. ,' ASSOCIATION OF SOCIETIES FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS l s s N 0 1 3 5 - 4 6 0 3

EUCALYPTUS STUDY GROUP NEWSLETTER No. 25 FEBRUARY 1992 Group L e a d e r SHONA S A D L I E R

84 CHELMSFORD A V E Dear Members, EPP l NG NSW 21 21

For those new members who have only recent ly paid, and y e t have jus t received a r ece ip t saying membership is only t o the end of June t h i s year , please do not f e e l disadvantaged. This i s the f i r s t newsletter t h a t any member, recent o r longtern, has so f a r received fo r the f inancia l year July 91 - June 92.

This i s inexcusable so I s h a l l not t r y t o enumerate the excuses. However I w i l l endeavour t o provide your membership's worth before the end of June. I now recognise t h a t the demands of a young family do not allow quar ter ly newsletter deadlines. I would prefer subs f o r a "4-issue" per iod, but Study Groups need t o account t o the ASGAP with a f i n a n c i a l repor t i n July each year, and such a system might not f i t in . Your views a re welcomed! I am sure t h e r e a r e many of you i n the ESG membership b e t t e r able t o run t h i s Study Group so please do not f e e l t h a t my having undertaken the leadership precludes any of you from offer ing yourself f o r t h e role .

I would l i k e your opinions on what you expect from a Study Group. Do passive members jus t want t o read a regular newsletter , and g e t disappointed i f there a r e n ' t enough i n a membership year? Do beginners g e t put off by updates on new species i f a l l they wish t o know about a r e t h e tried-and-true ornamentals? Do growers want l is ts of species s u i t a b l e f o r t h e i r area-or is the l u r e t o grow ornamental WA species overriding? Are enthusias ts happy t o keep in touch by newsletter , supporting t h e i r group with t h e i r membership f e e , sharing information from t h e i r reading o r growing experiences, and contributing s l i d e s o r seeds from bush o r garden? Is a Study Group meant t o be a network? Do members contact each other when t r ave l l ing? L e t ' s hear about it.

Our Study Group i s not keeping a herbarium co l l ec t ion , o r maintaining a l i v e col lec t ion. Because of the sheer numbers of eucalypt species from var ied h a b i t a t s , a comprehensive l i v e co l l ec t ion is probably b e s t l e f t t o es tabl ished Botanic Gardens, o r t o reserves such a s the Points Reserve (Coleraine, Vic) and the Olive Pink Flora Reserve (Alice Springs, NT) where ESG members a r e currently involved. What a r e your views?

Do we aim t o expand t h e ESG seed bank? Various members have reported some seed supplied a s no longer v iable (although seed i s s tored i n a i r t i g h t containers a t 4OC). Do we r e l y on f resh seedlots col lec ted by members, o r purchase from merchants t o f i l l seed requests? Are members in te res ted i n l o c a l i t y d e t a i l s of species so they can c o l l e c t seed on t h e i r t r ave l s? For those who p re fe r t o obta in more advanced p lan t s , can we compile an up-to-date l i s t of p l a n t nurser ies and what eucalypts they supply?

Do members seek t o improve t h e i r a b i l i t y t o ident i fy eucalypts? Who can recommend keys they have found useful? Are book reviews wanted i n the newsletter? 1 s it worth taking a regular look i n the newsletter a t what products a re avai lable round the marketplace f o r propagating or growing eucalypts ( root- t ra ining pots , tree-planting equipment, weedmats, tree-guards, stock-exclusion fencing) then inv i t ing anyone with experience these products t o wri te i n with s u i t a b l e comments.

Considering +he scope of Australina p l a n t s , ESG mennbers a r e not expected t o be exclusively devoted t o eucalypts, but a r e you keen enough t o promote eucalypts a t wildflower shows with a Study Grcup photographic display, o r flowering specimens i n pots? And don ' t fo rge t , the journal Australian Plants des i res something publishable from our Study.

Now t h a t the Eucalyptus Study Group has been i n regret table recess f o r hal f a year , l e t ' s p u l l together with a r t i c l e s o r b i t s of news f o r another two newslettars before the end of June!

FINANCES

Many thanks t o John Cleary and those SGAP Regions & Groups (NSW Ltd, QLD Inc, New England, Centra l coas t & Pine Rivers) who have contributed subs tan t i a l " f inanc ia l support subs" t o the Study Group.

Membership fees ac tual ly remain a t $4 within Austra l ia , and $8 i s suggested f o r overseas members.

A separate Commonwealth Bank account was opened .May 1991 a t Eastwood, and a l l cheques should be made out to:

ASGAP EUCALYPTUS STUDY GROUP

FINANCIAL STATEWT (FEB 1992 ) RECEIPTS EXPENDITURE Brought forward 120.87 Copying 68.00 Subscriptions 243.30 Postage 45.45

Stationery 13.95 364.17 127.40 P

Balance i n hand 236.77

Payment by stamps is a l s o acceptable.

NEW MEMBERS We warmly welcome t o our ranks:

Chips Boucher PO BOX 38, Swifts Creek V I C 3896 SGAP New England Xegion Morton Kaveney 100 Orana Road, Ocean Shores NSW 2483 PO BOX 735 Armidale NSW2350 Darre l l O'Connor 7 Parnel l C r , Gladstone Park V I C 3043 SGAP Central Coast Group Rohan Hutchinson 5 McGowen C r , Liverpool NSW 2170 14 Pellevue C r , Terr igal NSW2260 Joan Schwennesen "Telgazlie", Surat QLD 4417 SGAP Fleurieu Group Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd c / - "Telgazlie", Surat QLD 4417 26 Canterburj Ave, VICTOR HARBORSA 5211 Henri de Bono 12 Allee des Chasseurs, 78230 Le Pecq FRANCE

ESG Lc"ITERHEAD COMPETITION

YOU a r e invi ted t o dream up a le t terhead f o r t h i s Study Group, f o r brightening the newsletter . I have th ree copies of The Bush: A Guide t o Vegetated Landscapes of Australia by Ian G . Read, Reed 1987, up f o r grabs

ASGAP NEWS

I r e g r e t t h a t f o r unfinancial reasons I was not able t o a t tend the Study Group Meeting during the ASGAP Biennial Conference i n Perth September 91. From various newsletters it sounds l i k e it was a successful and en thus ias t i c gathering. Attended by "e ight Study Group Leaders and a l o t of observers" discussion took place over a c t i v i t i e s such a s "running seed banks; cu t t ing exchanges; co l l ec t ing t r i p s ; herbariums; l i v i n g co l l ec t ions ;access t o profess ional bo tan i s t s ; lack of input from members; funding (of course) ; and the need t o have d e f i n i t e object ives f o r t h e Study Groups". The next Conference i s t o be i n Sydney i n October 93, and workshop/serninars f o r Study Group Leaders a r e planned i n the interim with one aim being the production of a Study Group Manual. (Information from ASGAP Study Group Coordinator).

MPIBERS LETTERS

Last summer (Down Under) Thomas Ross (Gennany) followed repor ts on Australian weather extremes i n the news and considered h i s winter "decidedly d u l l in comparison: l i t t l e sun, l o t s of r a i n and no temperature extremes. Af ter a s e r i e s of 3 extremely mild winters , I would r a the r l i k e a few hard f r o s t s because I have planted l o t s of young Eucalypts i n an extensive survival t e s t . The problem. is t h a t f o r 3 years now, almost every species and provenance has survived. This means meagre r e s u l t s f o r my s t a t i s t i c s " .

