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Empodisma minus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Empodisma minus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Empodisma minus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Epacris microphylla North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Epacris microphylla North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Glycine latifolia North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Glycine latifolia North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Glycine latifolia North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Glycine latifolia North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Glycine latifolia North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Grevillea humilis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Grevillea humilis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

One of the many marsh reeds and grasses found is Empodisma minus.

Epacris microphylla is rather common in the heathsand look spectacular when in flower either from afar or at close quarters. This time the first flowering had finished and the secondary flowering it was a little early as the buds had not opened.

One of the small twining plants is Glycine latifolia but unfortunately it had already flowered.

Grevillea humilis however was in flower and the plants looked very healthy growing on poor accumulated beach sands and exposed to saline winds .

Choretrum candollei Yuraygir National Park NSW

Choretrum candollei Yuraygir National Park NSW

Choretrum candollei Yuraygir National Park NSW

Choretrum candollei Yuraygir National Park NSW

Choretrum candollei Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Coronidium oxylepis Yuraygir National Park

Drosera binata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Drosera binata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Drosera binata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Choretrum candollei is an unusual hemi parasitic plant rarely found on the north coast in Yuraygir National Park of NSW. The write up is also a new addition to the web site.

Another beautiful annual from the coast is Coronidium oxylepis, which was until recently known as Helichrysum oxylepis.

Another unusual find was a very large specimen of Drosera binata. I have removed one photo taken in the Canberra Botanic Gardens and added another three from the wild.

Acronychia imperforata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Acronychia imperforata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Bossiaea ensata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Bossiaea ensata North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Bossiaea heterophylla North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Bossiaea heterophylla North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Cenchrus caliculatus North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Continuing on with omy day out with John on the back dune marshes and along the ridge in North Yuraygir National Park as I still have a lot of inclusions to make.

There are two more additions for Acronychia imperforata.

We located two species of Bossiaea with two photos of each added. Bossiaea ensata and Bossiaea heterophylla.

Further down there is a complete set of photos of Cenchrus caliculatus.

Conospermum ellipticum North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Conospermum ellipticum North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Conospermum ellipticum North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Conospermum ellipticum North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Conospermum ellipticum North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Crotalaria brevis North Yuraygir National Park NSW

Continuing with Conospermum ellipticum.

Crotalaria brevis has a full set except the stem.

Allocasuarina thalassoscopica Yuraygir National Park NSW

Allocasuarina thalassoscopica Yuraygir National Park NSW

Austromyrtus dulcis Yuraygir National Park NSW

Banksia aemula Yuraygir National Park NSW

Blechnum camfieldii Yuraygir National Park NSW

Wollastonia uniflora Yuraygir National Park NSW

Wollastonia uniflora Yuraygir National Park NSW

Wollastonia uniflora Yuraygir National Park NSW

Had the day out with John on the back dune marshes and along the ridge in Yuraygir National Park so have a lot of inclusions this time. An unusual find for us was Allocasuarina thalassoscopica. Its small size warrants a place where a small sheoak or pine tree is wanted. The photos show the difference in growth where growing in the open and growing amongst other shrubs. The write up for this species is a new addition on the web as well.

Austromyrtus dulcis was giving a great display on pure beach sand with its vibrant new growth colours.

Removed one photo of flower of Banksia aemula and replaced with a better one.

Facing the ocean and receiving full sun and salt laden winds is Blechnum camfieldii. It displays another side of ferns which most people consider delicate shade lovers.

Wollastonia uniflora was in an exposed position growing on poor, white accumulated sands.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

The upright form of Coleus nitidus formally known as Plectranthus nitidus shows the upper and lower laminas, which are not glossy, with the lower lamina only having a very pale tint of purple. The flower spike depicts the square cross section pale purple colouration and wings better.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

I have removed one photo of the stem and added a new one and added three photos of buds and flowers on Caesalpinia bonduc. Changed the known flowering times from September to November. I photographed the flowers at Bushland Beach in mid July and now at The Pinnacles in NSW in mid May, indicating a much longer flowering period.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Rhodosphaera rhodanthema Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Rhodosphaera rhodanthema Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Rhodosphaera rhodanthema Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Cupaniopsis baileyana Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

After a mid morning storm I raced out to photograph a beautiful giant mushroom I found the day before. The one on the left measured 160mm in diameter.

