Purple Loosestrife

Loosestrife in flower - Alex Goudie Park

Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is described as being endemic to Europe, Africa and the east coast of Australia – quite a cosmopolitan species. World-wide there are about 36 species of Lythrum. Australia has 5.

Loosestrife is common throughout Victoria except for the dry north-western areas. It is a purple, summer-flowering perennial herb that grows to 2+m in wet, boggy, swampy places. It spreads easily and in good conditions, can become invasive.

In winter, Purple Loosestrife dies back to brown stems. In spring it re-emerges from its root stock. It is a nectar/pollen rich plant that attracts a range of invertebrate pollinators. It is propagated and from time to time available in nurseries as a pond-bog species.

‘Lythrum’ means blood, in some references suggesting the flower colour (hardly blood-red?). Others suggest the plant was once used to limit the flow of blood from a wound. A more interesting story though is the origins of its common name ‘Loosestrife’: “It is said that King Lysimachus hung a sprig of Lythrum between two oxen who were fighting each other while yoked and pulling a cart. The plant seems to have calmed the two beasts, causing them to ‘lose their strife’ and hence giving the plant the common name of loosestrife.”  However, if that is agreed to be the origin then perhaps it should be Losestrife, not Loosestrife?

 

 

Uncontrolled dogs and free roaming cats

An apology - with the print and electronic media today full of crime, politics, wars, money, and sport, plus the AI generated entertainment, fake news and conspiracy theories on social media (so I’m told), the basic tenet of this blog is to present hopefully educative and positive articles about the wonderous and incredibly valuable natural environment we live in, but today we are having a whinge – sorry about that.

Dogs are basically carnivorous predators. It is part of their nature. They are hard wired to at least be inquisitive of that rustling in the understory or at worst to impact the source of that rustling with a mortal attack. Uncontrolled dogs – dogs off-lead – can be responsible for the death, physical harm or at the least, the harassment and stress of wildlife. Dog (and cat) excrement can spread disease to wildlife.

Baw Baw Shire has provided off-leash areas for dog owners to exercise their pets ‘free range’. At all other times, the dog must be securely confined to the owner’s property or properly controlled on-leash. The penalty for a ‘dog at large’ in the day is $305 and $407 at night.

It is worth noting that in Drouin, around the lake at Alex Goudie Park, Golden Whistler Reserve in McGlone Rd, behind the oval at Bellbird Park, McNeilly Park, Thornell’s Reserve, et al, are NOT designated off-leash zones.

The Invasive Species Council states, ‘Collectively, roaming pet cats kill 546 million animals per year in Australia. As such the management of cats has major implications for Australia’s wildlife and ecosystems.’ Now that is just PET cats, the household moggy. Add in the number of animals that FERAL cats kill – estimated 1-3 billion – and it isn’t hard to see that that cats, pet and feral, have a devastating effect on this entire country’s biodiversity.

We have posted on this topic before – you know the drill – Baw Baw Shire Council has a 24 hour cat curfew – your pet cat must be contained on your property 24 hours a day – penalty for a cat at large is $102.

That feels better! (Contributed by a dog/cat lover)

The enigmatic Cherry Ballart

The Cherry Ballart, or Wild Cherry, or Native Cherry, is an attractive common, endemic native tree found in the drier woodlands and forests throughout eastern Australia. It is a pyramid-shaped tree with drooping, cypress-like foliage.

Its leaves are reduced to tiny triangular scales, it is hemiparasitic, you almost need a microscope to see its flowers, and it is difficult to propagate.

Perhaps though, a clue to its more mysterious feature is in its genus scientific epithet, Exocarpos cupressiformis, where Exo = outside, carpos = fruit, (cupress = cypress, and formis = form or like). Thus, it is a cypress-like tree where the fruit – a nut containing the seed – is attached outside the fleshy, red or yellow ‘cherry’ – which is actually a swollen stalk.

Although the so-called leaves are green and the tree gains some nutrient like most trees, via photosynthesis, early in its life, the Cherry Ballart relies on parasitism of a nearby host tree for some of its resources. The modified roots invade the roots of its host – nearly always a eucalypt but sometimes an acacia or a casuarina.

Despite preferring to grow in shallow soils on the drier slopes, like many eucs, the Cherry Ballart is regarded as a long-lived species. Its relatively dense canopy often provides an ideal micro-climate for wildlife to enjoy. Raptors and owls can sometimes be seen roosting in their shady canopy (even koalas), and kangaroos will seek out their shade on hot days too.

The wood is frequently used for turning and historically was used for furniture, rifle stocks and tool handles.

The Cherry Ballart is an often overlooked, attractive, and fascinating small tree.