Big bolete beats birds!

During a recent bird survey at McNeilly Park in Drouin, we came across a classic example of a member of the boletus family of fungi. The boletus genus has at least 100 species. The fertile underside of boletes consists of a fleshy-pore surface rather than gills. We think this one is the Salmon Gum Mushroom, Phlebopus marginatus, however the correct identification of many fungi is a minefield for the untrained amateur.

Bolete sp at McNeilly Park 24th March

Most references suggest this species can grow to have cap diameters up to 1m. Apparently, Victoria’s largest recorded mushroom is/was a 29kg bolete.

Same mushroom 4 days later

Note: Largest ‘mushroom’ is not the same as the largest ‘fungus’. The ‘mushroom’ is just the fruiting body of the ‘fungus’ whose main part consists of the mycelium network under the ground (or in the rotten log, etc.). The one fungus can have many mushrooms. The largest ‘fungus’ in the world is believed to be an armillaria species in Oregan, USA, and it covers an area of more than 9km²!

The soft fleshy cap of Phlebopus marginatus is a popular habitat for fungus gnats in which to lay their eggs. After hatching, the maggot larvae dine on the mushroom’s rotting flesh.

Gnat/fly larvae in rotting bolete flesh

Another, smaller yet more striking member of the bolete family is the Rhubarb Bolete, Boletellus obscurecoccineus. Like marginatus, obscurecoccineus, grows in ground litter in eucalypt woodlands.

Rhubarb Bolete at Edward Hunter Reserve, Moe

BTW, the bird survey yielded 33 native species – and yet no herons, cormorants or raptors.

Muttonwood

Muttonwood, Myrsine howittiana, is a small, mid-storey tree (about 15m in our district) that grows in sheltered, moist sites: warm temperate rainforest, wet open forest, and riparian woodlands. It is well distributed throughout south-eastern Victoria and up the eastern seaboard to about Brisbane.

Map credit: vicflora

At a quick glance, a Muttonwood can be mistaken for the invasive Sweet Pittosporum. Muttonwood has green, oblong leaves that are paler underneath, wavy edges and rounded tips. Young leaves often have serrated edging. New growth on Muttonwood has fine, brown hairs.

In the summer, small creamy flowers grow in clusters along the branches, and bunches of blue, grape-like fruit are formed. Muttonwood is a good bird and butterfly attractor. It sometimes appears in good nurseries and makes an interesting landscape species in a sheltered garden.

Worth a try!

Green Baw Baw?

How lucky are we to live in beautiful Baw Baw? Within easy distance we have alpine environments, rainforests, heathlands, woodlands, wetlands and coastal terrains. With the ever-increasing pace of modern life, in Baw Baw we have some of the best opportunities to escape and recharge our batteries. There is abundant and overwhelming evidence to show the importance of spending time outdoors.

For how much longer though? Baw Baw Shire is one of the fastest-growing  peri-urban districts in Australia. Right now, there are thousands of house blocks on the developers drawing boards for both Warragul and Drouin in particular. The increasing numbers of residents, places pressures on existing parklands and reserves. The land and infrastructure needed for such development means we are losing valuable farmland and natural bush at a disturbing rate.

Around the world, there are numerous examples of state and regional jurisdictions developing urban green infrastructure projects that help provide environmental, social and economic benefits to their communities. Clean air and water, mitigation of the urban heat island effect erosion control, and places for recreation are all achievable with sensitive and sensible planning.

We could be doing a lot better.

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?