Tree Ferns at Tarra Bulga

Tarra Bulga site with some information on how to identify the two common types of local Tree Fern.

Friends of Tarra-Bulga National Park

There are four main species of tree ferns found in Tarra Bulga National Park, (along with many other fern species) The two most common you will see are Cyathea australis (Rough tree-fern) and Dicksonia antarctica (Soft tree-fern). The Soft Tree-fern is more common in the moister areas including the rainforest gullies while the Rough tree-fern is more dominant on the slopes. Once you get you eye in it is fairly simple to tell the difference between these two, the most obvious being by comparing the trunks. The Rough tree-fern has much of its trunk covered by the remains of broken off stems (Stipes) Which are rough to the touch, while the Smooth tree-fern is soft to the touch and is covered by masses of soft hairs which are actually roots.  On this soft trunk other species of plants will often grow including tree and shrub seedlings, epiphytes and other ferns.

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Wet Forest EVC – Shrubs

Myrsine howittiana – Muttonwood, shrub with glossy green leaves that are rounded at the tips.

Acacia verniciflua – Varnish Wattle – Leaves (Phyllodes) have a glossy shine, Widespread medium sized Wattle.

Acacia verticillata – Prickly Moses

Bedfordia arborescens – Blanket Leaf, Distinctive shrub/small tree, easily recognised by the woolly underside of the large leaves.

Bedfordia arborescens – Blanket Leaf – woolly underside of the leaves.

Bedfordia arborescens – Blanket Leaf

Cassinia aculeata – Common Cassinia – Has shorter and narrower leaves compared to Shiny Cassinia

Cassinia longifolia – Shiny Cassinia

Cassinia trinerva – Three Veined Cassinia, showing the 3-veins on the back of the leaf from which the species gets its name.

Cassinia trinerva – Three Veined Cassinia, Cassinia species that you can easily pick by the three veins on the underside of the leaf.

Coprosma hirtella – Rough Coprosma, has larger glossy green leaves than Prickly Coprosma with a notch at the leaf apex.

Coprosma quadrifida – Prickly Coprosma, has small red berries along with small green leaves and short spikes.

Correa lawrenceana – Mountain Correa

Goodenia ovata – Hop Goodenia

Goodenia ovata – Hop Goodenia – Shrub with soft green stems and small yellow flowers.

Goodia lotifolia – Golden Tip, shrub with small rounded leaves and yellow flowers.

Gynatrix pulchella – Hemp-bush – Large heart shaped leaves make this easy to pick out, occurs in wet gullies.

Hedycarya angusifolia – Austral Mulberry, Showing its glossy green leaves.

Hedycarya angusifolia – Austral Mulberry, Glossy green leaves with a paler green underside.

Lomatia fraseri – Tree Lomatia

Olearia argophylla – Musk Daisy Bush

Olearia argophylla – Musk daisy-bush, large toothed leaves green on the top and whitish on the underside (pictured).

Olearia lirata – Snowy Daisy Bush

Olearia lirata – Snowy Daisy Bush

Olearia phlogopappa – Dusty daisy-bush

Ozothamnus ferrugineus – Tree Everlasting

Ozothamnus ferrugineus – Tree Everlasting, similar looking leaves to the cassinia species, can be confusing.

Pimelea axiflora – Bootlace Bush – Small shrub with flowers that originate from the base of the leaves (axils)

Pittosporum bicolor – Banyalla – Showing the white underside of the leaves.

Pittosporum bicolor – Banyalla – Small narrow glossy leaves on this small tree are whitish underneath hence its species name bi-color

Pittosporum undulatum – Sweet-pittosporum

Polyscias sambucifolia – Elderberry Panax – This one can be tricky to identify has, several different variations in the shape of its leaves.

Pomaderris aspera – Hazel Pomaderris, Attaractive plant with distinctive dark green wrinkled leaves.

Biodiversity Interactive Map – Resource

Another useful tool is the Biodiversity Interactive Map, which is one of a series of interactive maps available online provided by the Victorian Government. It is a valuable tool for finding out information such as what the current Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) of a patch of vegetation is or what vegetation type a cleared area is likely to have been around the time of European settlement. That is a vital step to take when you are planning a re-vegetation project.

It is also a good way of finding out what threatened species may exist in your area of interest. Doing a search of the area shows that some of the significant species that have been recorded in the district include.  The site can be accessed by the following link. http://mapshare2.dse.vic.gov.au/MapShare2EXT/imf.jsp?site=bim

Biodiversity Interactive Map – Showing the Ecological vegetation classes (EVC) that were thought to be present in 1750.

Biodiversity Interactive Map showing threatened fauna record for the study area.

Wet Forest EVC – Ferns

Asplenium bulbiferum – Mother spleenwort (Back view of fertile fronds)

Asplenium bulbiferum – Mother spleenwort

Blechnum chambersii – Lance Water-fern, showing fertile fronds

Blechnum chambersii – Lance Water-fern

Blechnum fluviatile – Ray water-fern

Blechnum fluviatile – Ray water-fern

Blechnum nudum – Fishbone water-fern

Blechnum nudum – Fishbone water-fern

Blechnum wattsii – Hard water -fern

Blechnum wattsii – Hard water -fern, with fertile fronds

Blehnum patersonii – Strap water-fern

Cyathea australis – Rough tree-fern (Showing trunk with rough scales at the base of the old stipes)

Cyathea australis – Rough tree-fern (Showing the back of a fertile frond)

Cyathea australis – Rough tree-fern

Cyathea australis – Rough tree-fern

Cyathea cunninghamii – Slender Tree-fern

Cyathea X maracescens – Skirted tree-fern (showing its distinctive skirt)

Cyathea X maracescens – Skirted tree-fern

Dicksonia anarctica – Soft tree-fern, view of the back of its fertile pinnae

Dicksonia anarctica – Soft tree-fern

Dicksonia anarctica – Soft tree-fern, showing the top side of fertile fronds)

Dicksonia anarctica – Soft tree-fern

Dicksonia anarctica – Soft tree-fern, trunk has soft hairs at base of stipes (not like the rough tree fern)

Histiopteris incisa – Bats wing-fern

Latreopsis acuminata – Shiny shield-fern, showing the underside of fertile fronds).

