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The Corroboree

Freakosystem

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Posts posted by Freakosystem

  2. Posted

    For fungi identification, you need to provide a lot more information. Photos of the underside are essential and spore colour helps a lot. This could be in a number of different genera but I think Entoloma would rank high on the possibility list.

     

    These are definitely NOT in the genus Psilocybe.

  7. Posted · Edited by Freakosystem

    It's Myxomycetes, a massive colony of individual unicellular organisms functioning as a single organism and exhibiting incredible emergent properties. They are commonly called plasmodial slime molds.They are truly a fascinating group, unrelated to all other extant fungal species. Do an image search on them and be blown away.

     

    There was no need to apply chemical fungicides here. The slime mold has been in your soil for a long time, but only when these cells congregate did they become visible. You should try to identify whether something is truly a pest or not before applying chemicals in my opinion.

    • Like 2

  8. Posted

    Hey 2Deep. I'm rather into unusual botanical collections too. Are you interested in Rhipsalis? I've probably got 10 species or so which could be a nice way to start a collection. I've gotnheaps of cutting material if interested. I can also share Amorphophallus species once they die down in a couple of months. Or if you are after something super rare, Haloragodendron lucasii (there are perhaps just 3 genetic individuals in the world).

  9. Posted · Edited by Freakosystem
    An apology

    13 hours ago, Glaukus said:

    I am not a fan of the theory that says alkaloids exist to deter animals from eating them. I've had deer and roos/wallabies eat them to ground level without pause. The bitterness might put off possums but not many other animals.

    I have not read about the function of alkaloids in cacti so won't comment on that but I'd like to point out that evolution doesn't really work that way. For instance, the most toxic frog in the world evolved to be that way because the snake that eats it became resistant to the toxin, and so only the most toxic of these frogs survive. The snake eats these frogs to survive but if enough of the frogs contain a certain amount of toxin, the snake numbers decline and the frogs become more abundant. But whist most snakes die, some individials are more resistant to the toxin and these prosper without competition from other snakes and a now abundant resource of frog availability. So those genes are selected for. This cycle has continued for a very long time and these frogs are now incredibly deadly to all but this snake, whilst this snake has an incredible ability to metabolise toxins that no other organism can. It's an evolutionary arms race of attack and defense.

     

    Defense stratergies are expensive and not productive unless required. Their existence is dependant on them being attacked and evidence of herbivory paradoxically supports this hypothesis. 

     

    *Edit* Pseudo Mexican, sorry I am unable to help you with your cacti and took this thread off course .

    • Like 1

  12. Posted · Edited by Freakosystem

    Ethics are never a black and white thing. The question shouldn't be "is it ethical" but rather "how ethical is it" or "what ethical concerns do you consider".

     

    I think wild harvest from any reserve is largely unethical unlesss it is an exotic species or otherwise set to be removed. Even then there are ethical environmental issies to consider as weeds etc. can still offer habitat for many native species. We can point to traditional and sustainable use of plants all we want but we don't live that life style. We are all a product of emerging technologies and culture that is not sustainable. We are an unsustainable population and if we decide to wild harvest, there will be consequences. There already are for many species.

     

    Replanting in natural, non-disturbed areas should absolutely be avoided. The risk of introduction of pathogens is too great. Accidentally transfering Phytopthora from an isolated home garden to a huge natural ecosystem that lacks the ability to fight it off can have devastating consequences.

     

    Collecting seed to disperse back into natural ecosystems at another site can also be problematic. Although you do increase genetic fitness for that population, this may not always be a good thing. By doing this, you will lose local adaptions which may be necessary for survival in that ecosystem. You may also introduce new genetics which may, for example, kill the pollinators in that local population. You may increase plasticity and vigour in tha population but to the detriment of all the other plants which are now outcompeted. And perhaps this then changes the fire regimen and leaves the entire ecosystem barren. Who knows? It's extremely complicated.

     

    I don't know of any Australian plants that are used ethnobotanically and can't be cultivated bar some of the mycoheterotrophic orchids. They are most certainly unethical to harvest.

     

    My opinion is that we should grow these plants as much as we can. If they're hard to cultivate and require a complicated and specific ecological framework for their survival, they're probably an important part of that ecosystem and should remain there anyway.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

  14. Posted

    3 hours ago, Halcyon Daze said:

    You may be onto someting big with the poop there infinity. I know it's said to be an outstanding fertilizer. 