Extrac t from Australian Hort icul ture NOV 89: 'While 'some 50 species a r e probably hardy enough t o be grown in most p a r t s of Br i t i an and another 50 o r s o grow well i f given some protec t ion, only one species i s widely a v a i l -able in Br i t a in . This is the Tasmanian species E. gunnii. While t h i s forms a splendid t r e e , it is of ten seen reaching vigorously f o r t h e sky i n 2m wide gardens of t e r r a c e houses. Only th ree o ther eucalypt species a r e f a i r l y readi ly avai lable in B r i t i s h nurser ies . Species recommended t o B r i t i s h gardeners include E. niphophila, E , qlobulus, E. vernicosa, E. perr in iana and E. dalrumol eana . " I have attempted the following guide t o maxirnnm a l t i t u d e s f o r some Eucalyptus species. Anyone ca re t o expand and cor rec t i t f o r m e ? - Ed. I ALPINE V I C TA S I

gl a ucescens perrlniana

1400 verni cosa

MONTANE moorel

dal rympl eana pulverulenta \ johnstonii

\ rubida

A 1 ti tude zones a re according t o Ian Read (1987) , The Bush pp.23-24

Gwen Calnan (Bridport , Dorset UK) has been more adventurous:

I RESULTS

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I n 1990 Queensland member Tony Cox departed h i s Ipswich property which comprised 4 acres of black clay s o i l on t h e R. Bremer, where s ince 1968 he had transformed 'unkempt grassland' (it was a dai ry property subdivision where the farmer had cu t down a l l t r e e s ) with p lant ings i n the order of 700 t r e e s and shrubs. From 1981 2 acres had become an arboretum "increasing the t r e e population considerably, with emphasis on eucalypts, but including an increas ing number of r a in fo res t t r e e s and other genera (acacias mainly)".

"Because of the black s o i l , I learned ear ly on t h a t one had t o be f a i r l y s e l e c t i v e i n choice of t r e e species and a fu r the r experience, l e a n e d the hard way, and shared I a m su re by many other gardeners i n SE Qld, t h a t t he magnificent flowering eucalypts from the WA temperate zone a r e simply not v i ab le i n our humid coas ta l summers. A t t h e time of s e l l i n g my property I had about 60 species of eucalypt (137 t r e e s ) . The bloodwoods and E. t e r e t i c o r n i s seem pa r t i cu la r ly t o f lou r i sh i n the black s o i l " .

Soon a f t e r moving t o the Forest Place Retirement Village a t Durack, Qld, Tony was ab le t o r epor t (May 90) t h a t "the garden contrac tor f o r t h e v i l l a g e now knows very well my a l legiance t o nat ive p lan t s only. He has recently planted specimens of E. argophloia, c i t r iodora , ptychocarpa & torquata t h a t I supplied him with. The torquata (propagated from seed I gleaned from a magnificent specimen on t h e Bar r i e r Hwy a t Yunta SA) i s doing f a i r l y well a t present , but I am doubtful of i t s long term v i a b i l i t y w . Tony's l a t e s t news (Sept 91) is t h a t "with the ass is tance of a small committee a scenic walk i s planned f o r the Village and we a r e l a b e l l i n g s i g n i f i c a n t o r dominant eucalypts (and other species) t o t h e expressed d e l i g h t and in t e ren t of many res idents . The Village i s s i tua ted in what was 50 acres of fores ted h i l l s i d e leading down t o a large swampy area (conjunction of Blunder & Oxley Creeks). Fortunately a l a rge proportion of the o r ig ina l eucalypts which comprise most of the vegetation were retained. A s an i n t e r e s t i n g exerc ise I decided some months ago t o iden t i fy these and found 8 species endemic t o the area , comprising E. t e r e t i c o r n i s , seeana, maculata, drepanophylla, c rebra , t e s s e l a r i s , intermedia & umbra. However, a f ac to r which I did not apprecia te a t t he time, complicating the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n was t h a t two forms of t e r e t i c o r n i s appeared t o be present. F i r s t , t he more f ami l i a r form with th ick dark-green lanceolate acuminate leaves, and secondly a form d i f f e r i n g from the f i r s t only with narrow-lanceolate l i g h t e r green leaves ( t h e f i n e fo l i age form is mentioned on pg.11 of Tony Bean's "Eucalypts of the Sunshine Coast") . In the absence of f r u i t s I found it easy t o confuse the l a t t e r with E. seeana."

- 3 - MPIBERS LETTERS

Another member t o leave a property with more eucalypts than it s t a r t e d with, i s Hugh Seeds i n WA. A t h i s former 26 acre property i n Denmark, surrounded by an 80 ac re reserve with 60 year o ld k a r r i and yellow t i n g l e , ugh ra i sed from seed about 60 WA species " to show other gardeners what a r i c h va r i e ty of ornamental species w e have. People here know s o few of them." [...meanwhile we eas terners crave / s t r i v e t o grow them]. He a l s o planted "a few favour i te eucalypts from the East" such a s E . melliodora, c i t r iodora , maculata, c renula ta , fraxinoides, eximia nana, sideroxylon rosea 6 r i sdon i i . The s o i l ac tua l ly was no t s u i t e d f o r most of t h e ornamental eucalypts from sandy a reas , bu t most grew, i n r a i sed sand/gravel beds over " k a r r i clay". E. torquata, s epu lc ra l i s , caes i a , burracoppinensis and kondininensis d id not. Last year Hugh was considering moving t o a more " su i t ab le" s i t e , and now res ides i n York, WA.

Jack Hallberg (Neerabup, WA) has been growing about 50 species since 1980 on 5 ac res of open woodland on t h e Swan coas ta l p l a in nor th of Perth. There i s up t o 0.5m of black peaty sand over yellow sands, and exce l l en t drainage. Ra in fa l l i n t h e decade has varied f m 644mm (1985) t o 903.5mm (1988). E. gomphocephala (Tuart) grow na tu ra l ly on t h e block and a r e excel lent shade t r e e s . E. marginata (Jar rah) a r e a l s o indigenous however most young t r e e s a r e severe ly a t t e c t e d by l ea f miner t o the point t h a t many a r e l a rge ly de fo l i a t ed by l a t e spr ing. To summarise h i s d e t a i l e d r epor t (Jun 90): Losses ( a l l r a i sed from seed) have been E . dumosa, ce l a s t ro ides , concinna, c y l i n d r i f l o r a and woodwardii ( a l t h m n e specimen of E . woodwardii made it t o flowering f i r s t ) . Poor growers have included angustissima, erythrandra, kruseane, websteriana and "Torwood". Two p l a n t s of "Torwaod" raised from seed have been subject t o borer a t t ack and generally have a shabby appearance with extensive dead growth; flowers a r e pinky-orange. Non-WA species grown.successfu1ly a r e E. cladocal yx, eximia , lansdowneana , leucoxylon "Rosea" , maculata & sideroxylon "Rosea" . Mixed success for :

E - baudiniana - One specimen's new growth d i e s back every summer, and t h e t r e e st i l l has i t s juveni le fo l i age

f i c i f o l i a - Two purchased specimens planted i n p a r t shade have done poorly, t h e second has y e t t o flower; A third,purchased specimen planted i n an open posi t ion has done well; t h i s has deep orangey-red flowers.

pre iss iana - Of th ree purchased specimens, one has done well i n an open posi t ion . The l a rge , lea thery leaves and deep yellow flowers a r e most a t t r a c t i v e . The open mallee hab i t I a l s o f ind a t t r a c t i v e .