On my little adventure I took two photos of the leaves from Rhodosphaera rhodanthema, which consequently had two removed from the site and the new ones added. I took several photos of the seeds and though the seeds were already well represented these caught my attention with glistening water droplets below the ripe fruits. Rain drops never cease to amaze me.

Another plant of interest in the garden is Cupaniopsis baileyana which was found to have green fruits meaning I will have to wait till later in the year to catch it in flower. Pictured is the stem’s new growth showing the distinct furrows and very fine caducous, pubescent brown hairs.

Another change has seen the written description of Marsdenia flavescens removed and replaced under Leichhardtia flavescens to conform with its new name under botanical nomenclature.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

I have always had a soft spot for ferns. Even when working in China I could not resist in having a Chinese native fern garden. The school actually used it as a biology lesson when doing classes on botanical classification. After weeks of incessant rain we finally had a clear day and my attention was taken away from fungi to ferns.

Didn’t have to walk far when I noticed a Schizaea dichotoma, with very large fronds to 600mm in height and 320mm in width. To make my day it had a new cozier prior to unwinding and another frond’s apex had freshly ripening spore.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Finally had the chance to photograph Archontophoenix alexandrae in flower. I noticed that the European bee was the early riser to attended to the flowers. Next came the native stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria in great numbers. Last to rise was a new specie to me of native bee, which is probably a hive bee notating its numbers and method of working the flowers. If any one can put a name to it, it would be greatly appreciated. Note the longer wings than body length and the upper abdomen is deep glossy blue while the lower abdomen is white and covered in white pulverulent hairs.

Australia has around 1,650 species of native bees that we know of. – https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-10-01/australias-native-bees-black-summer-bushfires/100503694

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Collected seeds of Harpullia arborea while up in north Queensland a few years back and now have them planted out in the garden adjacent to the fire break. They had me puzzled for a while as they didn’t germinate within a month I discarded them and to my surprise a small clump germinated beneath my rain forest and took me a while to put the brain back in gear. The photos now include the narrower leaf form and the new growth. Happy gardening.

Hydrocotyle tripartita Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Hydrocotyle tripartita Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Acacia disparrima Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Alphitonia excelsa Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Hibbertia aspera Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Eucalyptus tetrapleura Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Eucalyptus tetrapleura Mill Creek Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Schizomeria ovata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Schizomeria ovata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Schizomeria ovata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Schizomeria ovata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Schizomeria ovata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Decided to do a creek walk today and located several plants that I had not photographed in the past or had better depicting photos of the genus and specie to attach to the web book.

A new specie for me is Hydrocotyle tripartita found growing in a slow flowing rill. need to keep an eye out now for the flowers.

Despite having several good photos of Acacia disparrima I can now include an immature tree’s trunk. The tree was growing close to the rill but far enough away to say it was on dry sandstone compared to the Queensland trees photographed on a tidal estuary. The tree is very versatile on habit conditions and soil types.

Alphitonia excelsa has recently been seen, several times with fasciation growth. The only other plant I have seen in the wild which is subject to fasciation is Lobelia pedunculata. I have also added the following description of fasciation in the text. It can be a genetic mutation that causes a plant’s growing tip/s to become flattened or elongated, or to look like multiple stems fused together.

Fasciation is where a plants abnormality is usually derived from a genetic mutation, which causes a plants growing tip/s to become flattened or elongated, or to look as if several stems have been fused together, while helical growth is a pattern of growth that involves circular movements, coiling, and twisting.

We; John edwards and I, have found in some areas in the Clarence Valley, Alphitonia excelsa seems to be prone to fasciation.

• Fasciation can be caused by malformation of plant stems that can cause abnormally strange growths, 
• It can cause stems to be wide, flattened, and ribbed, or to grow in a spiral formation,
• It can cause flowers to look like two or more flowers have been grafted together as one or
• It can cause plant parts to increase in density. 

Fasciation is caused by hormonal, genetic (mutations), bacterial, fungal, viral, or at times environmental factors, induced by physical damage to the growing point or caused by plant pests, such as insects, mites, or pathogens. The outer branches in the photo are normal whereas some of the branches close to the main trunk have become distorted.

I have included a good photo of Hibbertia aspera’s a calyx lobes, which a a very distinct property in identification of the species.

