Notes fromtheEditor

Page 1: Plant destroyerPage 2: Can birds smell?Creature feature: EchidnasPage 3: Mabi forestWeed corner: MiconiaPages 4&5: Bush medicinePage 6: Questions & answersSideline: Red leavesTourist TalkPage 7: Out and aboutPage 8: Bookshelf

Plant destroyerPlant destroyerPlant destroyerPlant destroyerPlant destroyer

Contents:Contents:Contents:Contents:Contents:

No.77No.77No.77No.77No.77May 2003May 2003May 2003May 2003May 2003

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a destructive disease blamed for ‘forest dieback’throughout the world. It is thought to have been introduced into Australia byearly settlers and has since had a severe impact across much of southernAustralia and north Queensland. Forest dieback was first noticed affectingnative jarrah forests in Western Australia in 1921, but Phytophthoracinnamomi was not identified as the cause until the late 1960s.

Once thought to be a soil fungus,Phytophthora cinnamomi is nowbelieved to be closer to some algal andprotozoan organisms. It feeds on planttissue, killing its host by interferingwith its ability to take in and circulatewater. It is spread easily by water andin moist, infected soil which may becarried on vehicles, earth-movingequipment, footwear and by animals orwith plants which are moved. Manydieback sites are near roads. Onceestablished it can form a ‘front ofdeath’, advancing through forests andheathlands killing all the vegetation inits path. It has been dubbed thecrown-of-thorns of the forest.

Four spore types are produced as partof the Phytophthora lifecycle. Somecan remain dormant in the soil formany years. Others – zoospores – canswim through water trapped betweensoil particles and are positivelyattracted to plant roots. True fungi donot produce zoospores. Phytophthoracan be present in the soil withoutshowing any obvious symptoms in thevegetation, causing low levels of rootinfection which many species cantolerate. However, it can be triggered

to a ‘virulent’ state which can kill allinfected plants: a dieback patch.

Phytophthora was found byresearchers in north Queenslandrainforests in 1975. However, apartfrom causing isolated patches ofdieback, it does not seem to have beenas destructive as elsewhere.Nonetheless, over 200 sites containingdieback patches have been identifiedin four main areas of upland forest; thesouthern end of the Carbine Tablelandaround Mt Lewis, the Lamb Rangenorth of Lake Tinaroo, around TullyFalls/Koombooloomba and theKirrama/Cardwell Range. These sitesvary from less than a hectare to over10ha in size. Forests most at risk seemto be upland rainforests, particularlysimple notophyll vine forests, between750m and 1050m, on soils derived fromacid igneous rocks. However, theseareas are where studies have beenconcentrated and Phytophthora hasalso been found in other forest types,on basalt soils and at sea level.

Awareness is the key to control. Wecan minimise the spread of thisdangerous disease by:• Not using unsealed roads in wetconditions.• Following conditions on permits,obeying signs regarding restrictedaccess areas and respecting lockedgates.• Not transporting soil from onelocation to another.• Thoroughly washing downvehicles after using unsealed roads.• Cleaning boots and tent pegsduring and after bushwalking andcamping, and sterilising with metho atthe end.

I would like to thank Paul Gadek,James Cook University and PaulDavis, Department of NaturalResources and Mines, Atherton,for their help with this issue.

In response to requests from readers,this Tropical Topics has a centralfact sheet on bush medicine. Naturalmedicines have been in the headlinesrecently and there is a growingawareness that just because amedicine is based on a plant, thisdoes not necessarily mean it is safe.Many plants contain very potentchemicals and, as with bush tucker,experimentation can be dangerous.

As in pharmaceutical drugs, if takenin low doses, a chemical compoundmay be beneficial, but there can beserious consequences if excessivedoses are taken. Traditionally, whileAboriginal people used many plantsand many parts of plants externallyas cures, they took relatively fewinternally. Determining correct doseswould have been difficult.

