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Monthly Archives: December 2009
Tasmania’s iconic orphan: the Delicate Laurel (Tetracarpaea tasmannica)
The Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus), Tasmanian Waratah (Telopea truncata), Deciduous Beech (Nothofagus gunnii), Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii) and Pandani (Richea pandanifolia) are names that are often cited by plant enthusiasts and bushwalkers guidebooks as ‘must-sees’ of Tasmania. But these five … Continue reading
Have’ya had ya heaths?
If you’ve ever eaten blueberries or cranberries it might not come as a surprise that the Tasmanian answer to those superfoods are none other than the epacrids. Many Tasmanian species produce edible, and some of which are highly palatable. Over … Continue reading
Posted in Bush Tucker, Shrubs
Tagged Acrothamnus montanus, Acrotriche serrulata, ant's delight, Astroloma humifusum, Astroloma pinifolium, Carpet Frillyheath, Cheeseberry, Cyathodes glauca, Cyathodes straminea, edible plants, Epacridaceae, Ericaceae, Fragrant Purpleberry, heath, heaths, Leptecophylla abietina, Leptecophylla divaricata, Leptecophylla juniperina, Leucopogon montanus, Leucopogon parviflorus, Lissanthe strigosa, Native Cranberry, Peachberry Heath, Pentachondra pumila, Pineapple Candleheath, Planocarpa petiolaris, Richea dracophylla, Richea scoparia, Snow Beardheath, Spreading Cheeseberry, Styphelia adscendens, Thymeleaf Purpleberry
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Looks don’t matter: the Thamnobryum disparity
We don’t look one bit alike, but we are family. That happens to be the story of a rather obscure group of bryophytes and exemplifies how drastically molecular technology is changing how bryophyte taxonomists study and classify this fascinating group … Continue reading
A new riceflower from Schouten Island
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is a constant source of botanical discovery for me. Every time I visit I discover something that I’ve never seen before. In my most recent visit I wandered over to the East Coast collection where … Continue reading
A database of Tasmanian tree ring study
Tasdendro goes live! The study of tree rings or dendrochronology is the scientific method of dating the age of trees based on the patterns of tree rings. The topic of tree rings is close to my heart, particularly given that … Continue reading
Posted in Botanical History, Botany, Trees
Tagged dendrochronology, tasdendro, tree ring study, tree rings
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The nectar of the Pineapple Candleheath
As a little experiment, I made a short first time video on the Pineapple Candleheath (Richea dracophylla) last month. Note that I got the specific epithet wrong (I said Richea ‘dracophyllum‘) in the video. It’s endemic, it’s delicious. What more … Continue reading
Posted in Bush Tucker, Tasmanian Endemics, Videos
Tagged epacrids, Ericaceae, Pineapple Candleheath, Richea dracophylla, Videos
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New book on Tasmanian wattles
When it comes to plant identification guides, there are still some of the opinion that a good illustration is one of the best aids for identification. Sometimes a good illustration is even better than a photograph because photographs can have … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Events, Shrubs, Trees
Tagged Acacia, botanical illustrations, illustrated guidebook, Wattles of Tasmania
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Blue Gum honey
Tasmania’s floral emblem, the Blue Gum (Eucalytus globulus), is a tree of many talents. It has one of the largest blossoms among eucalypts. It is among some of the world’s tallest flowering trees. It is the major source of eucalypt … Continue reading
Posted in Bush Tucker, Ethnobotany, Honey
Tagged Blue Gum honey, Eucalytus globulus, Eucalytus globulus honey, Honey, miellerie
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There’s something about Daucus
There are rather few genera of native Tasmanian plants that share the same genus as the common economic food plants we see in the market everyday. Some examples might come as a surprise however. For instance, Tasmania has one native … Continue reading
Tasmanian plants 