synandra - An a t t r a c t i v e small t r e e wi th f i n e leaves and lampshade flowers which s t a r t cream t o yellow and tu rn pink with age. Seed from Great Victorian Desert specimens (WA) had a poor germination r a t e , and r e s u l t a n t t r e e s have done poorly i n a l l pos i t ions . My only success with t h i s specieswaswithonegrown i n a tub. Notable success with:

caes ia - Both "Si lver Princess" and "Gunsurru" were grown from seeds co l l ec ted i n the Per th area. Both v a r i e t i e s have done very wel l i n open posi t ions . Foliage, bark and flowers a r e a t t r a c t i v e . Blooms a r e o f t en removed by p a r r o t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y on the "Si lver Princess" specimens. .

deflexa - A purchased specimen has done very well i n an open posi t ion . The flowers a r e m o s t a t t r a c t i v e being pendulous "lampshades" which s t a r t o f f cream t o pink and tu rn deep pink with age. A beau t i fu l small t r e e .

formnni - A purchased specimen has grown well i n l i g h t shade. At t r ac t ive f i n e leaves and cream flowers. lehmannii - Seeds co l l ec ted from F lo rea t (WA) had over 90% geminat ion r a t e . Resultant specimens have

grown well i n open and semi-shade& pos i t ions and have proven t o be excel lent screens. leptopoda -Seeds from a specimen a t Morawa (WA) germinated wel l , and planted specimens have grown well .

The t r e e s and flowers a r e nothing spec ia l . macrandra - A purchased specimen has grown well i n a shaded pos i t ion ; pa le yellowflowers a r e a t t r a c t i v e . macrocarpa- A purchased s ~ e c i m e n has grown and flowered well ; l a rge flowers a r e most a t t r a c t i v e . megacarpa - Seed from Margaret River (WA) showed over 80% germination. Resultant t r e e s havs done well i n

a l l pos i t ions . Cream flowers and t r e e s a r e nothing spec ia l , but t h e juvenile leaves a r e most i n t e r e s t i n g reaching up t o 30cm i n length and lOcm i n width.

megacornuta - One specimen grown from seed (Kings Park) has done well i n a shaded posi t ion . The buds a re unusual and t h e yellowish flcwers a t t r a c t i v e .

o l d f i e l d i i - Specimens from ieed have done well i n f u l l sun and shaded posi t ions . Although t h e t r e e s and white t o cream flowers a r e nothing s p e c i a l , t h e - f r u i t i s a t t r a c t i v e , and the t r e e s a r e good f i l l e r s .

o r b i f o l i a - A number of specimens were grown from seed co l l ec ted a t Pigeon Rocks (WA). They have done well i n a l l pos i t ions , bu t p re fe r f u l l sun. The cream flowers, shaggy bark and round grey l e a v e s a r e a t t r a c t i v e .

platypus - Several purchased specimens a r e good dense "screens" and have done well i n a l l pos i t ions . s e p u l c r a l i s - A purchased specimen has done well i n an open posi t ion . Graceful , weeping hab i t a t t r a c t i v e .

s t o a t e i - Trees from seed from Wenibley Downs (WA) have done b e t t e r i n f u l l sun than i n semi-shaded posi t ions . The l ea the ry leaves and red f r u i t a r e most a t t r a c t i v e .

tetragona - Grown from seed co l l ec ted i n Karrinyup (WA), two t r e e s have done well i n an open pos i t ion , although one was cu t back t o make it more dense (1990). A t t r ac t ive grey fo l i age and cream flowers.

t e t r ap te ra - A purchased specimen has done well i n an open posi t ion . The l a rge lea thery leaves , deep pink flowers and red f r u i t a r e most a t t r a c t i v e .

torquata - Seeds were co l l ec ted from severa l specimens i n t h e Kalgoorlie Arboretum (WA). Resultant t r e e s have done well i n botll f u l l sun and semi-shade; one specimen has white r a t h e r than red/pink flowers.

youngiana - A purchased specimen has grown wel l , bu t pa le cream flowers a r e disappointing.

Yet t o flower: E. erythrandra, erythrocorys, erythronema, ewartiana, k ingsmi l l i i , roycei , s p a t h u l a t a , s t r i c k l a n d i i

Cherree Densley (Killarney, Vic) has f o r 6 years been busy turning 20 acres i n t o a small farm and nat ive garden. S o i l i s a c i d i c , volcanic t o p s o i l over limestone. She says , "We are lkm from a beau t i fu l beach, have pure underground water, a mild c l imate (no f r o s t s ) , wind(1) and coas ta l r a i n f a l l (p l en ty ) . " AsweI la s successes with E. botryoides, ovata, camaldulensis, globulus, gunnii , q i l l i i , v i r i d i s , lansdowneana, leucoxylon, scoparia, and c u r t i s i i , she has succeeded with WA species: caesia (4 a l l growing s lowly) , calophylla "RoseaM(going g rea t , 4 y r s o ld , f lower ing) , conferruminata (6 a l l f a s t , hardy, f lowering), cosmophylla, cornuta, doratoxylon (fabulous small t r e e growing i n a limestone pocke t ) , erythrocorys, foecunda, gomphocephala (our bes t windbreak t r e e -20 o r S O ) , nutans, platypus var. he terophyl la , pre iss iana (flowered a t 3 y r s o l d ) , rhodantha(pride & joy flowered, healthy new shoots a f t e r stem d ieback) , s epu lc ra l i s (4, two flowering, grew rapidly -1.2m i n a month during 89 - forming thair weeping hab i t e a r l y ) , and woodwardii ( 3 f lowering).

Less successful eas tern species hnve been a lp ina ( w i l l t r y aga in ) , approximans (died a f t e r 4 y e a r s ) , c i t r i o d o r a , grandis, mannifera, mell iodora, n i c h o l i i , s h i r l e y i (got crowed o u t ) & urniqera ( r iddled with grubs). Losses among WA species include caes i a subsp. maqna (6 died - a sucker f o r punishment), c ruc i s , erythronema (other things smothered i t ) , formanii , fo r re s t i ana subsp. dolichorhyncha (took 2 years t o pass away!), grossa,

macrocarpa (doesn ' t l i k e us a t a l l ) , tetraqona and websteriana. Also, E. f i c i f o l i a refuses t o grow - mature leaves go grey, young growth goes yellow. Yet 8 km away a t Koroit they a r e a fabulous s t r e e t &

garden t r e e i n a myriad of red/pink/orange shades of profuse flowers. A t Hawksdale 25 km nor th the re is one a spectacular f i e r y orange. This t r e e is broader than it i s t a l l - repor ted t o be over 100 y r s o l d , spreading over a deserted farm house. Every 2 years it i s a " t r a f f i c stopper" with flowers t o the ground.

Yvonne Wignall (Mwdoch Branch, WA Wildflower Soc.) has planted a l l WA species: E. burdet t iana , caes i a "S i lve r Princess", f i c i f o l i a , fo r r e s t i ana , grossa, kruseana,lehmanii, micranthera, platypus, rhodantha, t e t r a p t e r a and torquata. One f i c i f o l i a has white flowers! [ESG Newsletter No.19 Nov 88 a l s o reported a c u l t i v a t e d E. f i c i f o l i a - i n V i c t h a t turned out t o be a pure white form. Self-sown seedl ings of this were pink and an unusual shade of mauve with golden anthers] .