The name Phytophthora means‘plant destroyer’. There are over50 known species of Phytophthora,27 of them recorded in Australia.Phytophthora cinnamomi isconsidered the most damaging.Phytophthora can damagevegetables, flowers, fruits, pastures,forage crops and ornamental as wellas native plants. Worldwide, it costsmany millions of dollars in damage tohorticulture.

CrCrCrCrCreaeaeaeaeaturturturturture fe fe fe fe feaeaeaeaeaturturturturture:e:e:e:e: echidnas echidnas echidnas echidnas echidnas

Can birds smell? Can birds smell? Can birds smell? Can birds smell? Can birds smell?

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Echidnas and platypuses are the only egg-laying mammals – monotremes – in the world.

There are two species of echidnas, the larger long-beakedechidna* found only in the highlands of New Guinea, and theshort-beaked echidna, which lives in Australia and the NewGuinean lowlands. Like the platypus, they are considered tohave an ancient lineage and to have been around for over 100million years. Their peculiar egg-laying method ofreproduction is thought to demonstrate the descent ofmammals from reptiles.

The short-beaked echidna is found in all habitats in Australia,from desert to snowy mountains to rainforest. Its abundantsharp spines, which mean the echidna has few predators, areconsolidated hair. Softer fur grows between the spines and incolder areas may be long enough to almost hide them.

The echidna gets out and about to feed mainly at dawn anddusk. Top of the menu are termites and ants. It breaks intothe nests of colonial insects, demolishing even the hard mudwalls of a termite mound with its strong front feet. It pokes itslong nose into cracks and extrudes an enormously longsticky tongue to which the helpless insects are glued like flieson flypaper. Not only does the echidna have an excellent

sense of smell, but research has shown that, along with theplatypus, it also possesses unique sensory capabilities. Theseinclude specialised nerve endings at the tip of its snout whichare sensitive to tiny electric currents. These enable it to detectthe minute electric signals produced by moving prey.

Another feature the male platypus and the male echidna havein common is a spur on the ankle of the hindleg. Whereas thespur of the platypus male contains a poison gland and caninflict some damage, the male echidna’s spur is not venomous.

The female echidna produces one marble-sized, soft-shelledegg at a time, about two weeks after mating. It is probably laiddirectly into a shallow depression on the mother’s underside,a type of pouch. It hatches in about 10 days and for the next50 days the baby is carried around, feeding on milk whichexudes from pores on the mother’s two mammary glands. Atthe age of three months, the baby has a covering of shortspines and is deposited in an underground burrow for the nextseven months. At oneyear old it makes its firstforay into the world.

*Different forms of the long-beaked echidna were once found all over Australia andNew Guinea until late Pleistocene times (about 11,000 years ago).

For many animals, a well-developed sense of smell is their main method for finding food, mates and home. So how about birds?

On the whole, it is thought that birds rely on vision more thansmell. Accordingly, the optic parts of their brains are generallymuch better developed than the olfactory ones. Since thebrain uses a great deal of energy, most birds seem to haveopted for vision development. However this is not a universalrule and the size of the olfactory lobes varies. It tends to belarger in carnivorous birds than in those birds which eat seedsand fruit. In small forest-dwelling birds it occupies as little asthree percent of the brain and in house sparrows just eightpercent, whereas in kiwis it is as much as 33 percent and up to37 percent in some seabirds. However, there is evidence thatdifferent birds are attuned to particular smells, which areimportant to them, and may simply not perceive others.

Many seabirds, particularly the‘tube-nosed’ ones such as petrelsand shearwaters, rely on smell to

find their food in the open ocean.They are attracted to odours producedby microscopic plants when they arebeing eaten by small animals such as

krill – the food of many seabirds. Visual cues are probablyalso important but storm-petrels, in tests, were able to findpungent oil-soaked sponges at night, indicating that theyrelied entirely on their sense of smell. They were even able todetect the lures from as much as eight kilometres away. Petrelshave particularly well-developed nostrils and can distinguishtheir own nest material, in a colony, in the dark.

Kiwis use smell to locate food, such as earthworms, duringnocturnal probings with nostrils located near the tip of the bill.