While the dried discarded leaves may not be the best example iit is the best I have of Eucalyptus tetrapleura. The flower head depicting the seven buds and the strong quadrilateral shape of the buds is a good example of how they can look making it easier to identify.

The two dried leaf photos of Schizomeria ovata have been removed and replaced with better photos of fresh green leaves. The photos depict the variation that exists in the foliage of the specie. Also added are the flowers which I have not seen before in the wild.

Lespedeza juncea subsp. sericea 

Lespedeza juncea subsp. sericea 

Lespedeza juncea subsp. sericea 

Lespedeza juncea subsp. sericea has three new photographs, two of the leaves and one of the flower buds.

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

Author’s Garden The Pinnacles NSW

While out in the vege patch; growing between our tomatoe tom thumbs, this morning, what I considered to be a weed Crotalaria started flowering. It turned out to be Crotalaria lanceolata subsp. lanceolata. A closer examination of photos I had on the web for this species appears I may have erred so the old photos have been removed with the new photos now on site. It was a great opportunity as the plant was in all stages of flowering from young buds to green fruits.

While in Brisbane attending my granddaughters 21st, I visited a park in Seven Hills where several Corymbia ptychocarpa are known to be in flower displaying a variety of natural colour variations. The morning air was cool and clear just right for photography. I was able to get a few new photos to add and change on the web. A very nice shot showing the formation of the 7 buds, which make up part of a standard flower cluster. A bud opening with the cap still attached and a gumnut with the style still attached made for an enjoyable morning.

Glycine clandestina Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Aristida benthamii Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Aristida benthamii Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cassinia quinquefaria Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cassinia quinquefaria Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cassinia quinquefaria Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Stylidium graminifolium Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Leucopogon lanceolatus Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Leucopogon lanceolatus Yuraygir National Park NSW

Not the best weather at the moment for all day hikes off the beaten track but was still able to add a few more photos like that of Glycine clandestina close to home.

Aristida benthamii has another two photos including a better photo of the leaf and one of the entire flower spike showing its weeping habit.

There are three more new photos on Cassinia quinquefaria. Though rather common is scarce nearer to the coast so made my day in he field.

Stylidium graminifolium obviously enjoys the warmer than normal summers we are experiencing at the moment with above average rainfall. Plants in the wild are setting good seed. so should see a lot more in the next growing season.

The early flower buds of Leucopogon lanceolatus are depicted with a glabrous form and a pubescent form. Both forms are from the Clarence Valley.

Genoplesium acuminatum Clarence Valley NSW

Genoplesium acuminatum Clarence Valley NSW

Today’s walk uncovered a very beautiful surprise in Genoplesium acuminatum the pointed Midge Orchid which is now known as Corunastylis acuminata. I still have it listed under its former name.

Monotoca scoparia Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Petalostigma pubescens Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Petalostigma pubescens Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Petalostigma pubescens Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Pseuderanthemum variabile Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Pseuderanthemum variabile Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Scleria rugosa Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Scleria rugosa Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Thysanotus tuberosus Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Utricularia dichotoma Fortis Creek National Park NSW

This week we ventured; John Edwards and I, ventured deep into Fortis Creek National Park in north eastern NSW.

The first alphabetically is a small shrub Monotoca scoparia; depicting the new growth, which was found adjacent to a clearing that had a good range of grasses, reeds and sedges.

Petalostigma pubescens was next the hairy strychnine tree, though not rare the Orara Valley is about its southern limit. Another unusual find was Pseuderanthemum variabile, while not rare I have not seen the long linear leaf form before. The flower definitely confirms the plants identity. Another unusual rare plant; though no new photos have been included was Prostanthera sejuncta both the purple and very rare white flowering forms were seen.

Back to that patch of grass and sedges we came across the small soft sedge Scleria rugosa.

From early Spring to mid Autumn Thysanotus tuberosus in its natural habitat is very difficult not to activate your camera. The large bright pink flowers were giving a great display as usual and hard to believe they are not cultivated nor are they being cultivated as they are relatively easy to grow.

Two species of Utricularia were found and photographed. Utricularia dichotoma and Dichotoma caerulea but somewhere somehow I managed to delete or lose the photos of Dichotoma caerulea.

