A Field Guide to Native Flora Used by Honeybees in Tasmania
© 2009 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 1 74151 947 0 ISSN 1440-6845 A Field Guide to Native Flora Used by Honeybees in Tasmania Publication No. 09/149 Project No. PRJ-002933 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication. This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. However, wide dissemination is encouraged. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the RIRDC Publications Manager on phone 02 6271 4165 Researcher Contact Details Name: Mark Leech of Brueckner Leech Consulting Email:
[email protected] In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to RIRDC publishing this material in its edited form. RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2, 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: Fax: Email: Web:
02 6271 4100 02 6271 4199
[email protected]. http://www.rirdc.gov.au
Published in December 2009 2
A Field Guide to Native Flora Used by Honeybees in Tasmania
by Mark Leech
RIRDC Publication No 09/149 RIRDC Project No. PRJ-002933
Electronically published by RIRDC in December 2009 Print-on-demand by Union Offset Printing, Canberra at www.rirdc.gov.au or phone 1300 634 313
3
Contents Contents .............................................................................................................4 Foreword ............................................................................................................6 Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................7 Introduction........................................................................................................8 Tea Tree Species ...............................................................................................10 Using this guide................................................................................................11 Floral Species....................................................................................................15 Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbata subsp. dealbata................................................16 Coast Wattle, Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae ..............................................18 Black Wattle, Acacia mearnsii ...........................................................................20 Blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon ......................................................................22 Prickly Moses, Acacia verticillata ......................................................................24 White Waratah/Fragrant Candlebush, Agastachys odorata ............................26 Drooping Sheoak, Allocasuarina verticillata ....................................................28 Horizontal, Anodopetalum biglandulosum ......................................................30 Tasmanian Laurel, Anopterus glandulosus .......................................................32 Golden Pea, Aotus ericoides..............................................................................34 Sassafras, Atherosperma moschatum subsp. moschatum ................................36 Silver Banksia, Banksia marginata....................................................................38 Saw Banksia, Banksia serrata ............................................................................40 Wiry Bauera, Bauera rubioides ..........................................................................42 Prickly Box, Bursaria spinosa.............................................................................44 Yellow Bottlebrush, Callistemon pallidus .........................................................46 Prickly Bottlebrush, Callistemon viridiflorus .....................................................48 Native Plum, Cenarrhenes nitida ......................................................................50 Mountain Clematis, Clematis aristata ..............................................................52 Native Hop/Broadleaf Hopbush, Dodonaea viscosa subsp. spatulata ............54 Heaths, Epacris species......................................................................................56 Black Peppermint, Eucalyptus amygdalina ......................................................58
4
Snow Peppermint /Snow Gum, Eucalyptus coccifera ......................................60 White Top/Gumtopped Stringybark, Eucalyptus delegatensis subsp. tasmaniensis .....................................................................................................62 Tasmanian Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus ............................64 Smithton/Western Peppermint, Eucalyptus nitida ..........................................66 Brown Top Stringybark/Stringybark, Eucalyptus obliqua ................................68 Black Gum, Eucalyptus ovata subsp. ovata ......................................................70 Cabbage Gum, Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora ..................................72 White Peppermint, Eucalyptus pulchella..........................................................74 Swamp Gum/Giant Ash, Eucalyptus regnans ...................................................76 Ironbark, Eucalyptus sieberi ..............................................................................78 Alpine Yellow Gum, Eucalyptus subcrenulata ..................................................80 White Gum, Eucalyptus viminalis subsp. viminalis ...........................................82 Leatherwood, Eucryphia lucida ........................................................................84 Dwarf Leatherwood, Eucryphia milliganii ........................................................86 Cutting Grass, Gahnia grandis..........................................................................88 Mountain Pinkberry, Leptecophylla juniperina subsp. parvifolia .....................90 Woolly Tea tree, Leptospermum lanigerum......................................................92 Manuka/Common Tea tree, Leptospermum scoparium...................................94 Coast Paperbark, Melaleuca ericifolia...............................................................96 Scented Paperbark, Melaleuca squarrosa ........................................................98 Lancewood/Satinwood, Nematolepis squamea subsp. squamea..................100 Musk/Musk Daisybush, Olearia argophylla....................................................102 Tallow-wood/Cheesewood, Pittosporum bicolor...........................................104 Common Dogwood, Pomaderris apetala subsp. apetala ..............................106 Christmas Mintbush, Prostanthera lasianthos var. lasianthos........................108 Yellow Eye, Xyris operculata ...........................................................................110 Appendix 1 - Non-native flora........................................................................112 Appendix 2 - Leatherwood predictive extent ...............................................114 References ......................................................................................................116
5
Foreword This pocket field guide is intended to provide a user-friendly tool for beekeepers to help identify Tasmanian native flora likely to be accessed by and beneficial to honeybees. It is an essential element of a suite of products that describe Tasmania’s honeybee industry and the floral resources accessed by honeybees. The National Workshop on the Effects of Honey Bees on the Environment identified the need for each state to develop a beekeeping resource database to assist the beekeeping industry and relevant national and state government departments when determining beekeeper usage of government-controlled lands. Materials presented here build on the 2004 Apiary Census and 2005 Apiary Industry Profile undertaken in Tasmania by the Forest and Forest Industry Council and the Apiary Working Group. This field guide is an addition to RIRDC’s diverse range of over 1,900 research publications, and forms part of our Honeybee R&D program, which aims to improve the productivity and profitability of the Australian beekeeping industry. Most of RIRDC’s publications are available for viewing, free downloading or purchasing online at www.rirdc.gov.au. Purchases can also be made by phoning 1300 634 313. Peter O’Brien Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 6
Acknowledgements This field guide would not have been possible without the following assistance: x The beekeepers who warmly welcomed the author and gave freely of their time in interviews and who responded to the surveys; x RIRDC who funded the project; x The Forest and Forest Industries Council who funded the 2005 Apiary Industry Profile by Brueckner Leech Consulting, which, with the report based on the 2004 Apiary Census, has provided the data for the field guide; x The floral images kindly provided by Hans and Annie Wapstra, and Mark Wapstra (Environmental Consulting Options Tasmania); x Botanical editing generously donated by Mark Wapstra; x Scott Livingston of Livingston Natural Resource Services who interpreted the spatial data and production of the distribution maps, and x Josh Crawford who designed and compiled these resources into a field guide format.
7
Introduction The field guide to Tasmanian native flora accessed by honeybees (Apis mellifera) has been produced as a component of the Tasmanian Floral Database project. The base data was derived from the Tasmanian Apiary Census, 2004 and the Tasmanian Apiary Industry Profile, 2005. The guide is intended to provide an easily understood visual assessment of native flora distribution and its use by honeybees. The floral sequence data has been regionalised, and a range of values for honey yield and pollen values provided. Species distribution maps have been based on site records of the Tasmanian Natural Values Atlas (NVA). The NVA, developed and managed by the Resource Management and Conservation Division of the Department of Primary Industries and Water, is a comprehensive set of maintained natural values with integrity and validation. Its use at the printed map scale provides a surrogate of species distributions, but species may occur outside the recorded points. Hive locations are those reported by beekeepers in association with the species taken from the 2004 Apiary Census data. An attempt at creating some notion of the significance of species based on low honey yield and pollen value eliminated only one species from the guide. This indicates that the floral species reported by beekeepers as being important to their bees are either yielding honey or are an important source of pollen. The majority of semi-commercial and commercial beekeeping in Tasmania is migratory, i.e., hives are moved to capture peak honey flows as part of the overall management process, either in preparation for provision of pollination services, or to optimise honey production. 8
The 2004 Apiary Census captured valuable information about the flora used by bees and beekeepers in their apiary management. Native flora and introduced flora contribute in an interlinked mosaic across the landscape. Information has been provided here for species that beekeepers know their bees are accessing, although in extensive natural settings more species than indicated may be used. There are at least 51 native species, and at least 41 introduced species accessed by bees in Tasmania. Managed honeybees make extensive use of all flora, whether native or introduced. The floral database produced from the 2004 Apiary Census provided the following information: At least 93 species and plant associations have been identified by beekeepers as being accessed by managed honeybees; Leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida) is the most important floral element in the Tasmanian floral sequence, being accessed by at least 12,500 hives from at least 280 sites, and yielding approximately 1,000 tonnes of honey per year. It is also the latest-flowering species, providing crucial winter stores for bees; Tasmanian Blue Gum, Prickly Box and Tea Tree species are other native species that consistently produce sizeable commercial honey flows; The plants consistently considered by beekeepers to be most important for pollen are Crack Willow, Gorse and Blackberry, all of which are serious environmental weeds; Production of clover-blackberry ‘white honey’, once the mainstay of the industry, is threatened by changing agricultural practice and biological control.
9
Tea Tree Species Tea tree honey has begun to attract the attention of the consumer and beekeeper for its therapeutic properties and associated high potential value. New Zealand has led the research into the therapeutic activity levels of some honeys, with a particular interest in Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium, also commonly known as tea tree). Non-peroxide activity level has been identified in honey from a number of species, but appears to be most reliably produced from Manuka. The New Zealanders have trademarked their acronym UMF® (Unknown Manuka Factor) which relates to a relative score of laboratorytested honey potency in comparison with known antibiotic agents, mainly standard phenol solutions. Very high returns have been recorded for honey with UMF® scores greater than 20. It appears that this trend has increased all tea tree honey prices, regardless of any nominated therapeutic factors. While some Tasmanian beekeepers are making use of the extensive tea tree resource, the distribution maps indicate that there is a lot of unused resource. Beekeepers have often reported tea tree as being present, but providing no honey, but also noting that it may represent a pollen resource. These tea tree sites are usually on the west coast where the leatherwood flowers so prolifically that bees will prefer to visit that species. Tea tree has been unpopular at these sites as it can ‘taint’ the first leatherwood honey take. However, the tea tree usually begins flowering three to four weeks before the leatherwood, potentially providing the opportunity to obtain a pure tea tree take prior to commencement of the leatherwood flow. The tea tree resource offers a significant potential to the industry, with a need for further research into peroxide- and non-peroxide based therapeutic activity levels of the honey based on region of origin and site conditions. 10
10
Using this guide
The guide is intended for use in the field to assist visual identification of native species in flower. The distribution map and regionalised floral sequence should aid in identification, especially when used together with more detailed botanical field guides. Each species map has its own legend and is self-explanatory. The species’ botanical name and most commonly-used name appear as a heading. Natural Values Atlas recorded locations of species are shown by a blue cross (+), and recorded hive locations by a red square ( ). 11
11
Each of the floral images are considered to be representative of the species, but may not cover all variations found within the different regions. Common names have been referenced from the Little Book of Common Names for Tasmanian Plants (Wapstra et al. 2008). However, if the name used by beekeepers was consistently different it also has been included. The information provided in the floral sequence tables has been derived from the 2004 Apiary Census. Some key points in relation to the tables are: x number of sites and the number of hives accessing a particular species provides a measure of relative importance; x pollen nutritional value was rated by beekeepers from 1-5, with 1 being considered to be of little nutritional value; x flowering may vary within regions and the indicated flowering timeline is the cumulative flowering period within the region; x honey yield has been provided as a range from the sites within the region, unless it was constant across sites and reflects an average take from a site; x where a number of species may be flowering at once from a given site, beekeepers have, where possible, provided estimates of pollen importance and honey yield for individual species. The floral sequence data provided for each species provides an indication of the importance of the species in terms of the number of sites and hives accessing individual species, the time and duration of flowering, the relative importance of the pollen and the range of honey production. 12
12
The sequence presents flowering times and duration within six regions based loosely on the local telephone districts (see below). Differences occur within regions, and care must be used in applying the information, as the range for each species indicated by the bar chart (below) is cumulative across the region, thus, a species may flower for one month in the southern part and two months on the coast, which may appear as three months of continuous flowering on the chart. Regions North West (NW): The ‘04’ telephone district south to the Arthur River, then limited by a line due east to the ‘03’ boundary. North (N): The western ‘03’ telephone district west of the River Tamar, extending down the Midlands Highway. North East (NE): The eastern ‘03’ telephone district east of the River Tamar, extending down the Midlands Highway. West (W): The ‘04’ telephone district south of the Arthur River, then limited by a line due east to the ‘03’ boundary. South West (SW): Forests in the Derwent and Huon State forest districts managed for leatherwood. South East (SE): All other areas in the ‘02’ telephone district. Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
13
13
14
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
1
2
3
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
4
5
6
Floral Species
15
15
Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbata subsp. dealbata
Plant Type
Small to medium tree (5 – 30 m)
Vegetation Communities Dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, to wet sclerophyll forest
Flowers Lemon to bright yellow globular flower-heads, in racemes or panicles. © Mark Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
19
1121
1
16
16
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1-2
1
0-10
17
17
Coast Wattle, Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae
Plant Type
Bushy shrub to small tree (to 5 m)
Vegetation Communities Coastal vegetation including sand dunes and coastal forest and woodland
Flowers Long straight yellow spikes in upper leaf axils. © Mark Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
18
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
13
264
1
1-2
4-5
0
18
19
19
Black Wattle, Acacia mearnsii
Plant Type
Small tree (to 10 m)
Vegetation Communities Dry sclerophyll forest and woodland
Flowers
Fragrant, pale yellow globular flower-heads in long axillary racemes or panicles. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
20
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
3
28
1
1-2
3-4
0
20
21
21
Blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon
Plant Type
Small to medium tree (8 – 30 m)
Vegetation Communities All forest communities, especially in higher rainfall areas
Flowers Dense, globular, pale yellow heads, solitary or on short racemes of 2–8 heads. © Mark Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
11
387
1
23
22
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
2-5
0
24
23
Prickly Moses, Acacia verticillata
Plant Type Slender shrub to small spreading tree (2–10 m)
Vegetation Communities Most forest and woodland types, especially in damp areas
Flowers Dense, bright yellow cylindrical spikes, axillary in upper branches. © Mark Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
3
20
1
25
24
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
3
0
26
25
White Waratah/Fragrant Candlebush, Agastachys odorata
Plant Type
Erect bushy shrub (2–3 m) to small tree (to 8 m)
Vegetation Communities
Wet scrub with buttongrass plains, occasionally in forest
Flowers
© Hans and Annie Wapstra
Strongly scented, creamy white, straight upright spikes, 5–8 cm long in leaf axils near ends of branches.
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
26
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
29
2090
1
27
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1
1-3
0-1
28
27
Drooping Sheoak, Allocasuarina verticillata
Plant Type
Much-branched small tree (4–10 m)
Vegetation Communities Coastal communities to dry woodlands
Flowers Male flowers: long yellow-brown spikes; female flowers: red globular masses. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
1
24
1
29
28
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
3
0
30
29
Horizontal, Anodopetalum biglandulosum
Plant Type
Small tree to 10 m forming dense thickets
Vegetation Communities Rainforest, mixed forest and wet sclerophyll forest
Flowers
Small flowers with 4 pale green to white pointed petals. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
30
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
8
420
1
31
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1-2
0
0-14
32
31
Tasmanian Laurel, Anopterus glandulosus
Plant Type Shrub (2–4m) to small tree (to 10 m)
Vegetation Communities Rainforest, mixed forest and wet sclerophyll forest
Flowers Showy white, cup-shaped flowers to 2 cm diam., on slender stalks in terminal racemes. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
32
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
22
1040
1
1-2
0-3
0-38
33
34
33
Golden Pea, Aotus ericoides
Plant Type Shrub (0.3–1.3 m)
Vegetation Communities
Coastal communities, heath, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland
Flowers Classic peaf flower, golden yellow with red markings, solitary or up to 3 in upper leaf axils forming cylindrical heads. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
34
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1
24
1
2
4
0
35
36
35
Sassafras, Atherosperma moschatum subsp. moschatum
Plant Type Medium to large conical shaped tree (to 45 m)
Vegetation Communities Rainforest, mixed forest, wet sclerophyll forest
Flowers/other features Stalked flowers on underside of branches facing downwards; male flowers c. 2 cm diam.; female flowers smaller; flowers white and scented; bark and leaves gives sarsaparilla-like smell and taste when crushed. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
19
1375
1
1-2
1
0
37
36
38
37
Silver Banksia, Banksia marginata
Plant Type
Small shrub to small tree (0.5–12 m)
Vegetation Communities Variable from sea-level to 1000 m; coastal heathland, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, wet sclerophyll forest
Flowers © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Bottlebrush-like spike of soft lemon yellow to golden flowers, spike 10 cm long by 4 cm wide.
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
38
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
22
1472
1-2
1
1-2
0-20
39
40
39
Saw Banksia, Banksia serrata
Plant Type
Small tree (to 15 m)
Vegetation Communities Coastal vegetation, restricted to the Rocky Cape– Sisters Hills area in northwest Tasmania
Flowers Large spikes up to 20 cm long by 10 cm wide; pale yellow to golden flowers. © Mark Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
40
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1
20
2
2
1
10
41
42
41
Wiry Bauera, Bauera rubioides
Plant Type
Wiry shrub, prostrate to thicket-forming (to 6m)
Vegetation Communities Widespread, especially in wet heaths; occasional component of higher rainfall forests
Flowers
Pendulous 1.5–2 cm flowers, axillary on slender stalks, petals pink or white. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
42
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
21
1590
1
1
1
0
43
44
43
Prickly Box, Bursaria spinosa
Plant Type
Shrub to small tree (3–10 m)
Vegetation Communities Dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands, especially dry hillsides and rocky areas
Flowers Numerous star-like, white to cream flowers in branched pyramidal infloresences; flowers scented. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
44
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
96
4534
1
1-4
1-5
0-50
45
46
45
Yellow Bottlebrush, Callistemon pallidus
Plant Type
Erect shrub (to 4 m)
Vegetation Communities Poorly-drained areas in forest and scrub, often in riparian areas
Flowers Bottlebrush-like spike of pale yellow flowers, 8 cm long by 3 cm wide. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
46
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
5
110
1
47
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
1-2
4
4-14
48
47
Prickly Bottlebrush, Callistemon viridiflorus
Plant Type
Erect shrub (1–2 m)
Vegetation Communities Various and widespread, but often at higher elevations in poorly-drained and rocky sites
Flowers Bottlebrush-like spike of pale yellow to greenish yellow flowers. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data
48
Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
15
1200
-
1
1
0
49
50
49
Native Plum, Cenarrhenes nitida
Plant Type Spreading shrub to small tree (to 10 m)
Vegetation Communities Wet scrub and heath, wet sclerophyll forest, mixed forest, rainforest
Flowers/other features
© Hans and Annie Wapstra
Flowers in near-terminal axillary spikes, white to 1 cm diam.; fruit a large purple spherical drupe; leaves produce nauseating smell when crushed.
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
10
585
-
51
50
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
2
0
52
51
Mountain Clematis, Clematis aristata
Plant Type Woody climber (to 15 m)
Vegetation Communities Mainly wet sclerophyll forest and canopy gaps and edges of rainforest and mixed forest, occasional in drier forests
Flowers © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Creamy white star-shaped flowers, c. 4.5 cm diam., with 4–7 long narrow segments.
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
4
130
1
53
52
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
-
0
54
53
Native Hop/Broadleaf Hopbush,
Dodonaea viscosa subsp. spatulata
Plant Type
Dense shrub to small tree (to 6 m)
Vegetation Communities Coastal vegetation, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, rocky hillsides
Flowers/other features Small flowers in terminal clusters; fruits conspicuous reddish-brown papery capsules. © Hans and Annie Wapstra
Floral Sequence J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
NW N NE W SW SE
Floral Data Total Sites
Total Hives
Year Between Flowering
Flowering Duration (months)
Pollen Value (1-5)
Honey Yield (kg/hive)
2
44
1
1
1-5
2-20
55
54
56
55
Heaths, Epacris species
Plant Type
Ground flora and shrubs (mostly 1,000 hives, with pollen values > 4, and/or a honey yield 5kg/hive.
113
112
Weeds Botanical Name Rubus fruticosus English Cytisus Broom scoparius Cape Weed Arctotheca calendula Gorse Ulex europaeus Ragwort Senecio jacobaea Salvation Echium Jane/Patersons plantagineum Curse Scotch Thistle Onopordum acanthium Spanish Heath Erica lusitanica Thistles various Tree Lucerne Chamaecytisus palmensis Wild radish Raphanus raphanistrum Common Name Blackberry
Wild turnip Yellow Tree Lucerne
Brassica rapa subsp. campestris Cytisus spp.