Three species of new world vultures (Cathartes genus) havean extremely well-developed sense of smell. They have largenostrils on the side of the bill and unusually well-developedolfactory regions of the brains. They rely on their sense ofsmell to find food – rotting carcasses – in the forest and areable to locate even small rodents and birds.

The sense of smell in other birds is uncertain and we mayhave underestimated it. Homing pigeons, deprived of theirsense of smell, were unable to find their way home, whereasunaltered pigeons had no problems with navigation. Birdsalso produce odours as part of social communication,particularly at breeding time, so are presumably are able todetect them.

Frogmouths produce extremely smellyfaeces which they spray on intruders –but can the frogmouth smell it?

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Mabi forestMabi forestMabi forestMabi forestMabi forest

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Mabi forest grows only in areas of high rainfall (up to 1600mmannually) on soils derived from basalt rock. These soils are theresult of volcanic activity on the Tableland millions of yearsago when shield volcanoes spilled lava across the landscape.Alkaline (basic/non-acidic) and rich in iron and magnesium,they are very fertile.

This is both the strength of Mabi forest and its weakness.Because the chocolate-red soils make good agricultural land,much of the original forest cover has been cleared. Althoughit once covered the Atherton Tableland, to the north and westof Malanda, less than two percent now remains, growing inisolated patches such as Tolga Scrub, Wongabel State Forest,Hallorans Hill and at the Curtain Fig Tree, near Yungaburra. InOctober last year it was added to the national list of criticallyendangered ecological communities under the EnvironmentProtection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999.

Mabi forest is characterised by clusters of trees up to 45mhigh with an uneven canopy. Trunks vary in size, many ofthem sporting buttresses. Some of the trees are deciduous orsemi-evergreen and tend to drop a lot of leaves in dry times.

Miconia calvascens is known by various common names – miconia, velvet leaf, currant bushand, most appropriately perhaps, purple plague. Native to Central America, this troublesome plant hasbeen introduced to a number of tropical countries and grown for its attractive foliage. It is now consideredone of the worst weeds on many Pacific islands, notably French Polynesia and Hawaii.

Miconia is a shade-tolerant tree growing to about 15m. It hasvery distinctive large leaves which can grow to 70cm in length– the length of an adult arm. Glossy green on the upper side,these leaves are purple below and have three distinctivecream-coloured veins running along their length. Whiteflowers are followed by numerous dark purple, fleshy berries,each about 10-15mm in diameter and containing up to 200seeds; one plant can produce up to 3 million seeds, severaltimes a year. Unfortunately the fruits are very attractive tobirds which spread the seeds in their droppings. Growingeasily in shade, the saplings flourish in rainforest where theycan form dense stands, shading out native plants and treesaplings and threatening the long-term viability of forests.

In May 1997, all species of miconia were declared under theQueensland Rural Lands Protection Act (categories p1 andp2) making it an offence to introduce the plants intoQueensland or to sell them anywhere in the State.

To view a hillside covered with miconia in Hawaii, and to read more about problems in a place where it has become seriouslyestablished, see www.hear.org/pier/mical.htm

There are many differentspecies of miconia. Miconiaracemosa was found inKuranda last year. It is similar,but smaller, growing to 2-3metres. Its leaves have fiveprominent longitudinal veins.

Mabi forest is a special type of forest which grows on the fertile basalt soils of the Atherton Tableland. Whenecologists Len Webb and Geoff Tracey originally classified the forests of the wet tropics in the 1960s, theycategorised this forest as complex notophyll vine forest – type 5b – basing their description on Tolga Scrub,near Atherton. Their system took into account physical/structural characteristics and species composition.

This allows light to penetrate to the forest floor,encouraging the growth of a dense 1-3m high shrublayer with gingers and ferns.

The word Mabi is one of the local Aboriginal namesfor Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo (right). This is aparticularly appropriate name since these rare animals aremost likely to be found in this type of forest. Treesgrowing on poor soils derived from granite or metamorphicrocks produce leaves which are tougher, less nutritious andcontain more toxins than those growing on basalt. This is animportant consideration for leaf-eating animals such aspossums and tree-kangaroos and it is perhaps not surprisingthat they are much more abundant in forests on basalt.