Elspeth Jacobs (Wangaratta, Vic) draws our a t t en t ion t o a r epor t from Ron Ryan i n t he Centra l Highland Group Newsletter Nov 90: "Eucalyptus f i c i f o l i a , c o m n l y ca l l ed Red Flowering Gum, is a well-known and popular small na t ive t r ee . I t has l a r g e terminal t ru s ses of flowers which sometimes cover t h e t r e e . Each indiv idual t r e e has i t s own p a r t i c u l a r flower colour , which may be crimson, r ed , s c a r l e t , vermi l l ion , orange, pink, white...The 'problem' with t h i s species is t h a t the seedlings do not run t rue t o the flower colour of t he pa ren t t r e e . I have seen very wide va r i a t ions i n seedlings from t h e one t r ee . . . In March 1988 I discovered an E. f i c i f o l i a i n the Ba l l a ra t a r ea , wtih flowers t h a t were measurably l a r g e r than any o ther I have seen. The flowers a r e a s t rong vermi l l ion-scar le t colour. I immediately became i n t e r e s t e d i n t ry ing t o vegeta t ive ly propagate mater ia l from t h i s t r e e . " The a r t i c l e goes on t o descr ibe use of stem g r a f t s taken from about t he middle of new spring growth - ( a f t e r it stops growing end November) from December t o ea r ly May. Leaves l e f t on, t he stem is wedge-grafted onto a young E. f i c i f o l i a seedl ing , bound with g ra f t ing tape and protec ted under p l a s t i c , new growth appearing between 4 weeks t o 4 months.

Elspeth (May 90) has E. f i c i f o l i a growing, and an add i t iona l 30 o r s o species ( ra ised from seed) a l l l e s s than 3 years o ld , and a l l but sessilis, ptychocarpa, cloeziana , thozetiana and~min ia t a ( i n po t s ) being WA

species . Losses have included coronata, qrossa; marginata, pachyphylla, microtheca, s e p u l c r a l i s , s e t o s a , s t r i a t i c a l y x , s t r i c k l a n d i i , tetraqona , papuana , phoenicea , ptychocarpa & miniata .

Elspeth has recently (Aug 91) been assess ing the roadsides i n Wangaratta s h i r e f o r t he Roadsides Conservation Committee. "The dominant species were E. albens, b l ake ly i , bridqesiana, c a m a l d u l e n s i s , g o n i o c a l y x macrorhyncha, melliodora, microcarpa & polyanthemos. Quite a few specimens of E. macrorhyncha were found t o be of weeping habi t . A few specimens of E. microcarpa were a l so weeping. There were many more E. albens than . previously thought i n the area. These a re o f t en hidden amongst E. polyanthemos, and a r e only noticed with c a r e f u l observation. There a r e many f i n e and o f t en very l a r g e specimens of E. bridgesiana - y e t these have f r u i t which i s not ped ice l l a t e . This con t r ad ic t s a l l a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t I could r e f e r t o . Can anyone throw any l i g h t on t h i s ? " [E. bridqesiana (Apple Box) is supposed t o have t e r e t e pedice ls (bud/fruit s t a l k s ) 2 - 5 m 1.

Kevin Penny (S t r a t fo rd , Vic) has a 10 acre block i n East Gippsland. Being i n the low f o o t h i l l s of t he Great Dividing Range i t ' s a b i t of a combination of inland-mountain-coastal c l imate ( r a i n f a l l about 620mm with winter-spring maximum, and f r o s t s t h e main drawback). The s o i l i s heavy c lay but a creek runs through the property and has l e f t grey sand, redbrown loam and gravelly s o i l a l l i n t h e space of 10 acres . The property has a remnant of V i c t o r i a ' s only d i s t r ibu t ion of E. t e r e t i c o r n i s , p lus E. ovata , vlminalis & pryoriana. " I t ' s the only p lace I know where E. v iminal i s & E. pryoriana grow i n associa t ion ." [This shows pryoriana is not j u s t a coas t a l form of viminalis -Ed;]

Kevin has about 180 d i f f e r e n t species of eucalypts growing (including Angophoras). A l l the Tasmanian species including vernicosa a re growing r e a l l y wel l , as a r e Victorian species crenula ta , a l p i n a , pauci f lora , pe r r in i ana , neglecta, n i t ens , regnans & glaucescens. WA successes include macrandra, p la typus , jomphocephaia, neqacarpa, .nacrocarAp [ i s surviving) , nutans, :<ondininensis (doing r e a l l y wel l ) , s a r g e n t i i , gardner i , s t o a t e i ,, burdet t iana , d ive r s i co lo r , eremophila, o rb i fo i i a , sceedmanii, conferr3uninata & spathuia ta . E. torquata, d i e l s i i , p re i s s i ana , voodwardii, f i c i f o l i a , ca lophyl la , t e t r a p t e r a , caes ia S i l v e r Pr incess , salmonophloia, te t raqona, campaspe, s a iub r i s s erythronema a r e more d i f f i c u l t t o grow - and how long t h e ' l l l a s t is another .;t.nry. E. rhodantha aluays d i e s . And he keeps los ing torquata and Qld species E. c i t r i odora t o the f r o s t .

Yet he repor ts (May 90) t h a t E. arqophloia (Chinchil la White Gum) from Qld is surviving very well here i n the colder cl imate. He i s q u i t e surpr ised (Ju ly 91) by the E. t o re l l i ana & E. p tychoca rp which a re growing well on t h e edge of +-he creek. The f r o s t has no t worried them. [It's n ice t o hear of such spec ie s surviv ing so f a r from t h e i r na tura l range. Remember the r epor t i n ESG Newsletter No.17 March 88, t h a t t he IVT Swamp Bloodwood, E. ptychocarpa, flowered f o r the f i r s t time a t the Points Reserve, Coleraine i n Vic tor ia - Zd.1 The creek and swamp a l so a id the phenomenal growth of E. e l a t a & E. ovata (40 f t in 4 y e a r s ) . Kevin f inds he now a l s o has E. leucoxylon subsp. pruinosa growing. " I t r e a l l y is a beau t i fu l l i t t l e t r e e -b lue leaves , white trunk -very d i f f e r e n t from subsp. megalocarpa which my daughter supposedly got when she received a f r e e t r e e a t school. "

Lindsay Daniels (Bi loe la Research Stat ion,Qld) says (Ju ly 90) t h a t some of the small w in te r - r a in fa l l species t h a t have survived here f o r a period would include E. torquata, s t r i c k l a n d i i , platypus, qrossa , macrandra & f i c i f o l i a . Results a r e vary va r i ab le - t h e r e a r e odd t r e e s t h a t have grown we l l , flowered well and survived f o r years. But o the r s have died almost overnight when looking q u i t e healthy. These sudden deaths occur i n hot humid weather a f t e r heavy r a i n and appear t o be due t o a t t a c k by root fungus. Species from the summer r a i n f a l l a reas of NE Aust ra l ia (approx. Newcastle t o Cairns but excluding those from high a l t i t u d e s ) have performed wel l , p a r t i c u l a r l y E. ravere t iana (Black Ironbox) and E. microcorys (Tallowwood). Monsoonal species do poorly. Local species inc lude E. c rebra , melanophloia, moluccana,coolabah & populnea.

Wendy Connolly (,Mitchell, ~ l d ) , r e s t r i c t e d by water where she l i v e s , has only grown E. camaldulensis, salmonophloia, spa thula ta , ochrophloia, s a r q e n t i i , robusta, erythronema & formanii. E. formanii i s t he only one grown here t h a t has not Seen a f f ec t ed by f r o s t . E. torquata has been k i l l e d with f r o s t here. In p l an t inqs extended t o her mother 's property a t Roma (Qld) E. torquata survives , along with erythrocorys-, calycogona, calycogona var. spa f fo rd i i , t e t r a p t e r a , platypus, ga rdne r i i , formanii , younqiana, anqulosa var . cera tocorys & leucoxylon var. rosea. E . pimpiniana has died each time it has been planted.

