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The Corroboree
lofty86

Cooktown

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Hey guys im in cooktown for 2 weeks having a bit of look is there anything worth keeping an eye out for in the area. there a quite a few introduced species of interest growing feral. anything native to the area the community would be interested in? i almost creamed myself driving through the wet tropics canopy tops covered in argeria nervosa :drool2: heading back down that way soon i was going to keep heading north but its too hot.

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i found Abrus precatorius growing at the base of mt Cook (i think thats what the mtn is called?) when i was there... it was setting seed at the time & that was about julyish if i remember correctly a few years ago. be careful though they are highly toxic

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i almost creamed myself driving through the wet tropics canopy tops covered in argeria nervosa

thats tragic for the ecosystem! freaking unethical plantheads grgrgrgrgrgrrrrr (not u, whoever let em loose)

:ana::ana::uzi:

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I believe hbwr were actually naturalised here before european settlement. They are still a weed though. 10m+ vines with giant heart shaped leaves covering the forest canopy is still a pretty impressive sight. As for the orgional question im not sure what ethnos you could find around that area

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I believe hbwr were actually naturalised here before european settlement

wow, thats the first time ive heard that!! how the hell did they get here? they certainly arent native!!!

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I cant quite remember where i found that piece of info (my mind is like a library that has been hit by a bomb lol), but from what i remember they may have arrived by sea (?). Makes some sense - they are found mostly along the coast and near rivers (they also grow further away from water from what iv seen locally, but only one or two randomly).

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Cooktown Kerosine Tree, I'll pay your price for some seed ;-)

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no seed around while i was up that way in september :( this year im heading up around may-june for a few festivals in the area so ill take a look then and keep the community informed. i did attend a smoking ceramony in hopevale were erythroxylum amongst other plants were usesd to cleanse us befor we could enter a sacred site.

you should take a look over at australian bushoods forum if your interested in the study being done on native erythroxylum species also there seems to be much more open interest on this species over at the AE forum dont think this ones legal to trade however the other forums have threads on exact locations might be worth a look

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Cool, that smoking ritual and sacred site must have been cool, I've heard of E ellipticum being referred to as "the tree of life" by some northern tribes..

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theres heaps of var of woodrose between cairns and mission beach, keep an eye out for some betlenut and morning glory too ;)

thought you would of figured that out, but thought id' post and let you all know im still alive :P

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will be in Cairns, Port Douglas and Mission Beach in 2 weeks time, have got locations off AVH for native Erythroxylum and will collect cuttings and seeds. If anyone has any confirmed locations they are willing to pass on im sure i can grab enough seed to pass round to a few folk here to get them more abundant in propagation!

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will be in Cairns, Port Douglas and Mission Beach in 2 weeks time, have got locations off AVH for native Erythroxylum and will collect cuttings and seeds. If anyone has any confirmed locations they are willing to pass on im sure i can grab enough seed to pass round to a few folk here to get them more abundant in propagation!

 

Im sure its in the botanical gardens in cairns, and just be carefull bushwalking around mission beach and tully theres some not so friendly farmers in the region if you see anything you shouldnt just put your hands above your head and get the hell out of there. while your in mission beach check out the el arish tropical nursery they have an awsome collection of brugs and the cattle feilds in tully are always littered with cubies (all year round)

Also good to see you remembered your password .:shadow:. shame i passed through to quick to catch up last time i was about the area

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A short list of Interesting Plants around Cooktown

Abrus precatorius - Giddee Giddee (There is actualy a salmon pink veriety I saw years ago, but it's a fair distance by boat to the location)

Alstonia scholaris - Milky Pine (alegedly has seeds which have stimulant properties - but the trees are realy tall and the pods split open before they fall off, and the small seeds have a tuft of fluff so they can float on the wind - so good luck, others have failed befor you :) )

Barringtonia acutangula - Freshwater Mangrove (at McLeod River and at botanical gardens. Checkout "indigenous opioid bark" thread, and'Wikipedia' - looks interesting. I collected some seeds a few weeks back up near Cookie, but just found out I got the wrong Barringtonia sp. :( )

There's a fair bit of bush tucker around there - here are two of my favorate:

Eugenia reinwardtiana - Ceder Bay Cherry (cute little native bush with sweet juciey berries. Cherry Tree Bay, and Botanical Gardens)

Buchanania arborescens - Beach Berry (Small tree with realy tasty berries. Finch Bay, and botanical gardens)

Cooktown eh

nice little place - better when the wind stops blowing (which is nealy never)

"Edited Spelling"

Edited by RainDrop

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