Volunteer members of TREAT – Trees for the Evelyn andAtherton Tablelands Inc. – have devoted many hundreds ofhours to rehabilitating and replanting patches of Mabi forest.If you would like to get involved in their activities you cancontact them on Ph: 4091 3474 or PO Box 1119, Atherton, QLD4883. Their website is: www.treat.net.au

Unfortunately miconia plants had alreadybeen sold and planted, forming the source forlocalised infestations, chiefly around Kuranda, but alsoin Cairns, Mission Beach, Innisfail, El Arish, Whyanbeal,north of Mossman, and other places. This enormously peskyplant is difficult to eradicate – its preference for shade meansit can establish itself in dense rainforest, so it can be difficultto find.

It is essential that we all look out for miconia. Please removeany plants that you find but please also report them so thatauthorities can be aware of potential outbreak areas. ContactSid Clayton at MareebaShire Council, Ph: 40924311, Pat Lawler at DouglasShire Council, Ph: 4098 3104or your appropriate localgovernment pestmanagement officer.

Bush medicineBush medicineBush medicineBush medicineBush medicineCuriously there is little evidence thatAboriginal people used tea tree oil for itspowerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterialproperties. The species used commercially forthis purpose is Melaleuca alternifolia, a smalltree found in northern New South Walesand southern Queensland. Its germicidalproperties were discovered in the 1920s.Cajuput oil is made from the weepingpaperbark (M. leucadendra) and thecajuput (M. cajuputi). In northern Australia,the leaves of several Melaleuca specieshave been used traditionally for treatment ofcoughs, colds and on sores and burns, eithercrushed and inhaled or soaked in water tocreate an infusion. The aromatic oils stimulate cells in thethroat to produce more lubricating fluids thus easingirritations which cause coughs.

Hyoscine is thechemical whichachieved suddennotoriety recently whenlarger than normaldoses in Travacalm

tablets caused severeillness in a number of

people. Interestingly, thischemical is found in a common rainforest tree known

as soft corkwood (Duboisia myoporoides). Indeed, whenthis tree was hybridised with a closely related species lastcentury the result contained more hyoscine than any otherknown plant. It was grown commercially to makeophthalmic and sedative drugs, before synthetic versionsof the compound were developed. Extracts from the plantdilate the pupil – useful in eye surgery – and during WorldWar II considerable quantities of hyoscine were exportedto treat travel sickness introops and shell shock. In1989, 500 tonnes of driedand powdered leaves wereexported to pharmaceuticalcompanies in Germany andSwitzerland.

Soft corkwood is poisonousto stock and has beenblamed for at least onehuman death, in 1987, whena man experimentally ate some leaves. Interestingly, it isclosely related to a desert shrub, pituri (Duboisiahopwoodii) which was valued as a narcotic and widelytraded by Aboriginal people in days gone by.

Barringtonia racemosa is known as the fishpoison tree because chemicals, saponins, inthe bark stun fish when put in the water. Thistree was also used in India as a fevertreatment and is now known to haveproperties similar to quinine, the anti-malarialdrug extracted from South American trees.

Hyoscine is an alkaloid, a group ofchemicals which are found in a numberof plants and which have a potent effecton the human central nervous system;well-known alkaloids include strychnine,morphine, cocaine and nicotine.Alkaloids in native plants do not seemto have been important as traditionalmedicines, perhaps because of thedifficulty of determining safe doses.

The large leaves of the cotton tree (Hibiscustiliaceus) can be used as dressings onwounds. The leaf is simply heated over thefire and pressed on to the injury until it

sticks, stopping the flow of blood. The flowerbuds of this tree are used in Hawaii as a mildlaxative for children. For older children andadults the little white, dome-shaped ‘bump’inside the bottom of the flower is used forsame purpose. The bark of the stem is usedfor congested chests and for a motherdelivering a baby.