J ane t Fountain (Mount I s a , Qld) repor ts (Oct 90) t h a t her eucalypts r a i sed from seed have made it t o 3 years o l d , and E. erythrocorys is t h e only species in the yard which i s extremely s e n s i t i v e t o SO, f a l l o u t from the smelter here a t Yount I sa . ;.lost of the year the prevai l ing wind blows the smelter plume away ou t onto tough loca l bushland. Occasionally it swings round our way and then my WA eucalypts look very so r ry a week l a t e r . Yet a l l the e a s t coas t p l a n t s , and nat ives of t h i s a rea do q u i t e well. Our neighbours have another WA species t h a t I 7ave them and it s u f f e r s the same ups and downs. [She wonders how they f a r e near the Kalqoorlie smelter .]

Arnold Rieck (Rosewood, Qld) reports (July 90) tha t before r e t i r i n g a s hor t icul ture teacher a t Rosewood H S , he was able -wi th the s tudents help !- t o germinate and p lan t out several eucalypt species. We have experimented with E. d u m i i a s a screen planting. After 2 years they a re up t o 3m and keeping t h e i r lower branches. I ' m very impressed with E. quadrangulata fo r the same reason. I would recommend both of these species a s replacements for E. to re l l i ana which tends t o s u f f e r from sooty mould and beet le a t tack in l a t e spring. Twu E . nicho l i i a r e a t t r a c t i v e t r e e s -no t f a s t growing but holding t h e i r fol iage, giving good shade. Best growers a re E. sa l igna but they a re prone t o psy l l id a t tack and lose t h e i r branches i n very s t rong wind. Arnold has ra i sed E. torquata from seed t o about 3.5m and flowering, but it died probably from excessive ra in . Be has successfully had them flowering i n a large 10" tub. E. erythrocorys won't grow i n Rosewood. Dark p ink- red specimens of E. ptychocarpa flowered from April t o July.

jan Sked (Lawnton, Qld) agrees t h a t E. tore l l iana is a ubiquitous species t h a t is over-used and under- estimated i n landscaping, very a t t r a c t i v e when juvenile, but subject t o unsightly a t tacks of sooty mould t h a t a f f e c t s everything around it i n the garden. Her own 19 y r old , 1Sm specimen has a trunk diameter of about l m and spread of 12m. A magnificent t r e e t o look a t - does not flower every year.

Other species she reports growing (July 90) are: E. abergiana - 12 yrs old , Sm, has been pruned back by the e l e c t r i c i t y authority; i n flower now with

magnificent l a rge cream blossoms. From N. Qld. (Range Bloodwood) E. c i t r iodora - 1 4 y r s o l d , I s m , flowers every year and young seedlings come up continuously i n my seed

boxes and sand patch - on dewy mornings the f resh lemon scent i s very obvious. (Lemon-Scented Gum) E. c u r t i s i i - 22 yrs old , 7m, flowers p r o l i f i c a l l y every spring. Rare species. (Plunkett Mallee) E. h a l l i i - 12 yrs o ld , 15m, flowers every year; lovely orange new bark i n summer. (Goodwood Gum) E. phoenicea - 5 yrs old , l m , has only recently s t a r t ed t o grow a f t e r s i t t i n g dormant fo r years.

It i s i n c lose proximity t o E. c i t r iodora & E. c u r t i s i i 'so probably has had too much root competition. E. platyphylla -12 y r s o ld , 6m, has not done pa r t i cu la r ly well hereand does not develop the lovely

white trunk it gets fur ther nor th , however it flowers every year and s e t s seed. (White Gum) E. ptychocarpa - One specimen 14 yrs old , 6m, s t ra igh t sturdy trunk, flowered a t 3 years with large

beau t i fu l deep pink blossoms; flowers every year i n May - July. Another specimen 10 y rs old , Sm, spindly crooked trunk, altogether a much poorer specimen, flowered a t 2 years of age with much paler pink flowers.

E. seeana - 12 yrs old , Ism, l o c a l species , flowered a t 4 y r s of age - lovely orange new bark in summer. E. sp. M t Beerwah - 7 y r s , 6tn, r a r e species only occurs on the slopes of M t aeerwah, one of the

Glasshouse Mountains, Qld. Has flowered several times (end winter i n t o spring) - is a mallee i n i t s na tu ra l hab i t a t but tends t o grow upright with a s ingle trunk i n cul t ivat ion.

E. s h i r l e y l was always scraggy, flowered twice, then slowly died a t 4 y r s - t h e garden was becoming too shaded. An in te res t ing small t r e e f o r cu l t iva t ion i n a well-drained sunny spot. Other losses have been E. bancrof t i i , conglornerata, f i c i f o l i a , polybractea, miniata, pe l t a ta . .

Rhoda Jeavons (Kulnura, NSW) has an agroforestry venture on her 40 hectare Central Coast ridgetop property [ refer t o ESG Newsletter No.17 Mar 88 a r t i c l e ] , replacing old c i t r u s orchards with extensive planta t ions of E . ? i l u l a r i s , aqglornerata, maculata , microcorys & tore l l iana e tc . E. c i t r iodora , caesia (flowers simply magnificent), leucoxylon ' rosea ' , a red-flowered form of melliodora, lehmanii &

angustissima grace the garden area. She reports (Sun 91) she has f i n a l l y solved the ident i ty of a mystery seedling t r e e , when it f i n a l l y flowered, as E. grandis, and " i t now has 80 lus ty l i t t l e cousins growing i n the same block. They w i l l be q u i t e a s iqh t in a year o r so. Cef ini te ly the fasted thing on roots ." Seed sown in Sept 90 were 1.5m high when planted in March 91. Rhoda i s a l so ra is ing E. henryi (Large- leaved Spotted Sum) from seed.

She says, . " i t ' s in te res t ing t o r e f e l c t on the recent Dry -I suspect most things rea l ly died of the con t ras t between 89/901s wet and the sudden drought and heat s t r e s s . Quite a l o t of dead eucs about but masses of wat t les and many banksias. One s ide e f fec t was a vas t increase in normally gully bi rds - three lyrebirds came and went and we enjoyed them but a re very glad they have gone home leaving jus t some of the garden i n t a c t . They have v e r j b i g f e e t and a dedication t o scratching t h a t can only be described a s r e l e n t l e s s ."

John Giles (Meningie West, SA) a l so reported unusual dry season l a s t year but h i s t r e e s were doing well a s they a r e watered inonthly from Lake Albert. He thinks the newly described E. leucoxylon subsp. stephaniae must grow i n the scrub south of Meningie approx. 30-40 km from h i s r o p e r t y . [John's eucalypt plantation covers about 6 hectares and is probably the best pr ivate col lect ion of eucalypts i n S A - ESG Newsletter N0.21 July 891

Nearby a t Jervois , SA, Kaye B a r t l e t t reports (Jun 90) a phenomenal 200 or so species of Eucalyptus groqing, many 12 to 25 years o ld o r more (plus l o t s of recent p lant ings) . In teres t ing losses have been: E. banksii , brownii , decorticans , doratoxylon , eudesmioides ( f r o s t ) , f i c i f o l i a , lesouef i i (blown over) and pachyphylla (overgrown by p ines ) . Not performing well are: E. ebbanoensis, alba, b iga le r i t a , conferruminata, c ruc i s , kruseana, cordata (prone t o leaf insect a t t ack) . The property i s s i tuated on the banks of the Murray River (flood i r r i g a t i o n is used fo r the dairy farm) and "we have everything from sand t o sheet limestone, a l so very heavy loams. I guess t h i s along with our climate allows us t o grow a great var ia t ion of eucalypts."