Latreopsis acuminata – Shiny shield-fern

Polystichum proliferum – Mother shield-fern , (showing the underside of fertile fronds).

Polystichum proliferum – Mother shield-fern

Polystichum proliferum – Mother shield-fern

Pterdium esculentum – Austral Bracken

Pterdium esculentum – Austral Bracken

Wet Forest EVC – Trees

Acacia dealbata – Silver Wattle

Acacia melanoxylon – Blackwood

Acacia melanoxylon – Blackwood

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey-gum – Fruit showing a distinctive ridge line.

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey-gum

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey-gum (Showing its distinctively ridged buds)

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey-gum (Showing off its extra large mature leaves)

Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey-gum

Eucalyptus globulus – Blue Gum

Eucalyptus obliqua – Messmate Stringybark

Eucalyptus obliqua – Messmate Stringybark (Showing the oblique leaf base that gives the species its name).

Eucalyptus obliqua – Messmate Stringybark

Eucalyptus obliqua – Messmate Stringybark

Eucalyptus regnans – Mountain Ash

Squiggly pattern on the branches of this fallen Mt Ash Branch.

Eucalyptus regnans – Mountain Ash – Have to find branches that have fallen down to get a photo of these giant trees.

Eucalyptus regnans – Mountain Ash

Eucalyptus regnans – Mountain Ash (Tiny narrow buds for such a massive tree)

Eucalyptus regnans – Mountain Ash (showing the “skirt” area where the rough bark at the base is peeling away with smooth bark above.

Eucalyptus viminalis – Manna Gum (Buds and fruit are usually arranged in cluster of three)

Eucalyptus viminalis – Manna Gum (Buds and fruit are usually arranged in cluster of three)

Damp Forest Species

Acacia dealbata – Silver Wattle

Acacia melanoxylon – Blackwood

Acacia verniflicua – Varnish Wattle

Acacia verticillata – Prickly Moses

Bedfordia arborescens – Blanket Leaf

Billarderia mutabilis – Common Apple Berry

Cassinia aculeata – Common Cassinia

Cassinia longifolia – Shiny Cassinia

Coprosma quadrifida – Prickly Currant Bush

Eucalyptus Cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey Gum has distinctive ridged buds and is important food tree for Koala’s

Eucalyptus Cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey Gum – Showing its extra large adult leaves.

Eucalyptus Cypellocarpa – Mountain Grey Gum

Eucalyptus globulus – Blue Gum – Young sapling with distinctive blue foliage.

Eucalyptyus obliqua – Messmate

Eucalyptyus obliqua – Messmate (Leaf showing oblique base)

Gahnia sieberiana – Red fruit saw sedge

Goodenia ovata – Hop Goodenia

Lomandra longifolia – Spiny Mat Rush

Olearia lirata – Snowy Daisy Bush

Olearia phlogopappa – Dusty daisy bush

Ozothamnus ferrugineus – Tree everlasting

Ozothamnus ferrugineus – Tree everlasting

Pandorea pandorana – Wonga vine

Pomaderris aspera – Hazel Pomaderris

Pterdium esculentum – Austral Bracken

Sambuccus gaudichaudiana – White elderberry

Senecio minimus – Shrubby groundsel

Senecio pinnatifolius – Variable groundsel

Planting Lists by Original Vegetation Type (EVC)

When you are putting in the effort of planting you would naturally be intending that what you plant (as well as their descendents) will persist for many years. Research and experience have shown that there are many reasons why aiming to restore the original mix of species, that would have grown on the site prior to it being cleared is the best strategy. These plants are more likely to survive in the long term as they will be well adapted to the local soil and climate. The food and shelter that they provide will suit local wildlife and the risk of introducing plants that can become serious weeds will be minimised. eg. Cootamundra Wattle. Therefore it is an important part of any revegetation project to carefully select the species you with to plant.

In our focus area it is highly likely that the original vegetation of your planting site would be one of three vegetation types. Modelling of the landscape has been done across the region and tools have been produce to enable anyone to identify the what the likely original vegetation type or Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) of any project site would have been. These tools are available online at sites such as http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/about-dse/interactive-maps or you can find this information by other means such as contacting the local Landcare Network or agencies such as the DSE. The following map shows a wide scale view of the original vegetation distribution for this area.

Once you have identified your EVC you can then download the corresponding list from the links below. These lists have been developed from local species records, to help you choose the most suitable species for re-vegetation on your site.

*Note that not all species listed are commercially available and/or not robust enough to be used in new plantings.  But they have been included to provide more information about the original flora.

Lowland Forest Species List (pdf)

Damp Forest Species List (pdf)

Wet Forest Species List (pdf)