Cycad plants are very toxic although the seedswere an important traditional food, when properly treated.The seeds of some species, however, contain an antibiotic.

She oak (Casuarinaequisetifolia) grows commonly

along the back of beaches. The inner bark,which is a pinkish colour, can be ground up

and used to relieve the pain of a toothachewhen pressed on to the affected tooth. When

infused in water, it can be used as amouthwash to relieve a sore throat – but should

not be swallowed.

Owning the knowledgeAn international study found that about three-quartersof plant-based drugs developed by pharmaceuticalcompanies had already been known and used astraditional medicines. When looking for sources of newdrugs, pharmaceutical companies often rely onindigenous knowledge – it saves a lot of time. Havingfound an organism, the companies must break it downinto its various components and search for the onewhich is active. This may then be made into a drug. Thisprocess can be time-consuming and expensive.Nevertheless, in the end it is usually only the drugcompany which makes the profit – sometimes enormous– while the people who made the initial discoveries gainnothing. The company may even take out a patent onthe plant in question and it is not unknown for thetraditional owners to be then charged a royalty for usingit. Referred to as biopiracy, this trend is on the rise ascompanies increasingly take out patents on organisms,some of them common traditional food and medicineplants. See http://twm.co.nz/CptHook.htm for moreinformation.

An ABC Radio National Background Briefing programon October 13 2002 looked at the problems associatedwith bioprospecting and indigenous rights. A transcriptof the program can be found on www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s701553.htm

The core of the trunk ofcertain pandanus trees,notably screw palm/pine(Pandanus spiralis) wastraditionally used for anumber of complaints.Pounded and/or boiled, itwas particularly used fordiarrhoea and stomach painbut also for mouth sores andtoothache and to relieveheadaches and ’flu. In somecases the pith from the proproots, which support themain trunk, was used. Thereare records from GrooteEylandt, in the NorthernTerritory, of pandanus seedsbeing consumed for

contraceptivequalities,but noevidenceto supporttheireffectiveness.

Stinging trees (Dendrocnidespp) are to be avoided, due tothe pain caused by the finehairs in the leaves. These hairshave cell walls full of silica andcontain a sap which acts on thenerve-endings in human skin,causing pain for many months. However, the leaves wereused traditionally as a cure for rheumatism. They wereapplied directly to the affected area, but, perhaps lesspainful, were sometimes pounded and boiled first.

Thesandpaper fig (Ficusopposita) has, as the namesuggests, leaves which areas rough as sandpaper. Theyare used, traditionally, totreat fungal skin infectionssuch as ringworm (which isnot a worm). The affectedskin is abraded with theleaves until quite raw andthe area then covered withthe milky latex from the plant.Alternatively the area maybe covered with a greenants’ nest. The stings andthe formic acid from the antsare very painful butapparently a very effectivecure.

Cheesefruit (Morinda citrifolia) isbottled in Fiji and other Pacific Islands tobe sold commercially as ‘cheesefruit juice’,earning over US$1billion over five years

for the company named after the plant,Morinda Incorporated. Thejuice is sold as a performanceenhancer and antioxidant.Commercial drugs derived fromthe roots and trunk are used totreat high blood pressure.

The ripe fruit has an unpleasant smell so, notsurprisingly perhaps, this is when it is used as amedicine – as a treatment for common cold, ’flu, diarrhoeaand asthma as well as for wound treatment. It is said tohave a slight anaesthetic effect which provides instantrelief for sore throats. Mixed with coconut milk, it is givenas a relief from ciguatera in the Torres Strait. Leaves andfruit can be crushed and inhaled or rubbed on the chest.The bark of this tree is used to reduce fever and theleaves as poultices. In Hawaii, where it is known as‘noni’, the unripe fruit is pounded with salt and themixture put on deep cuts. Ripe fruit has also been used asa poultice to draw out pus. Even more claims are made forthis plant, but as with most ‘magical cures’ they haveattracted scientific controversy. For more information onthis see www.sgapqld.org.au/bushtucker.html

Latex from a number of plants,including figs and banana bush

(Tabernaemontanapandacaqui) (left) has been

used traditionally onsores and wounds.Recent studies have

shown that these plantscontain potent compounds by the

name of proteolytic enzymes. There is afine line between harmful and helpful chemicals. Latexfrom many plants can cause blindness. The banana bushis related to the highly poisonous oleander and the‘bananas’ are named for their shape, not their edibility.Latex from macaranga (Macaranga tanarius) is very

sticky and waterproof. Itcan be used on deep cuts,holding the skintogether likestitches.

