peas please

[JumpedAngel]

here is some plant porn of the creepy crawly variety, from left to rigt, 1. the common garden viriety pea (i think) in amongst a 6 foot tall tangle of bracken fern and blackberry making it totally impassable, 2. a morning glory among some blackberry, 3. (serious plant porn) something that could be a Dicranopteris below something else which is a complete mystery, 4. a native passionfruit? by all means chime in if you think u know.

(i hate to kick-u-along rev but i'm still really looking forward to seeing that stuff on Desmodiums) i've been working up in the dandenong ranges for a few weeks, i havent had time to stop to smell the roses but i have made a mental note of some interesting stuff along the way, all sorts of creepy crawleys, today i had the opportunity to go up there with a camera, i did about 40 k on foot in 35 degree heat so it wasnt very pleasant but i did get a few candidates and also there were some that i know are still there but could not get to, one in particular, was a large red flowered legume with long saddle bags, pity i couldnt get to it today, had to turn back.

the descriptions i have on the Desmodium species is very basic, my book says there are about 5 Desmodiums in about 88 climbing species in 29 climbing genera of the family fabaceae, all it says is flowers borne in errect clusters followed by thin pods, later it gets a bit more specific when it describes D.brachypodum, best descriptions i've seen so far were those based on images rev posted on another thread which showed the pod - > http://www.shaman-australis.com.au/cgi-bin...ic;f=2;t=001758

i have a couple of candidates and will explain why as i go along but the second one is still very iffy.

below: what might be Desmodium but then again could be Glycine or Hardenbergia also, or maybe Kennedia, positive characteristics include: leaves are trifoliate and cospicuously veined, mauve pea-shaped flowers have a white standard and are borne on rigid racemes, stems covered in hairs, too early to tell about the pods as they are not ripe.

below: this one could be anything, it has a leaf form of a Desmodium but could very easily be a Kennedia too, there was no flower or pod (too early), its just a possibility?

other stuff that i ran across were a couple of what could have been Chorizema spp., some Clematis and stuff that i have no concept of where to begin with id-ing

the next few months presents the best chance of turning up a native Desmodium, although i think i will also have to try some heathlands and wetlands too.

[dertwerver]

JA, this may help

photo 3 is a Cranesbill, Geranium sp-native

photo 4 is a banana passionfruit, P mollisima-exotic

glad it was u doing 40k in 35 c

[Ed Dunkel]

Last two pictures

Glycine clandestina (or similar species like microphila). Are the pods cylindrical and dark brown/black? I have the clandestina crawling over my fence, very nice!

Desmodium (possibly gunni)

VINC at Yarra Bend rd, Fairfield, Vic (9482 1710) Sell Desmodium gunni, ring them for availibility.

I'm assuming you are from Melbourne (south Melbourne even)

I'll be interested if you find some other native desmodium species:)

[JumpedAngel]

thanks guys - hey Ed, for the one that u think is G.clandestina, the pod are not yet ripe so are still green, however, they are flat, and although difficult to see have that typical feature of the Desmodiums in that they are covered in tiny copper coloured hairs as are the stems and racemes also.

too many other things turned up to mention, however there was a lovely american dogwood and delight of all delights a large white flowered Brugmansia tree, also something i think rev was recently looking for Physostigma venenosum, although i am not sure and would require confirmation on this one below.

other things still in the mystery bag but slowly being checked out follow below, from left to right 1. another mystery creeper, 2. not a creeper but interesting non-the-less suspected of being an import, 3. of particular interest as it has an aroma indistinguishable from that of Damiana (Turnera diffusa) as i don't even have an credible image of Damiana yet it is difficult for me to say.