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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:

“Hi reader, it seems you use The Bible of Botany a lot. That’s great as we have great pleasure in bringing it to you! It’s a little awkward for us to ask, but our first aim is to purchase land approximately 1,600 hectares to link several parcels of N.P. into one at The Pinnacles NSW Australia, but we need your help. We’re not salespeople. We’re amateur botanists who have dedicated over 30 years to saving the environment in a practical way. We depend on donations to reach our goal. If you donate just $5, the price of your coffee this Sunday, We can help to keep the planet alive in a real way and continue to bring you regular updates and features on Australian plants all in one Botanical Bible. Any support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.”

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.

Here are two photos of Cyperus gracilis which were found at The Pinnacles NSW. Ths would make an attractive small clump grass in a semi shaded rock garden on periodic damp soils.

Have included six new photos of Synoum glandulosum from Indigenous Scapes Capalaba south east Queensland.

I have added nine new photos of Toechima tenax. If any one has some good photos of the flowers I would love to include them on the site.

Aristolochia laheyana has had a photo added of a mature twining stem and two photos of the unripen fruit.

The swamp orchid Cryptostylis subulata has given a superb display this year following good winter rains and mild temperatures.

Have added the three photographs of Remusatia vivipara to the site. Sprouted bulbils can be seen surrounding the parent plant. The leaves make a striking addition to any sheltered or rainforest garden. It prefers early morning or late afternoon sunlight or light shade all day and is easy to grow at least as far south as Grafton or Coffs Harbour. Can’t wait for the end of the wet season to photograph the flower spike and mature bulbils this year.