Banana bush

Sandpaperfig

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The spectacular red and pink newfoliage produced by many rainforesttrees is a particularly attractive featureof our rainforests – and a selling pointfor many species, such as syzygiums,popular in native gardens and parks.However, the question is often asked –why?

The red is caused by the pigmentanthocyanin, the same pigment whichcolours many flowers and fruits andwhich gives beetroot its wonderful hue.The actual shade – pink, red, brown orpurple – depends on the pH of the fluidin the cells of the leaf. Various theorieshave been suggested. It was thoughtthat anthocyanin might be off-puttingfor animals which eat leaves – but inreality young red leaves are quiteheavily damaged by predators. It wasthought that red might raise thetemperature of the leaves, speeding uptheir development, but experiments haveshown this not to be true. It has alsobeen suggested that anthocyanin mightinhibit fungal attack.

One likely theory is that anthocyaninmight protect the developingphotosynthetic mechanism in youngleaves. Studies have shown that theseleaves are not yet activelyphotosynthesising and may need a‘sunscreen’ to protect them fromharmful light. Anthocyanin absorbslight from the blue/green part of thespectrum, reflecting away red.

As the leaves mature they developchloroplasts which are responsible forabsorbing red light for photosynthesis –to convert the sun’s energy into storedenergy. Green light, which wesee, is reflected away.

Levels of anthocyanin arehigh both in youngleaves and in thoseunder stress. Thepigment is also visiblein old leaves such as thosefrom quandongs and the bleeding hearttree (above). As the leaves age, usefulmaterials in the leaf are reabsorbed bythe tree. Green chlorophyll is one of thefirst to break down and disappear fromthe leaves. Again, anthocyanin mayserve to protect the diminishingchlorophyll as it is breaking down.

Acknowledgements The Lake LakeNews (Tablelands National ParkVolunteers newsletter) Vol 5 No 8August 1997.

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coughcoldwoundfungalinfectionjuiceto inhale

Q What spiders make the webs on theground that I see early in the morningin May. One small paddock hadthousands.

A The webs belong to a small spiderin the family Lycosidae, whichincludes the more familiar wolf spiders.They belong to the genus Venonia.These spiders make small webs withcentral tunnels. Approach one quicklyand you will see the tiny spider retreatfrom the entrance.Acknowledgements to Eric Vanderduys ofthe Inquiry Centre, Queensland Museum

Q In the TV series ‘State of thePlanet’, David Attenboroughmentioned the devastating ecologicaleffects rhododendrons have had inBritain. He said this plant shares asymbiotic relationship with a soilfungus which kills all other plantspecies and that even after the plantshad been poisoned or physicallyremoved, the fungus continued to killother plants for a further six years.He said that the fungus is associatedwith all rhododendrons. Is itassociated with Australian nativespecies?

A There are about 600 species ofrhododendrons in the world.David Attenborough wasreferring to a species which wasintroduced to Britain in the late18th century, possibly from Spain andPortugal – Rhododendron ponticum. Itis extremely invasive and severelyreduces biodiversity by excludingother species, taking over large areas,providing little food for animals andeven diverting bees from theirpollination duties on other plants.The exact reason for continuing

inhibition of plant growth is not clear.Certainly mycorrhizal fungi have beendiscovered in rhododendron species.These are symbiotic fungi which attachthemselves to plant roots, obtainingcarbohydrates from the plants but, inreturn, supplying extra water andnutrients from the soil (see TropicalTopics 72, p2). These mycorrhizal typesare specifically associated withheathland plants and give them acompetitive advantage in nutrient-poorsoils over plants which do not havethem. However, little seems to beknown about direct effects on otherplants.

