Identifying Rainforest Plants of the Blackall Range: Cryptocarya genus in the family Lauraceae

They appear in our regeneration areas: trees with simple and alternate leaves, and small black drupes or berries.  They’ve been dispersed, perhaps "gardened", by the birds, especially the Green Catbird, White-headed Pigeon, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, and the Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove.  But how do we tell them apart - their leaves all look the same!  The fruits are mostly small and black!  

Join Hilary Pearl and Rowena Thomas at the Barung Nursery for a two-hour workshop learning nine “cryptic” Cryptocarya of our local Blackall Range forests.  Distinguishing them is hard!  But we have come up with tips and strategies to help sort them out.  After playing “Spot the Difference”, we plan for you to leave the workshop well on the way to becoming a Cryptocarya expert.

We recommend you bring a pen, a torch (or a phone with a torch), and your own eye lens if you have one. Magnifying lenses and eye lenses will be available to use, and worksheets will be supplied as we delve deep into this group of enigmatic plants. The morning will end with a Cryptocarya walk in the Barung Seed Forest. 

Participation is limited to 15 places so please book in to attend!

Date: Saturday 23rd November, 2024

Time: 9am start to 11am

Location: Barung Landcare Native Plant Nursery, Parkland Drive, Maleny 4552