Gi l l i an McDonald (Clergate, NSW) has expressed an i n t e r e s t i n t rying as many of the Angophoras a s poss ible , "apparently they a r e f r o s t sens i t ive when young but the Angophora costata ( l m high) t h a t I have is going l i k e crazy! The beet les leave them alone too, which is a blessing!" She reports (Jun 91) t h a t l a s t summer's dry season "meant t h a t our eucalypt t r ees had a reprieve from t h a t annual Christmas Beetle a t tack. I was delighted t o find flowers on my seedling eucalypts (E. melliodora, sideroxylon & nicho l i i l t h i s year - they a r e the f i r s t I have ever had! Trees of E. melliodora, grown from seed collected a few krn north of here a re a mere metre high, but a re l i t e r a l l y covered in buds! The parent p lant r ea l ly had t o be seen t o be believed. I t i s without question the most magnificent t r e e t h a t I have ever seen, and was in f u l l bloom! So I hope mie grow l i k e t h a t - although t h i s one was a good 7100 years old. I am trying a l l s o r t s of d i f f e r e n t species in our annual p lant ing t h i s year. Reports about t h e i r growth, tolerance of dry summers and "bee t l e b a t t l e " strength w i l l be forthcoming."

More reports next Newsletter!

- 6 - NSW EUCALYPTS

The FLORA OF NSW Volume 2 (Ed Gwen J. Harden) has coverage of 12 Angophora and 235 Eucalyptus spec ie s

in New South Wales.Australia-widethere a r e 13 Angophora and about 700 Eucalyptus. Digests (compiled by Ken H i l l ) of each species , arranged i n systematic o rde r , g ive d e s c r i p t i v e , h a b i t a t

and d i s t r i b u t i o n d e t a i l s , along with drawings of buds and f r u i t . Preceding t h i s i s a key wi th t h e 235

species placed i n na tu ra l groupings: 1. Bloodwoods keys ou t species in the subgenera Corymbia and B l a k e l l a 2. Ironbarks keys ou t species of Symphyomyrtus i n Section Adnataria 3. Str ingybarks keys ou t t he species i n Eudesmia and Nothocalyptus, and a l l t h e White Mahoganies i n

Monocalyptus 4 . ~ r u n k bark rough keys o u t t he Boxes i n Symfiyomyrtus Sec. Adnataria, a l l t h e Peppermints and

f r u i t valves enclosed1 many Ashes i n Monoealyptus

5. Trunk bark rough keys ou t mostly Symphyomyrtus Sec. Maidenaria f r u i t va lves exser ted

6. Trunk bark smooth keys ou t more i n Symphyomyrtus Sec. hdnataria, and Ashes & Black S a l l i e s i n f r u i t valves enclosed Monocalyptus

7. Trunk bark smooth keys ou t mostly Symphyomyrtus Sec. Exsertaria and Sec. Maidenaria f r u i t valves exser ted

Some species appear more than once within groups, and across seve ra l groups, so t h a t i f a f ea tu re (eg. degree of rough bark) is i n doubt t h e species is s t i l l l i k e l y t o key out. For example,E. mell iodora, E. o l s e n i i , E. oreades, E. pa l i formis , E. polyanthemos, E. s t e l l u l a t a and E. stenostoma ( a l l wi th va lves enclosed i n f r u i t ) might be considered rough o r smooth barked ( the re i s a rough basa l s tocking, wi th smoother bark above) and so appear i n both groups 4 & 6. E. kybeanensis (smooth barked) has valves r im-level , so t h i s species keys ou t i n groups 6 & 7 . Similar ly , E. acaci i formis , E. aggregata, E. goniocalyx and E. no r ton i i have rough bark but f r u i t valves a re var iably enclosed/exserted, so each species appear i n groups 4 &5. E. botryoides, E. obliqua and E. robusta a r e i n groups 3 &4 t o cover the p o s s i b i l i t y of confusing s h o r t l y f ibrous and s t r ingy bark. And E. ovata keys ou t i n groups 4 , 6 & 7 s ince valves and bark may be d i f f i c u l t t o categorise.

NEW EUCALYPTS ~ l l t h e new NSW taxa published i n Telopea 4 ( 1 ) SEPT 1990 & 4(2) MAX 1991 (now included -- i n t he Flora of NSW V01.2)~ p lus new species f o r WA, Qld, Vic, ACT & NT are-as follows:

RESTRICTED TO NSW ancophila bensonii ca l ey i subsp. ovendenii con j unr ta copul ans fergusoni i subsp. d o r s i v e n t r a l i s hypostamatica imi tans 1 acri'mans langleyi 1 aophi 1 a nandewarica obstans 01 i da ophi ti ca panicula ta subsp. matutina parramattensis subsp. decadens p l a c i t a

prominul a psammi ti ca r a l l a _ _ L 1 - _ - - L C L l l l t j l l D

robe r t son i i subsp. hemis2haerica rubida subsp. barbigerorum

subsp. canobol e n s i s s c i a s suS3sp. s c i a s

subsp. apoda subsp. cal l imastha

serpent icoia specta t r i x s t an ico la t e n e l l a vicina vol cani ca

apothalassica brunnea cam_nhn_r;l =,Asp. r e l i t 2 coolabah subsp. excera ta i n t e r s t a n s magnificata m i crocodon n o b i l i s populnea subsp. bimbil prava s u b t i l o r williamsiana

VIC - a l l i g a t r i x

ACT

t r i p 2 ex

c r e t a eff usa s 7 h s p . ~ x s u l extensa j imberlani ca proter.sa te rebra t o r t i l i s

gigantangion

NT/ SA/WA

eucen t r i c a

RESTRICTED 2'0 QLD NSW/VIC a t r a t a p e r s i s t e n s subs?. pe r s i s t ens beaniana * sabsp. tardecidens conspicua d i sc1 usa reducta croa jingo1 e n s i s dura s i l i c i f o l i a i gnorab i l i s

grani t i c a s u f f u l gens pol yan themos subsp . v e s t i t a

kabiana pachycalyx subsp. waa j e n s i s rubida subsp. septemflora 1 ockyeri paedogl auca mensalis [* yes, the e p i t h e t honours Tony Bean, our former Study Group Leader]

For those members who requested subscr ip t ion d e t a i l s f o r Telopea:

Published by the National Herbarium of New South Wales Subscriptions $20 within ~ u s t r a l i a Issued twice year ly i n March and September overseas A$43 surface/$50 a i r Subs s t a r t from each September i s sue Cheque/money order: Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney Send to : The Finance Of f i ce r , Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macqunries Road, Sydney, NSW 2000

MORE NEW EUCALYPTS

I a n Cook 6 Pauline Laaiges have looked a t marphological va r i a t ion within Eucalyptus n i t e n s s . l a t . (Aust. Syst. Bot.,4:374-390 Sept 1990) and fecognised a new species E. dent icula ta . This i s d i s t ingu i shed from E . ni tens by having den t i cu la re a d u l t leaf margins, leaves with higher o i l gland dens i ty , more f requent ly exserted valvcs, a n d xounded and longcr flower buds. Seedliilys of E . den t i cu la t a have longer i n ~ e r n d e s and narrower less stem-clasping leaves. The major occurrence i s on the Errinundra Pla teau i n East Gippaland (where t he entire-leaved E . n i t e n s i s absent ) and a t the western l i m i t of d i s t r i b u t i o n of E. n i t ens i n t h e Cen t ra l Highlands and Baw Baw Ranges, Vic (where E . n i t ens s . s t r . i s generally predomilant ) .

