By: Michael Fox
Mother-of-Millions
Tuesday Bushcare focused on maintenance and clearing weeds at the 2017 National Tree Day planting site.
Two garbage bags of Mother-of-Millions Bryophyllum tubiflorum removed will not eradicate this garden escapee. Complete eradication will take years however systematic control will reduce the spread while the area is cleared of other weeds.
Resurrection Plant growing from a leaf.
Dumping garden waste like Mother-of-Millions is a real problem for our bushland, parks and creeks. Being a succulent it survives even in harsh conditions. Like Resurrection Plant Bryophyllum pinnatum, another invader from Madagascar, Mother-of-Millions regrows from as little as a single leaf. Garden waste like lawn clippings, prunings from shrubs and old pot plants are rubbish not compost adding value to bushland.
Dump garden rubbish in rubbish bin not in bushland.
I was also able to show Jake and Carl some of our interesting flora.
Like the curious Bird’s Nest Fungi Cyathus novaezelandiae which propagates by the action of rain drops knock the egg-like peridioles out of the cup shaped fruit body.
We also found moss fruiting. Orthodontium lineare, called Cape Thread-moss in the United Kingdom, an addition to our Flora & Fauna Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve species list.
Rasp Fern
Rasp Fern Doodia media (australis) with an, as yet, unidentified insect. You realise how well named Rasp fern is when you run your fingers over the leaves: they feel just like the rough sharp surface of a wood rasp.
Star Goodenia
Star Goodenia Goodenia rotundifolia is easy to identify with its unique leaf shape.
The yellow flowered Star Goodenia is a caterpillar food plant for the Meadow Argus Junonia villida butterfly.
Pardalote nest holes
We also found what are probably nest holes for the small Pardalotes: small birds that dig nest holes in earth banks but spend most of their time high in the trees where you can hear their distinctive “chip chip chip” call. Watch video of Striated Pardalote.