On the other hand, manyrhododendron species, includingRhododendron ponticum, producetoxins. These are even found in honeycreated from the flowers and areblamed for human poisoning (notusually fatal) known as ‘Mad honeydisease’. It is possible that these toxinsprevent other plants from growing butit is also possible that they poison themycorrhizae needed by other plantsbefore they become established.

We have only onenativerhododendronspecies,Rhododendron

lochae (left). It growsonly above 1000m in

the wet tropics. It is notknown whether this

species has the sameeffect on other plants.

For more information on Britishinvasions see the websites:www.offwell.free-online.co.uk/rhododen.htm and www.spri.cam.ac.uk/people/ojm21/rhodo.htm

MedizinGummimilch

HustenErkältungWundepilzartigInfektionSaftinhalieren

kusurishokubutsu no nyuekisekikazekizukinsei nokansenshirukyunyu suru

Out and aboutOut and aboutOut and aboutOut and aboutOut and about

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Celerywoodtrees(Polysciaselegans) fruitduring thewinter months, to the delight of birds,such as brown pigeons, bowerbirds,currawongs and figbirds which areattracted in flocks. This is a commonpioneer tree, which springs up readily inrainforest regrowth areas. It grows onlyin Australia, at both high and lowaltitudes, from Queensland to south-eastern New South Wales. Reachingabout 10m in height it creates a shadycanopy. Small purple flowers, producedin summer time, are followed by crowdsof small, 5mm, ridged, black fruits whichare borne in conspicuous bunchesabove the leaves. They are sticky whensquashed. In spite of their popularitywith birds, these fruits are not suitablefor human consumption.

The common name of this tree comesfrom the fact that the bark, when cut,smells and tastes of celery.

Far North Queensland Wildlife RescueAssociation is ten years old. It boastsover 200 members, many of whom areactive carers located as far south asCardwell, as far north as ThursdayIsland and all over the Tablelands area.Last year alone, 1370 birds and 388 othersick or injured wildlife species werebrought in or reported to the FNQWRCentre in Cairns and passed on tocarers. Many more were taken directly tovets or carers. In just the last fivemonths, 837 calls were received on theafter-hours phone line.New carers are always welcome; ‘hands-on’ training is provided. Otherwise youcould assist financially by becoming amember and/or giving donations.Indeed, if you have a lot of time to offer,the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cairns islooking for a new manager.Please report sick,injured or orphanedwildlife as soon aspossible. In Cairnscall (07) 4053 4467,in Townsville, Ph:0414 717 374 or0412 123 783.

Coming Together... is the title of theNational Conference on WildlifeRehabilitation to be held at VictoriaUniversity Werribee Campus,Melbourne, 30 June - 2 July 2003. Formore information contact the conferenceconvenor, Greg Gordon, at:greg.gordon@vu.edu.au; Ph: (03) 92168113 or (03) 9216 8139.

Ospreys nest betweenAugust and November insouthern Australia but inthe north they do somuch earlier. Their nestsare bulky structurescreated from sticks andlined with grass.Cliff faces andtrees are naturalnesting sites,but humanstructures are often used. A few yearsago, in Cairns, a pair of birds built a neston top of the transmission tower at theAmbulance Station on Anderson Street.Last year the nest was mysteriouslydestroyed. Since the tower is wellfenced, it was thought not to be thework of human vandals but possiblycaused by unruly behaviour of fledgingchicks. In the end, the platform, whichhad been provided specially byAmbulance Station staff to keep thebirds above the tower, was entirelydevoid of nest material. Happily, withinthe last couple of months the ospreyshave rebuilt the nest and are presumablyplanning to breed again.