Ancistrachne maideni Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cyanthillium cinereum var cinereum Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cyanthillium cinereum var cinereum Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Cyanthillium cinereum var cinereum Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Entolasia stricta Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Entolasia stricta Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Entolasia stricta Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Entolasia stricta Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Goodenia paniculata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Lomandra elongata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Lomandra elongata Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Murdannia graminea Fortis Creek National Park NSW

Murdannia graminea Fortis Creek National Park NSW

There are those days where you cover a lot of ground where only a few a plants or native fauna catch your attention. Well this week though nothing rare popped up a few photos of interest were had and made easier because the overcast weather, made it great for photographing and my good friend John Edwards makes identification a lot easier in the field.

It started with Ancistrachne maideni then Cyanthillium cinereum var cinereum. Cyanthillium cinereum has edible leaves which are very high in antioxidants and vitamin C. “In conclusion, we confirmed that hexane, chloroform, methanolic and aqueous crude extracts of Cyanthillium cinereum (whole plant) bear potent antioxidant property. Their constituents scavenge different free radicals and exert protective effects against oxidative damage to biological macromolecules like lipids and DNA. Further studies on the isolation of these compounds are in prospect. C. cinereum thus showed to contain considerable potential as an antithesis of free radicals, and may have prospective clinical use as a preventive medicine against various degenerative diseases and tissue aging. Most gardens consider it a weed however it is not weedy and can offer pockets of pink in full sun or semi shaded areas.” – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3137564/#:~:text=cinereum%20(whole%20plant)%20bear%20potent,these%20compounds%20are%20in%20prospect.

It is easy to grow from seed so is a good starter plant for beginners.

I then came across the more upright form of Entolasia stricta and a more ovate leaf form on Goodenea paniculata. before my day was rounded off with Lomandra elongata and Murdannia graminea.

For a full description and all photographs see the plants in “Plant Index”

Back in October 2017 I discovered a new species of wood roach on the block upper photo. I have only seen it on two more occasions until this morning. Grabbed the camera as I new they weren’t going anywhere; in a hurry, this time and settled in for a little pornographic photography of the pair. Totally oblivious to me, the Polyzosteria sp. were on the leaf of Atractocarpus fitzalanii. They made me feel good as I knew the garden had not interfered with their life cycle. Hopefully their numbers will increase to a sustainable level. Note the bright iridescent blue-green legs. A great start to my new Year.

Unfortunately the introduced house cockroach has given the local garden species a bad name. They are not disease carriers and are not vectors of any disease, which can affects humans. They can be found in virtually all terrestrial habitats in Australia. Native cock/woodroaches are present, tropical rain forests, woodlands arid mallees and temperate forests. Even some caves are host to a specialised pale blind and wingless species of roaches. There are no aquatic species known.

Most native species are nocturnal, while some of the diurnal feeding species are found amongst the foliage of native trees or scurrying along the ground over mulches. Native roaches are an important part of the food web in many natural habitats, being eaten by invertebrates as well as mammals, frogs and reptiles. To repel predators, some species produce a pungent smell. Many of the wood eating roaches play an important role as decomposers.

Hope your new year brings happiness and good health. andi & Ying.

It appears that I am having a Grassy time over Christmas by adding five photos of Bolboschoenus fluviatilis to the site. May have to whipper snip what little lawn areas I have in keeping with the theme.

There is a new article on the clump grass Paspalum orbiculare with six photos.

Spent boxing day along the middle reaches of the Clarence River and have included some new photos of  Fuirena ciliaris (Upper three photos) and Juncus prismatocarpus showing the wet sandy drains it prefers to grow in(Lower photo).

Located a plant; Mezoneuron brachycarpum, from the northern Rivers, which did not have a write up prior to today. If any one has photos of it or any other native plant species listed or not, please do not hesitate to have it included here. by dropping me a line. It will be greatly appreciated. You will be given full credit for the photo/s with watermark and covered with our copyright.

Have a great, safe and healthy Christmas, New Year break. We will be here in the garden or bush walking locally so please drop me an email. andi and Ying

Classification

Class: Eudicots

Class: Equisetopsida

Subclass: Magnoliidae

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Genus: From Mezo, which is Ancient Greek for greater than and Neuron, which is Ancient Greek for a nerve. It refers to nerves on one side of the flat pods which are greatly protruded.

Specie: From Brachus, which is Ancient Greek for short and Karpós, which is Ancient Greek for a fruit. It refers to plants which have small fruits.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Corky Prickle Vine.

