found on King Island, the Flinders Island group and in northern, western and eastern Tasmania.

There are 2 isolated populations one is quite extensive from one end of the Carnarvon Gorge National Park to the other and the second is at White cliffs in central western New South Wales. The latter has been found growing on the walls of old mine shafts in the district.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lastreopsis+acuminata#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lastreopsis acuminate prefers medium shade to deep shaded areas of moisture retentive soils in mountain rainforests, moist gallery forests or wet sclerophyll forests. It grows in cool moist gullies especially along creek banks, near waterfalls and between rock crevices and along road culverts, where moisture is always assured. The altitude ranges from 20 meter ASL to 1200 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 4 degrees in August to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to 3200mm average per annum. The lower rainfall areas are usually associated with orographic precipitation.

Soil Requirements:

Lastreopsis acuminate prefers better quality sandy loams to medium clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granites, sandstones, metamorphic rocks, brown basalt, black basalt, shale or calcareous shales. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 7.5pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants:0.4mm to 0.6mm by 500mm to 1500mm.

Characteristics:

Lastreopsis acuminate has a short slim erect or oblique rhizome covered in large broad shiny deep brown to deep brown-black scales.

The fronds are erect, narrow triangular to broad triangular. The stipes are deep brown near the base turn deep grass-green to deep green at the apexes of the rachises. The rachis is grooved on the upper surface and is covered in short, off white, soft sericeous hairs. The fronds usually measure 400mm to 600mm in length but have been recorded at 900mm in length by 200mm to 400mm in width overall. The bipinnate to tripinnate laminas are grass-green, semi glossy to glossy on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are paler and dull. The pinnae are acuminate and glabrous except along veins and grooved rachis. The upper pinnae without basal lobes and are fused to rachis. The ultimate segments teeth are acute while the axes covered in relatively long, off white, soft, spreading sericeous hairs.

The orbicular sori’s indusium is reniform to almost peltate and glabrous.

Wildlife:

Lastreopsis acuminate’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lastreopsis acuminate is a beautiful medium fern for the bush house, courtyards or in the garden where moist, deeper shade prevails. Lastreopsis acuminate is an excellent fern for along drainage lines and small steep sided gullies.

It is ideal for rainforest gardens once a good shade area has been established or on the southern side of buildings. This is a fern that looks its best when mass planted amongst other rainforest leafy plants like Cordyline terminalis, Cordyline petiolaris or Alocasia brisbaniensis to mention a few.

It often reaches its full potential of 500mm in a little over a year under favourable conditions.

Propagation:

Spores: All ferns that are declared rare, vulnerable or endangered are protected by Federal and State Laws and must not be removed from the wild unless you are a land developer, mining company or main Roads department etc. This includes bulbs, roots, leaves and flowers. No part of any plant can be removed from Federal, State or Local Government land without the prior permission of the authority and this includes the spore.

Most people are put off at the thought of growing ferns from spore. Like all plants that produce their offspring from seed or spore the methods are basically the same. Remember nature has been doing this for millions of years and has been very successful. I have had excellent results growing over 200 different species of Australian ferns so don’t be afraid. Give it a go.

Step 1. Select spore from the fern fronds. Wait until the fern is just starting to release its spore. Rinse the fronds under clean running water and dry. This is to wash off any other spores from rogue ferns that may have settled onto the fronds. (There is nothing worse than having common brake or common soft bracken contaminating a prized tree fern or epiphyte.)

Step 2. Place the dry fronds in a clean brown paper bag and keep them in a cool dark place like the linen closet for about a week to ten days before you are ready to sow the spore. The exception to this rule applies to ferns, which produce green spores. These must be sown immediately that they are released. Todea Barbara is a good example of a fern, which produces green spore.

Step 3. Take a large ice cream container, a small ice cream container and a clean clear plastic bag large enough to seal the large ice cream container and three or four milk bottle tops.

Step 4. Punch or drill 6 to 10 5mm holes in the bottom of the small ice cream container.

Step 5. Wash both containers, tops and plastic bag so that they are very clean and sterile.

Step 6. Use a clean fine seed raising mi. We used 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} fine sand, 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} peat and 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} perlite and 10{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} vermiculite. We used crushed basalt, crusher dust and peat in a 50:50 ratio for epiphytes. Moisten the mix enough that water does not run out when the mix is squeezed between the fingers.

Step 7. Place the moisten mix (Enough to half fill the small ice cream container) in the microwave oven with a large glass of water for 7 or 8 minutes, until the water is boiling. Allow them to cool in the oven. You will need the water later so do not tip it out.