Courting ospreys perform spectaculardives and swoops above the nest. Thefemale osprey then lays two to three,and sometimes four, eggs. She doesmost of the brooding, the male visitingfrom time to time with a fish for whichthe female begs with a high-pitched call.After the chicks have hatched, theirmother stays with them, protecting themfrom the sun for about a month untilthey grow their feathers. It will beanother month before they leave thenest.

Wombat berry (Eustrephus latifolius) a twiningvine, produces fruit between March andSeptember. This scrambling, wiry-stemmed plant iscommon in rainforest and in nearby open forest, at allaltitudes. It grows as far south as eastern Victoria and is alsofound overseas. During winter the vine is covered with fleshyorange fruits, about 1.5cm across, which hang for a long time.These fruits eventually split open to reveal shiny black seedswhich are partially surrounded with a white aril, or outercoating. This strategy is often employed by rainforest fruits to attract the attentionof birds, the dark seeds highlighted against the brightly-coloured fruit.

The bright green leaves, 3-12 cm long, spring almost directly from the branches, withminimal stalks. Fringed, pale pink flowers are produced in spring. The plant hasfleshy roots which are apparently a popular food for wombats, where the twospecies coincide. The fruits are not edible for humans.

Urban Wildlife ForumThe Wildlife Preservation Society ofQueensland14-16 June 2003The Bardon Centre in Brisbane’sMount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens.Enquiries and registration: WPSQ,95 William Street, Brisbane, 4000Ph: (07) 3221 0194; Fax: (07) 3221 0701;e-mail: forum@wildlife.org.au;Website: www.wildlife.org.au

Figbird

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SURFACE MAILSURFACE MAILSURFACE MAILSURFACE MAILSURFACE MAIL

Stella MartinThe EditorTropical TopicsEnvironmental Protection AgencyPO Box 2066(5b Sheridan St)CAIRNS QLD 4870Ph: (07) 4046 6674Fax: (07) 4046 6751e-mail: Stella.Martin@epa.qld.gov.au

Wet Tropics Management Authority(For general information on the WetTropics World Heritage Area only.)PO Box 2050CAIRNS QLD 4870Ph: (07) 4052 0555Fax: (07) 4031 1364Website: www.wettropics.gov.au

BOOKSHELF

This newsletter was produced by the Environmental Protection AgencyThis newsletter was produced by the Environmental Protection AgencyThis newsletter was produced by the Environmental Protection AgencyThis newsletter was produced by the Environmental Protection AgencyThis newsletter was produced by the Environmental Protection Agency with funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority. with funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority. with funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority. with funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority. with funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...Opinions expressed in TropicalTopics are not necessarily thoseof the Environmental ProtectionAgency.While all efforts have been madeto verify facts, the EnvironmentalProtection Agency takes noresponsibility for the accuracy ofinformation supplied in TropicalTopics.© The State of Queensland.Environmental Protection Agency2003.

Bush MedicineTim LowAngus and Robertson (1990)

This is the standard reference on bushmedicine from the author of ‘Bushtucker’. It deals with bush medicinefrom around Australia.

Bush Medicine of the NorthernPeninsula Area of Cape YorkSandyl KyriazisNai Beguta Agama Aboriginal Corpo-ration

Many of the plants and animals arefound in the wet tropics.

WellBeing Magazine No 70Plants, Poisons and Survival in the

RainforestCheryll Williams

Nature Australia Vol 25 No 3 Summer1995-96The truth about tea treesTim Low

Website – of the Society for GrowingAustralian Plants, Queensland Regionhas lots of interesting information,including bush tucker and bushmedicine at www.sgapqld.org.au/bushtucker3.html

Using rainforest researchCRC Rainforest leaflet:Rainforest masks a deadly diseaseMay 1998A leaflet on phytophthora

Department of Natural Resources andMines leafletMiconiaAvailable from NR&M offices

Birds: Their Habits and SkillsGisela Kaplan and Lesley RogersAllen and UnwinAn excerpt on smell was reproduced inInterpretive Birding Bulletin Vol 5 No2 September/October 2001

Nature Australia Vol. 25 No. 11Summer 1997-98Echidnas on the noseUwe Proske