Distribution:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum is found in several disjunct populations south from the Daintree River and Russel River, ranges near Rockhampton in and Mount Bopple in coastal Queensland then south to north west of Port MacQuarrie in north eastern New South Wales. It is found on and east of the Great Dividing Range to the coast.

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

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum prefer dappled shade to full shade. It grows in or adjacent to littoral rainforests, warm sub-tropical and cool tropical rainforests. The altitude ranges from 6 meters ASL to 440 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 3 degree in July to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 800mm to 3000mm average per annum.

Soil Requirements:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum prefers better quality, light gravelly clays to medium clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed basalts. The soils pH ranges from 5.5pH to 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils, however the soils generally have good water holding capacity. Non saline soils to slightly saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 12m to 20m by 6m to 12m.

Characteristics:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum grows as a tall, woody vine. Juvenile stems and new shoots are semi glossy golden-brown, moderately to densely covered in white pubescent hairs, with scattered prickles, which measure 1mm to 3mm in length. The older, dull, fawn stems have prominent longitudinal, corky flanges, greater than the diameter of the stems.

The adjacent leaves of Mezoneuron brachycarpum measure 60mm to 320mm in length. The rachis is covered in fine prickles that measure 1mm to 3mm in length. There are 3 to 10 pairs of opposite to sub opposite pinnae, which measure 40 to 180mm in length. The 4 to 10 pairs of obovate to oblong subopposite pinnules measure 4mm to 12mm in length by 5mm to 7mm in width. The pinnules are glabrous to sparsely covered in white pubescent hairs. The base is obtuse while the apex is obtuse. The concolourous laminas are mid blue-green to deep green and glabrous. The petiole measures 15mm to 50mm in length.

The inflorescences of Mezoneuron brachycarpum are terminal panicles, which measure 100mm to 200mm in length and diameter. There are 70 to 140 flowers in a panicle. The rachis and pedicels are glabrous to sparsely covered in golden pubescent hairs and are sparsely covered in broad prickles, which measure 1mm to 3mm in length. The pedicels measure 3mm to 4mm in length.

The golden yellow sepals and petals are glabrous and measure 3.5mm to 4.5mm in length.

The glabrous, deep golden yellow filaments measure 5mm to 8mm in length while the linear, basifixed anthers are tan.

The greenish-yellow, bilobed style and stigma measure 3.5mm to 4.5mm in length. The flowers appear from September to February.

The fruits of Mezoneuron brachycarpum are ovate to rhombic flattened, glabrous pods measure 20mm to 30mm in length by 10mm to 20mm in width. The mid green pods turn brown when ripe and have prominent longitudinal venation. There are usually 2 or at times 3 flat, round seeds.

Wildlife:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum is the host to numerous beetles, native flies, midget wasps, butterflies, native bees and pollen flies when in flower and in return attracts many small insectivorous birds.

Cultivation:

Mezoneuron brachycarpum is an attractive large vine suitable for a rainforest garden or to cover a pergola. If it becomes straggly or drops its leaves due to stress cut it back and apply a double dose of our fertilizer and give it a good soaking of water. Repeat the watering and fertilizing again a week later and the plants will recover to their former beauty very quickly. It is ideal for large gardens from the tropics to temperate Australia.

Propagation:

Seeds: Mezoneuron brachycarpum seeds can be sown directly into a seed raising mix after they have been removed from the pod and have been nicked. Cover the seeds with 5mm of fine sand and water keeping the mix moist. Place the trays in a warm airy position under 30% shade.

When the seedlings are 50mm to 70mm tall, prick them out and plant them into 50mm native tubes using a seed raising mix.

Once the seedlings reach 150mm in height nip the growing tips out and plant them out into their permanent position. Mass plantings can be achieved with planting them at 8 to 10 meter centres on a large fence.

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 annually in early September or March to maintain health, vitality and better flowering.

Cuttings:

Cuttings are best taken in late winter or early spring.

Use 100mm to 150mm cuttings that are from present season’s growth.

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

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 slice through the middle of the lower node on an angle towards the base, with a sterilized sharp 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 Some plants root easily, but a rooting hormone can help others by stimulating the cutting into sending out new roots. Fill a saucer with water, and place some rooting hormone into another container like a 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% 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.

Further Comments from Readers: