An Antipodean Ogham

Rubus parvifolius – like the European Rowan, this scrambling shrub is a member of the Rosaceae family, which grows in the heathland and eucalyptus woodland of eastern Australia.

The red berries are pleasant to eat either raw or in sauces and jams and have been shown to have hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties in laboratory trials.

The flowers have red or pink petals and another common name for this plant is the small-leaf bramble.

Pullea stutzeri – this woody or herbaceous shrub can grow up to 6 metres tall and is endemic to (and widespread throughout) North Eastern Queensland.

It will grow on a variety of rock types in the rainforest but tends to be more common along the creeks and gullies.

This tree produces a useful general purpose timber and is also used as effective and decorative hedging for gardens.

Geijera parviflora – a small tree or bush found growing in the inland areas of eastern Australia. Also known as the Wilga, Sheepbush or Dogwood this tree can grow up to 10 metres in height and has long drooping branches rather like true Willows.

The smell of the small white petalled flowers has been described variously from foetid, to strong smelling, to citrus scented and is very attractive to insects.

The aromatic leaves were used by the Indigenous Australians for alleviating toothache.

Eucalyptus regnans – native to south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, this is one of the tallest tree species in the world having been known to attain heights of over 100 metres.

An extremely fast growing evergreen,(more than 1 metre per year), this tree has an average life span of 400 years, though unlike most other Eucalyptus’ it tends not to recover by re-shooting after forest fires.

Mountain Ash forests in Victoria’s Central Highlands have been identified as being the best in the world at locking up carbon. Other common names: Victorian Ash, Swamp Gum, Tasmanian Oak and Stringy Gum.

Acacia paradoxa – this is a large shrub which grows up to 3 metres in height and width, with a dense foliage and spiny branches.

Widespread across Australia, it makes excellent hedging and provides dwelling and shelter for small birds such as wrens.

It flowers in fluffy yellow balls which can be cooked and eaten in fritters. Other common names include: Prickly Wattle, Hedge Wattle and Paradox Acacia.

Eucalyptus obliqua – this hardwood tree, native to south-eastern Australia, can grow up to 90 metres in height with its trunk reaching up to 3 metres in diameter. Historically this tree has been documented by qualified surveyors as growing up to 90.9m, that’s a height of 324ft!

Growing on a wide range of soils, from sea-level up to elevations of 1200 metres in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, it will form tall open forests with several other Eucalyptus species.

Other Common Names are: Brown Top, Brown Top Stringbark, Messmate, Messmate Stringybark, Stringybark and Tasmanian Oak.

Banksia ilicifolia – Endemic to southwest Western Australia, this tree with its green prickly foliage and yellow and red tinged spiky flowers can reach 10 metres in height.

Unlike its close relatives, this particular species can regenerate after bush fires by re-sprouting from epicormic buds under its bark.

The yellow flowers in particular are very attractive to several species of birds and insects including honeyeaters, wattlebirds, bees, beetles and ants – they are also a source of nectar for the honey possum.

Macadamia integrifolia – just one of the seven species of Macadamia native to Australia, this is the one that grows in Queensland – Common names: Bauple Nut, Queensland Nut and Nut Oak.

The trees are small to large evergreens, which can grow up to 12 metres in height – some Indigenous Australian names are gyndl, jindilli and boombera.

The nuts are a valuable food product with the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fat of any known nut, the oil is also highly prized in the cosmetics and skincare industry.

Pouteria eerwah – is a rare Australian rainforest tree endemic to south eastern Queensland. It can reach a height of 4 – 10 metres and bears fruits and flowers in any season.

This endangered species is now found in only three locations: the Ipswich–Beaudesert area south-west of Brisbane; the Beenleigh–Ormeau–Pimpama area, south-east of Brisbane; and the Nambour–Maleny district on the Sunshine coast.

The main threats to the tree’s survival include invasive weeds, fire and grazing and seed predation by feral pigs and insects. Other common names are: Shiny-leaved Condoo and Black Plum.

Cissus hypoglauca – is a common woody climbing vine which grows in the moist areas of eastern Australia. It is also commonly known as Jungle Grape, Water Vine and Five-leaf Water Vine.

Woody sections can be cut from the vine and the sap may be drunk as water – hence the name ‘Water Vine’. The stunning blue berries can be eaten raw and do taste rather like grapes.

This vine is a great colonizer of forests after damage due to fire, storms or logging and provides abundant food and shelter for various kinds of birds and small animals.

Schefflera or Brassaia actinophylla– is a tree in the Ivy family, more commonly known as the Umbrella Tree. An evergreen, it grows up to a height of 15 metres.

It is found in the rainforests and Gallery Forest areas of eastern Queensland and the Northern Territory. One Tree can produce up to 1000 flowers which are very attractive to honey-eating birds – the fruits are eaten by birds and animals including small marsupials such as the Musky Rat Kangaroo.

Also grown as a decorative tree in gardens, other common names are the Octopus Tree and Amate.

Viminaria juncea – a fast growing shrub, closely related to and very much resembling European Broom. The plant can grow up to 6 metres in height – either upright or weeping.

The swampy areas near the coasts of southern Australia are the preferred habitat ranging from Geralton in Western Australia through Esperance, Coastal Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Other common names are: Native Broom, Golden Spray and Swishbush.

Bursaria spinosa– a small tree or shrub, growing mainly in the eastern and southern half of Australia – absent in Western Australian and the Northern Territory.

Reaching 10 metres in height it will rapidly colonise disturbed ground and fallow farmland and has a lifespan of 25 to 60 years – it can also resprout from its woody base after bushfires.

An important food plant for a wide variety of insects it is also known by several other common names including Christmas Bush, Mock Orange, Native Box, Native Olive, Prickly Pine and Spiny Bursaria.

Sambucus australasica– also known as Native Elderberry, this glossy leaved shrub is usually found, in and on, the outskirts of the eastern Australian rainforest.

Growing up to 4 metres tall it produces creamy yellow flowers between the months of October and March, followed by small yellow round fruit which is edible but can be bitter when eaten raw.

Very useful to gardeners as a fast growing low screening plant, it can also be used in re–vegetation projects for thickening up edge plantings and as a good under- storey species below growing trees.

casuarinas equisetifolia – this evergreen grows to a height of 35 metres and is found in the northern parts of the Northern Territory, north and east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

The name equisetifolia derives from the Latin equisetum meaning ‘horse hair’, which refers to the resemblance of the tree’s drooping branchlets to horses’ tails.

This tree has many common names including: Coast She-Oak, Beach Casuarina, Beach Oak, Beach She-Oak, Whistling Tree, Coastal She-Oak, Horsetail She-Oak, Horsetail Beefwood and Ironwood.

Daviesia ulicifolia – is a spiny shrub of the same family as European Gorse.

Found all over Australia it can grow to a height of 2 metres and produces red and yellow pea type flowers between the months of May and January.

Widespread in open forest areas the prickly branches provide refuge to small birds from predators. This colourful shrub is also useful as a border or barrier plant in gardens.

Epacris impressa – a shrub of the Ericaceae (Heather) family which is native to the south east of Australia. The pink flowered variety is the state of Victoria’s floral emblem.

Commonly found near the coast and nearby foothills, extending from the Mount Lofty Ranges across southern Victoria and northwards to the Clyde River in New South Wales, it is also widespread in Tasmania.

Honeyeaters such as the Eastern Spinebill like to gather the nectar from the flowers and in doing so pick up the pollen on their head feathers, which is then spread to other flowers aiding cross-pollination.

Acronychia acidula – is a small to medium sized tree native to the rainforest of Queensland, but is also grown commercially in small scale orchards on the east coast from North Queensland down to northern New South Wales.

The small yellow fruits have a grapefruit and lime like flavour and are high in antioxidants. This traditional bushfood is now used popularly in beverages, sauces and confectionery.

Also known as White Aspen this tree is not related to the true Aspens of the northern hemisphere but has similarly beautiful lush green foliage, which makes it a very attractive ornamental garden tree.

Austrotaxus spicata – also known as the Southern Yew, is unique to the main island of Grand Terre, in the archipelago of New Caledonia situated 1500 kilometres east of the Australian continent (and governed by France) – but nevertheless I think the most appropriate representative for Idho

Add to that, the fact that it is cultivated,(thus can be found), in eastern Australia (and New Zealand) and has recently been classed as a’ true Yew’ (Taxaceae family), this ‘near threatened’ tree, the only one of its species, surely deserves its place at the end of our Antipodean Ogham 😉

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