It is suggested t h a t "an ancestral species occurred i n t h e ranges of SE Aus t r a l i a , from t h e Central nighlands uf Viclurict to norrhern NSW, i n close proximity t o t h e coast i n some ins tances . Climatic chazge may have s p l i t this ancestor i n t a two species: E. n i t e n s i n areas of Colder c l imate ... and E . quadrangulata and E . d e n t i c u l a t a i n regions of milder cl imate (at lower a l t i t u d e and/or c lose r to t h e coast). This hypothesis Is supprted by the fac t that seedlings of E'. den t i cu la t a a r e much l e s s f r o s t r e s i s t a n t than those of E . ni t ens , and that E. quadranyulata occurs mainly c l o s e t o the NSW coast".

. . - . . - . A

I Desert find could be - , I( - ; it.. 5 . ifrv)

Bv PETER HUGHES . plorcr plcked some strlklnp, yellow qdelalde When the explorer Ernest Glles ttnverscd the wllderncss of outback Western Australla 115 yenrs ngo, he dollected a sprlg from n mnllec tree that has fnsclnnted Australlnn boln- r(lsts cvcr slnce.

* T l ~ e speclmen, l a te r named Eucalyptus rnmellnnn by the bota- dlst Bnron Ferdinand von Mueller, was plnced In the National Ilerbarl- ~lm nt Melbourne's Roynl Uotnnlc Curdens. It became the "holy grnllW- of those viho study the eucalypt.

Now t l~e eluslve rnmcllann, not found s111ce Glles's cxpedltlon of 1876, nppenrs to have been re- discovered by an Adclalde school- boy and hls father. ; An authorlty on eucalypts, Mr Ian Brooker, of the CSIRO's divlslon of plant Industry in Canberra, says he Is falrly certain that Dean Nlcolle, 16, and hls father, Mr Bob Nlcolle, have found the lost eucalypt specles In the aren where the only known speclmen was collected by Glles.

011 or about 22 June 1876, the ex-

flowers from n tree in the ~ l b s o n . Desert. The s p e c l ~ n e ~ ~ g l v c ~ ~ to V O I I

Mueller to nnrne had no secds for , cultlvatlon of thc tree and no sced

cnpsules or fruits for con~pnrlson wltl~ eucnlyp( nintcrlnl collcctcd slncl:. Glles' vague descrlpllon of where t l~e mnllee was found - In the aren of the Alfred and hlnrlc Raol:e - was just as Inndequnte.

Thc u~~nl~swercd botnnlcnl q ~ ~ e s - tlons about the Glles flnd cnpturcd

' the lniaglnntlon of Dean Nlcollc, n stud~!nt nt Adelnldc's Wnlle A6r.I- culturnl College nnd, nccordlng to his fnmlly, a "eucnlypt nut".

IIe persuaded hls fatl~cr, a I~orll- culturlst, to mount a private expedl- tlon to flnd ramellann lnte last year.

That gruelling trlp In waterless . country - one outback expert they

contncted for advlce described It as madness - was completed In safe- ty, but the search for Eucalyptus

. ramcllana was unsuccessful. : Last month, the famlly went back .

---

Ramel's mallee. a rare spec- ies O F gum tree not seen since explorer Ernest Giles collected a sprig of its );el- Ion flowers in the Gibson - Desen in 1876. appears to have been rediscovered by Adelaide student Dean Sic- olle. 16. and his hther Bob.

Dean is a eucalypt enthu- siast who has grown about 170 of more than 700 kronn species. -When I read about Ramel's mallee. I had to go and find it.' he said. After a visit to ICIelboume's National Herbarium to see the speci- men Giles collected, Dean and his family went to cen- tral Australia in April last year to look for the elusive eucalypt. Giles's journals gave only vague clues to the trees' location - near the Alfred and Marie Range

In doing so, they became the fust Europeans to walk Yj k n east to nest across the centre of the Gibson Desen - and probably found what they call the -holy grail- O F eucalypt enthus- iasts. Probably? The speci- mens they collected weren't flowering and can't be positi\.ely matched xith the original in the National Herbarium. but according to Ian Brooker. a world authority on eucalypts, There 's a bener than 50 per cent chance that they found Ramel's mallee. If it isn't. it's a new species:

Dean has already germin- ated se\-era1 seeds From the mystery tree. and expects that ;he seedlings will mature and tlower within tn-o years.

some 800 kilometres west- south-west of Alice Springs so Dean and Bob decided

rOm

to pan of he route AUSTRAL I AN GEOGRAPH I C

that they believe Giles and NO. 25 JAN . MARCH 1 99 2 his team took on camels pg . 1 24 116 years ago.

eucalypt, rn , . . ' on fl 1500-kllometre trek north from Adclnlde to Ayers Rock and west across the empty centre to Docker Rlvcr, Warburton ant1 !he Alfred and hlnrle Range.

Thls time Denn's mother, Mrs hlaureen Nlcolle, nnd the Nlcolles' other son, Pnul, 13,jol11ed t l~e expe- dltlon.

Mrs Nlcolle and Pnul stntloned themselves on n dlrt trnck sklrtlng the western edge of the Glbson. Denn and Mr N1collr.net off on Ihc 05-kllometre route they estimated Glleq took by cnnicl 111 1878, whlch they mapped out fro111 notes In the explorcr'a journnl~.

On thc tl~lrd day of the fo~~r-day walk, south-west of a polnt known as McPherson's Pillnl; they Iound what they thought was thelr prlze, now all but conflr~ned by Mr Brooker. One In every 50 trees In a stand of another westcrn eucalypt, Kln srnlllll, appeared to be G1lcs:s ramekt~ann, -

Deon ,end hls lather colleckd seeds before they:. went back to -

Regreen in Australia: Caring for 5 oung Trees 2 N Oates Victorian Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands

Trees grown in suitable places can provide many benefits - and give the grower great satisfaction. This book describes some of the tree- growlng gadgets, equlpment and machincry selected from the many contributed by Greenlng Australia Ltd and viewers of ABC TV's Countrywide . Thls source of practical Information on tree growing from Australia and New Zealand explains the use of cqulprnent tanglng from hand toots to large mechanical planters and seeders. Other Items Include watering systems, tree guards, fenclng equipment, weeding devices, digglng equipment and mulching materials. Thls book provldes fasclnatlng reading and contains easy-to- follow practical information for everyone Involved in tree growing.

a d ,:Iu " . .!*. ' - . ,

meet -Mrs ~ i i o l l e and' Paul. The seeds are being proprgated.

- Uotanlcal erpcrts, Including nlr Brooker and :anotl~er authortty on eucalypts,Mr Davld Klelnlg, wlll go back to the nrca wlth the Nlcolle.s later thls month for another check.

Mr Brooker and Mr Klelnlg, who , .works for the CSIRO'B dlvlslon of . forest research In Canberra,.went

on part of the Nlcolles' Aprll trlp but left them before the dlscovery.

"If tile (Glles).spccles had been well known and subsequently found elsewhere, I t would have created llltle Interest," Mr Drooker Says.

"In recent years It hns become the holy grall for eucalypt botfl- nlsts, as It has not been seen slnce Glles's expedltlon, desplte several attempts to f l ~ d It."

"lt now remalns lor (the trees found by Dean Nlcolle and ' hls father) to be more closely exam-

..lned.'!.!: , !. :.. .. ; . U I ~ seems tnlrly certafn, however, -that ,.Eucalyptus ramellana . has ' been redlscovered."

