Fruits Galore, Silver gulls rejoice
Day 35 , a plant a day Lowlands Reserve, Leucopogon parviflorus, 28 November 2020
Another bush tucker plant in a scenic spot! Not many flowers left today on the Leucopogon, but lots of eyecatching fruit. I disturbed a couple of silver gulls who were having a feed. It’s a nifty way for the seeds to get dispersed too.
I don’t know the language name , but it’s sometimes called white currant , for obvious reasons , and coastal beard heath, as like other Leucopogons the tiny flowers have a fluffy look. Leucopogon means white beard in Greek.
The berries are bush tucker, a Noongar elder told me that her family knew what was OK to eat, as their old people often said to know where to get a feed, watch what the birds are eating, and then the children would know which berries to gather. (Please don’t eat though, leave for the birds).
Singing my songlines today, something I learned from Pauly the joy of singing little made up ditties and channelling my Dad, dancing little random dances (Grandad’s excited to see you dances my daughters remember) as I walk along. Our First Nations peoples have demonstrated that song, dance, story and art connected to the landscape are wonderful ways of recalling wisdom. When I get to the ridge where the white currant grows I start carolling : Silver gulls rejoi oi oice, with coast and beard and hee eath, Leucopogon parviflorus, news, news, fruit is ripe today ay ay, fruit is ripe today
On a more prosaic note, like many of our Lowlands native plants, Leucopogon has strategies to cope with our nutrient poor seaside locations, including a fine hairy root structure and a mutual admiration association with nitrogen and phosphorus sharing fungi.
Djuk, the bush cherry is also in fruit today, see Day 34 story to find out more more at https://lowlandsbeach.medium.com/jam-from-djuck-not-hassle-free-and-herbivore-turns-carnivore-89011a63268f
Writing this daily blog featuring a plant a day and walking daily is my fundraising effort for Bush Heritage #groundworkchallenge . To join my team or donate go to https://www.groundworkchallenge.org.au/fundraisers/sheilamurray/2020?fbclid=IwAR2HbNn0YsCCc3tiSK-_lbF5xLsssaD8wjGHaUwVYrRqYxM-kdJkijoj2N0
Lowlands Coastal Reserve is on Menang Boodja — country. I celebrate the strength, resilience and capacity of the Menang Noongar people who are the traditional owners of the land.
Lowlands Coastal Reserve is managed by the local community and the City of Albany. Bush Heritage Australia manage many other wonderful reserves.
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