Step 8. Take the brown paper bag out of the linen closet. Shake the bag and remove the fronds. You should have a yellow, brown, black or rarely greenish brown or ochre powder or very fine, small round pin head size spore depending on the specie involved.

Step 9. Remove the mixture from the oven once it has cooled and place it in the small ice cream container and level.

Step 10. Sprinkle the spore sparsely over the mixture in the small ice cream container.

Step 11. Place the milk bottle tops in the large ice cream container with the flat surface facing down. Place the small ice cream container in the large ice cream container so that it is sitting on the milk bottle tops.

Step 12. Remove the water from the microwave and pour it into the larger ice cream container so there is 25mm to 30mm of water in the bottom.

Step 13. Place the ice cream containers in the plastic bag and seal. Step 14. Place the contents and bag in a warm shady place preferably 50{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} to 70{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade depending on the specie. Shade houses and some window sills are ideal.

Step 15. The surface should turn green within a week to two weeks. The prothallus will then develop. From the prthalus the first true fronds will appear. Wait until the ferns are 20mm to 35mm in height before you attempt to transplant them. Once they are ready open the bag up slightly and allow the air to flow around the little ferns. Every 3 to 5 days open the bag a little further so the ferns get use to their new environment. Allow them a week to two weeks to harden off before you transplant them following the removal of the plastic bag. Carefully prick them out into 50mm standard squat tubes as you would any seedling.

Do not try to transplant them as single plants as they are still a little delicate still.

Once the smaller ones again reach 50mm to 70mm you may wish to divide the stronger and hardier individual plants into smaller clumps in 100mm squat pots.

Step 16. We fertilized with seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis until established. Fertilize every two months for one year even when in the ground.

Further Comments from Readers:

Lastreopsis decomposita

Classification:

Unranked: Pteridophyta

Class: Pteridospida

Order: Polypodiales

Family: Dryopteridaceae

Specie: From De, which is Latin for down and (com which is Latin for to come together) composita, which is Latin for to divide more than once.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Trim Shield Fern.

Distribution:

Lastreopsis decomposita is found south from the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton in central coastal Queensland to Orbost in north eastern Victoria. It is mainly found on and east of the Great Dividing Range.

In Queensland it is found further north in the Barrine National Park, Rockingham’s Bay, Dalrymple Heights and Carnarvon Gorge while in New South Wales it is found west of the Range at Tamworth, south of the Liverpool Range and Orange and in Victoria it is found in the Dandenong Ranges.

It is also found in 2 locations in Tasmania at west Strahan in the west and the upper Derwent River in the east.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Lastreopsis+decomposita#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Lastreopsis decomposita prefers medium shade to deep shaded areas of moisture retentive soils. It grows in mountain rainforests, moist gallery forests or wet sclerophyll forests. It grows in cool moist gullies especially along creek banks, near waterfalls and between rock crevices and along road culverts, where moisture is always assured. It can cover large areas under ideal conditions. The altitude ranges from 100 meter ASL to 1300 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 4 degrees in August to 38 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to 2800mm average per annum. The lower rainfall areas are associated with orographic precipitation.

Soil Requirements:

Lastreopsis decomposita prefer to grow on better quality loams to medium clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granites, sandstones, metamorphic rocks, brown basalt, black basalt, shale or calcareous shales. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants:200mm to 500mm by 200mm to 500mm.

Characteristics:

Lastreopsis decomposita has a short creeping rhizome covered in large broad shiny brown to deep brown scales.

Lastreopsis decomposita fronds are erect and broad triangular. The stipes are deep brown near the base turn grey-green the apexes of the rachises. The stipes are covered in chocolate-brown, lanceolate scales especially on the basal third. The rachis densely covered in pale brown hirsute hairs. The fronds usually measure 500mm to 900mm in length by 400mm to 700mm in width overall. The tripinnate to 4 pinnate laminas are pale grey-green, semi glossy to glossy on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are paler and dull. The laminas are covered in short white hirsute hairs. The upper pinnae with basal lobes fused to the rachis. The ultimate segments apexes are accuminate to acute while the axes are moderately to densely covered in pale brown to fawn hirsute hairs especially on the young fronds.

The spore and sori when ripe are a pale brown. The caduceous indusium are pale brown.

Wildlife:

Lastreopsis decomposita’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Lastreopsis decomposita is a beautiful medium fern for the bush house, courtyards or in the garden where moist, deeper shade prevail. Lastreopsis decomposita is an excellent fern for along drainage lines and small steep sided gullies.

It is ideal for rainforest gardens once a good shade area has been established or on the southern side of buildings. This is a fern that looks its best when mass planted amongst other rainforest leafy plants like Cordyline terminalis, Cordyline petiolaris or Alocasia brisbaniensis to mention a few.