     

    How about 'fresh poop straight from the... Cannon!'

     

    no takers? :(

     

     

     

    .

    A little risky with cacti...

     

    My overall philosophy with soils is to use coarse media exclusively. For my watering methods and limits of watering frequency, this means I have to use coarse materials that have good micropores for added water holding capacity. I'm all about high WHC and AFP (air filled porosity).

     

    There is a tendancy to conflate rot succeptability with "too much water" but in fact it is often too little aeration that is the problem. Fine particles hold water between the particles. This means their is no aeration to the root zone.

     

    Perhaps more important though is that soils with fine particles don't get watered frequently enough due to how wet they remain between these particles.

     

    Coarse, porpus particles are great because they hold water within the particles, not between them. This means that there is constant aeration of the root zone. Also, each time one waters, the "space" (air) between particles is filled with water which is then replaced with fresh air once the water drains or has been absorbed into the pores of the media. The roots of whatever you are growing occupy the space between the particles of the media, which is effectively a constantly humid environment with air flow. Essentially like aquaponics or even aeroponics.

     

    I do like to include zeolite for nutrient retention due to high CEC. I personally buy mine from Ray Nesci Bonsai Centre  in Dural. It's branded as Castle Mountains Zeolite and Ray stocks many grades. I also purchase coarse diatomite here as my main substrate though many other products can work for this (scoria, pumice, perlite, seramis, various fired clays etc, depending what is available, in your price range, heavy/light enough for your application and watering habits, microclimate etc).

     

    I also add a small portion of composted pine bark too. My hypothesis here is that it can harbour saprophytic fungi such as Trichoderma which are generally antagonistic to pathogenic species and help to break down organic fertilisers.

     

    The best thing about this growing philosophy is that you can grow a fern and a cactus in the same pot and both will be happy and rot free. It's super versatile and I've used it on a diverse range of things including terrestrial orchids, Lophophora, Nepenthes, Begonia, Lithops, Selaginella, Anigozanthos, Huperzia, Rhipsalis... the list goes on.

    • Like 1

  16. Posted

    I don't think the seeds have great long term viability. In saying that, I've got no plans for them and excess seed will be thrown. So if there's any chance you'd have an oportunity to sow them, let me know your address and I'll send them out. You have no obligation to germinate them.

  17. Posted

    I have been known to look at an unintelligent labrador with envy. They're always happy.

     

    I've thought about this a lot and I always decide knowledge. It's a burden though as the oppression from governing bodies that remain ignorant on the issues discussed certainly have a negative impact on my wellbeing. I'm attempting to convert it into a motivational drive but some days it's just easier to say "fuck it, I'm going walkabout".

     

    I'm lucky though and get to work with some amazing scientists who share their results with me. It's always so humbling and feels very significant to be one of the first people to understand some tiny bit of the way the world works. For me this is an extremely rewarding experience.

    • Like 2

  19. Posted

    Thanks everyone!

     

    Attached a photo of Omphalotus nidiformis, a bioluminescent fungi commonly found on the east coast after rain, most frequently in the winter months.

     

    14 hours ago, etherealdrifter said:

    really lovely when new members introduce themselves formally. 

    Formality is my coping mechanism for social anxiety. I'll get comfortable soon enough and you'll miss this.

    14 hours ago, etherealdrifter said:

      Shows spunk and character very befitting of this wonderful forum.

    Uh oh. I haven't got those!

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    • Like 1

  20. Posted

    Cheers Caster. I regularly browse the publicly available pages of Shroomery and the Nexus but don't really have the available time or necessity to join them too. Maybe one day. As perbmy abpve post, feel free to message me if you'd like some Heimia salicifolia or Acacia obtusifolia seed.

     

    Thanks for the welcome!

  22. Posted

    Hi all,

     

    I've got some Grevillea robusta seeds available if anybody wants some. They're the most popular choice for grafting grevillea species and hybrids onto and are particularly useful for growing WA and NT species on the east coast due to their phytopthora resistance.

     

    If you're keen, send me a message with how many you'd like and an address.

     

    Cheers,

    Freako

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