“A tall shrub usually to 3m, with a stout trunk and papery flaky bark” – NPOS p.55
Jess and I took a trip down the back to inspect the sewer on the weekend, all looking good, there is no smell now. This Tea Tree was growing on the large flat sandstone outcrop near to the Broadleaf Grass tree. With it’s distinctive flowers and scented leaves I’m certain it’s a tea tree but I’m not so sure about the species. My guess is it’s a Paperbark Tea Tree, it’s flowers, leaves and habitat are consistent. The scientific name “trinervium” is in reference to the 3 prominent veins in each leaf, you can see them in the photo. At the time I took the picture I didn’t take note of it’s distinguishing feature though, it’s bark, I’ll have to go back to check it out.
Distinctive flowers of a tea tree.Paperbark tea treeClose up of the leaves of the Paperbark tea tree, the 3 veins in the leaves are visible
“A grass tree to 4m tall, with an aerial trunk” – NPOS p.278
Another unique and distinctive plant of the Australian bush. Grass trees have a short stout trunk that is often burned black from previous bush fires terminating with a dense tuft of long grass like leaves radiating from the crown. They are very slow growing at a rate of only 1cm per year, that makes a little 30cm tall plant almost as old as me! They make up for it in life span living up to 600 years old. Every year grass trees sprout a large ( up to 2m ) woody spike from the center of their leafy crown. The top section of the spike is densely covered in small nectar rich flowers.
They were a very useful plant to Aboriginies, the nectar from the flowers can be licked off, or the entire flower head soaked in water to make a sweet drink, enjoyed fresh or slightly fermented. The flower spikes were uses as spear shafts and resin could be collected from the trunks and the leaf basses and processed to be used for tools and weapons.
I’ve always wanted a grass tree in the garden, I recently bought one from a local nursery. It’s a Xanthorrhoea johnsonii which I’ve now learned is more of a Northern NSW and Queensland species, I hope it does ok here. But not too well, don’t want it colonizing the bush and competing with the native ones!
Broadleaf Grass Tree growing in the bush behind the house. The trunk is hidden by the leaves but it's probably 60cm tall, making this plant about 60 years old.Close up of the leaves of the grass tree. The grey colouring on the underside is a powdery resiny coating that can be wiped off.The dense leafy crown of the grass tree
Great! I’ve found another uncommon fern. It’s hardly fair with the Bird’s nest fern though, it stands out from most other plants in the bush with it’s bright yellow-green fronds and it’s distictive rosette habit.
This one was growing on the edge of a sandstone cliff in the bush out the back.
Bird's Nest Fern growing on sandstone. Found this when I was out the back checking on the sewer leak.Underside of a frond showing rows of sori
G. microphylla has features of both G. rupestris and G. dicarpa. It had very fine small fronds that are a deep green colour and convex on the top like G. dicarpa. But on the undersidethey are flat or just slightly concave like G. rupestris.
I fond this specimen growing on the side of a damp sandstone cliff at the back of the house. There was some G. dicarpa growing there too. G. microphylla is meant to be uncommon in the area so I’m happy to have found it so close by.
G. microphylla Coral Fern growing on a damp sandstone cliff. I came across this when I was out the back looking after the blocked sewer main. Thanks sewer!G. microphylla frond. It looks a lot like the Pouched Coral Fern from the top. but under the leaves it was flat, no pouches.Close up of the fronds.