Crops (C) / Horticulture Common Botanical Name Name Apples Malus spp. Prunus armeniaca Blackcurrants Ribes nigrum (cultivars) Blueberries Vaccinium sp
Apricots
Garden (all) Common Botanical Name Name Banana Passiflora passionfruit tarminiana Blue Pacific Ceanothus sp
Garden Flora Home Berries Prunus apetala Home Orchards (cultivars) Linden Vitis vinifera (cultivars)
Various
Lavender
Lavandula sp
Loganberries
Rubus spp. (cultivars) Rubus spp. (cultivars)
Eucalyptus spp. Echium fastuosum
Cherries Grapes
Raspberries Strawberries Brassicas (C) Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Clover (C)
Brassica spp.
Lotus Major (C) Lucerne (C)
Lotus major
Mallee Gums Pride of Madeira
Various Various Tilia europaea
Trifolium spp. Trees
Sycamore Medicago sativa Garlic (C) Allium sativum Crack Willow Mustard (C) Hawthorn Brassica juncea Poppies (C) Pussy Papaver Willow somniferum Potatoes (C) Weeping Solanum Willow tuberosum Pyrethrum Tanacetum (C) cinerariifolium White lucerne Medicago sativa
Acer pseudoplatanus Salix fragilis Crataegus monogyna Salix discolor Salix babylonica
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Appendix 2 - Leatherwood predictive extent A spatial analysis of the existing leatherwood resource using Natural Values Atlas (NVA) site records, and photointerpreted (PI) and old-growth forest type mapping, was used to identify the potential leatherwood resource in Tasmania (Leaman et al. 2008). This work has advanced the simplistic approach used in the field guide (i.e. using the NVA site records as a surrogate for species distribution) and provided a more sophisticated stratification based on forest type and elevation. The analysis of the resource identified 1.09 million hectares of forest likely to contain leatherwood; 64% of the predicted leatherwood resource is considered theoretically accessible, and 36% of the currently accessible leatherwood is theoretically used for beekeeping. The mapping has stratified the leatherwood resource into four productivity classes based on forest typing and elevation: very high (1), high (2), moderate (3) and low (4). The analysis used an average bee foraging range of 3 km to determine accessible forest from established roads. The map shows the modelled extent of the resource and its current use, based on hive sites and the applied 3 km foraging buffer. This provides an indication of potential gaps that may exist in the use of the resource.
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Summary of theoretical accessibility and utilisation of leatherwood. Leatherwood Productivity Class TOTAL ('000) (ha) 1 2 3 4 Area (ha) 344 333 241 172 1,090 Accessible (ha) 212 218 163 103 696 Utilised (ha) 95 72 57 27 251 % of area accessible 62 65 68 60 64 % of accessible utilised 45 33 35 26 36
Distribution of the leatherwood resource (Eucryphia lucida and E. milliganii) currently used for beekeeping (Leaman et al. 2008).
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References Leaman, T., Gao, R. and Hickey, J. (2008). Changes to oldgrowth forest management in Tasmanian state forests and implications for the leatherwood nectar resource. A Report to the TCFA Implementation Committee, Forestry Tasmania. Leech, M. (2005). Apiary Industry Profile. Forest and Forest Industry Council, Tasmania. Wapstra, H., Wapstra, A., Wapstra, M. and Gillfedder, L. (2005). The Little Book of Common Names for Tasmanian Plants. Department of Primary Industries and Water, Hobart.
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A Field Guide to Native Flora Used by Honeybees in Tasmania By Mark Leech. Pub. No. 09/149 This pocket field guide is intended to provide a user-friendly tool for beekeepers to help identify Tasmanian native flora likely to be accessed by and beneficial to honeybees. It is an essential element of a suite of products that describe Tasmania’s honeybee industry and the floral resources accessed by honeybees. The National Workshop on the Effects of Honey Bees on the Environment identified the need for each state to develop a beekeeping resource database to assist the beekeeping industry and relevant national and state government departments when determining beekeeper usage of government-controlled lands.
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Materials presented here build on the 2004 Apiary Census and 2005 Apiary Industry Profile undertaken in Tasmania by the Forest and Forest Industry Council and the Apiary Working Group. Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Level 2, 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 Ph: 02 6271 4100 Fax: 02 6271 4199 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.rirdc.gov.au Bookshop: www.rirdc.gov.au or phone 1300 634 313