Trees f o r Rura l Austral ia

KW Cremer (Ed) CSIRO Division of Forestry and Forest ProducB

Thls book deals wlth all aspects of chooslng and planting trccs in rural Australia. It covcrs the bcncflts of planting t r m ; choice of site and species; establishment of trees by planting, seeding and natural rcgencratlon; p r o t ~ t l o n from wecds, graxJng, insech, fire, frost, fungi and storms; pruning, thinning and measuring; harvesting and seasoning; and economics. Thc planting and care of trees on farms Is described In detail, and the use and management of trees for shade, shelter, landscaping, wood production and foddcr arc discussed. Trees may also be used to arnclIoratc salinity, acldlty and troslon of soils. Over 350 illustrations In line, B&W photos and colour plates. Invaluable tor farmers, shlrc cnglnccrr, sclcncc teachers, and organiscrs of tree plantlng protects.

I 1990, 76 pp, Illust., paperback ISBN 0 643 05088 4 59.95

. .

Nov 1990, 432 pp, Illust., hardback ISBN 0 909605 65 3 575

Reproduced w i t h permission from A U S T R A L I A N N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y EUCALYPTS AS magazine, and Lhe author.

FOODS BY TIM LOW

NATURE WRITER

1 F EUCALYPTS WERE EDIBLE. HOW.EASY IT would be to live off the land. They are t h e dominan t f o r e s t cover of

Australia's moister regions (or they were, before cIearingl but, unfortunately, t h q supply almost nothing by way of fod. None of the 500 plus species has edible fruits or tubers, and their aromatic leaves are too tough and toxic for us to eat. Eucalypts were more impmant to Abor- igines for the animal foods they harboured (Koalas, possums, birds' eggs, honey, lerp) than as faad themselves.

But in a genus so large there are inev- itably a handful of food-producers, includ- ing species that supply edible seeds, nectar and 'apples'. One remarkable euca- lypt may even provide a marketable sub- stitute for maple syrup.

In central and northern Australia Abor- igines harvested the seeds of several eucalypts. In north-western Queensland, the tiny seeds of the Hack Box (Euculyp tw largiflo~evs) were soaked in several changes of water-to remove an unpleas- ""4 L,,*&,. &I.-- --.- - 2 L----- v r r c Laauz-ulcu ~LUULIU U ~ L W ~ ~ I I hiones and eaten raw.

In the Kakadu region, Aborigines ate the seeds of the Darwin Woollybutt (E. miniafa) and Swamp BIoodwood (E. ptychocarpal. These seeds are worth gathering because of their size. Indeed, the Darwin WmUybutt produces its seed bounty in gumnuts as big as eggcups (up to six cent imetres long and five centirnetres wide).

Some eucalypts, especially the bloodwoods, secrete so much nectar that Aborigines could suck it straight from the flowers, or dunk sprays of the flowers in water-filled containers to produce a sweet drink. The nectar has a tangy, dark-honey taste.

; The Western Bloodwood (E. termi- b a l i s ) , a common outback tree, produces I an unusual food known as the bush coco-

Australian NaLuraI History i s avai \ a b l e by subscript ion $30 For 1 year ($42 overseas) from: F r e e ~ o s t AAAlO. .PO BOX A285. Svdnev South NSW 2000

For ckedi t card'subscript ion; r ing 008 028 558. Single copies a r e a v a i l a b l e from the Austra l ian Museum in Sydney and a t a i r p o r t newsagencies a r ~ u n d A u s t r a l i a .

nut or desert apple. It is a nobbly, apple- sized gall produced on the stems by a caccid b u g larva {Apiotnorpha pornifomis) that liyes inside. Aborigines relish the inner layer of the gal, which tastes like sweet coconut, and also eat the sweet grub. The Western Bloodwood is also a source of ediile lev, 'sugar-bag' (native bee honey), medicinal gum-like kino, and water, which can be drained from the roots. No wonder this tree often featured in Aboriginal mythology.

But the most extraordinary eucalypt f d s are the sticky-sweet saps secreted by two gum trees, one in south-western Austr-alia and the other in Tasmania. Set- tler Ethel Hassell, who lived north-east of the Stirling Range in Western Australia, told of how Aborigines abtained a "thick, purplish syrup" by s&ipping and scraping the bark of yate trees (E. contutu or E. occidentalis): "They often eat this syrup like honey, and said it was very nourish- ing. 1 have frequently eaten it and it tastes like a mixture of treacle and honey."

The other s p p prwlucer is the Cider Gum (E. gunnirl, found on the hius and plains of Tasmania's cold Central Plateau. There are remarkable old accounts of how Aborigines incised the trunks of this tree and made holes at the base into which the sap flowed. A flat stone was kept over the holes to stop birds and mammals from dmking the syrup. If left for any length of time, it fermented into an alcoholic kider' on which Aborigines (and later settlers) regaled themselves. According to the colol~ial doctor John Maepherson: "At Christmas time, in 1826, the Lake Arthur blacks indulged in a great eucalyptus cider orgy". Bottles of this curious brew wzre sent to British Dohist W.J. Hmker in 1884.

Stephen Harris, of the Tasmanian De- partment of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage

A U S T R A L I A N N A T U R A L R Y V O L U M E 2 3 N U M B E R 8 , A U T U M N 1 9 9 1 604

has proposed the harvesting of this sap as a Bavourirrg essence or maple syrup sub- stitute. In a fascinating paper to the Fifth Symposium of Australian Gastronomy held in Adelaide in 1990, he xeported that a preliminary assessment indicated a po- tential annual production of at least 15 litres from one tree. If 1,000 yielding trees could produce 15,000 litres, then the indicated retail value would be around $300,000, using the retail price of maple syrup as a guide. He suggested the event- ual establishment of plantations to ensure the conservation of wild stands of the tree. Biological work is requited to deter- tnine whether the production of the cider is environmentatly controUed (that is, only produced in slow growth conditions in the cold uplands) or g e n e t i d y controlled and therefore subject to seIection for high yield, and also whether young trees are capable of producing the same quantity of sap as old trees.

Harris concluded: ''The syrup may pro- vide a distinct alternative to maple swp, the production of which is declining dr* tically in the northern hemisphere due to the death of trees from the effects of acid rain". Cider Gum has the pot- entiaI to become a food crop as significant as the macadamia nuts '(Mucadamia infegn'folia and M. LetraQlrylIa), currently Australia's only contribution to inter- national cuisine.

Suggested Reading

Harris, S., 1990. "Yhm Tasmanian piam with potential for commercial development as sources of bush foods". Paper presented to the Fifth Symposium of Australian Gas- tronomy, Adelaide, 1990. (Unpublished.)

Hasself, E., 1975. My dusky friends. C.W. Hasscll: Perth.

Roth, H. L., 1890. 7 b Aborigines of Tas- mania. F. King 6 Sons: Halifax.

A NEW USE FOR OLD EUCALYPTS Rhoda Jeavons (Kulnura NSW)

'

.

Australian hardwoods have been around for a long time - you meet them in house frames, tool handles, wharf piles where their durability is legendary. They have been supplanted by concrete for railway sleepers but these resilient timbers have now appeared in the most elegant dining rooms, and not as floors.

A young man in Gloucester N S W , Peter van Herk, who is working with the Timber Development Association, is producing superb furniture from E u c a l y p t u s rnaculata and E. resinifera and the Brush Box Lophosternon c o n f e r t u s . Unlike the imported timber usually found in furniture, the strength and resilience O f these timbers allows for very small .

dimensions, giving chair legs a delicacy which makes them look positively fragile, which they are not. Their slender lines have also permitted the development of very unusual designs for both tables and chairs - ever seen a two-legged chair? Polished eucalypt table tops reveal beautiful grain and are highly impact resistant. E. rnaculata is a dappled pinkish fawn, E. r e s i n i f e r a , as its name suggests, is a red mahogany, while Brush Box is a lustrous creamy pink.