NUMBER 113 APRIL 1993 x T Jasmanian Naturalist ISSN 0819-6826 POSTAL ADDRESS: G.P.O. BOX 68A, HOBA museum of victori EDITOR: R.J. TAYLOR 10921 A PLANTS OF THE CARR VILLA CEMETERY, LAUNCESTON Ann Ratkowsky 1 , David Ratkowsky 1 and Gintaras Kantvilas 2 ’44 Waroona Street, Youngtown, Tasmania 7249 2 The Tasmanian Herbarium, GPO Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 The Carr Villa Cemetery, Crematorium and War Memorial is located in the suburbof Kings Meadows in Launceston. In addition to an extensively developed portion having graves, headstones and memorial walls, there is an adjoining ca. 40 hectare portion of native bushland bounded on the south, east and north by Quarantine and Opossum Roads, which has been set aside as the Carr Villa Wildlife Sanctuary. A part has been fenced off as a Flora Reserve available to school groups, natural history clubs and others to visit, by application to the Launceston City Council, Parks and Recreation Section. The present survey reports on the vegetation of this undeveloped portion of the cemetery. The bushland of the survey area can be characterised as dry sclerophyll. The soils are moderately acidic sandy loams or clay loams, developed on clays, gravels and sands. Although not perfectly level, there is little variation in topography over the survey area, which is mostly from 65 to 90m above sea level. Visits were made approximately once per week between September, 1991 and February, 1992. Despite its rather small size, the survey area is rich in plant species. This survey identified 200 flowering plant species (of which 117 are native), 2 ferns, 9 mosses, 1 liverwort and 21 lichens (see Table 1). The flowering plants encompass 62 families, of which the most abundant are the grasses (Poaceae) with 28 species, the "daisies" (Asteraceae) with 26 species, the wattles and "pea" flowers (Fabaceae) with 21 species, and the orchids (Orchidaceae) with 13 species. __ Each author is responsible for the opinions and facts expressed in his or her article— EDITOR. 2 The Tasmanian Naturalist April1993 The scientific names of the flowering plants and ferns follow Buchanan et al. (1989); those of the mosses, Dalton et al. (1991); and that of the single liverwort, Ratkowsky (1987). For the lichens, the authorities as well as the scientific names are listed, as there have been many additions and alterations since the previously published checklist of Kantvilas (1989). For the flowering plants and fems, a measure of abundance, either local, rare, occasional, frequent or common, is given for each species. Since bryophyte and lichen species require microscopic examination and/or chemical analysis forunambiguousidentification,estimation of their abundance was not attempted. Given the lack of detailed published accounts of the vegetation of comparable areas, it is difficult to assess whether any of the species recorded are unusual for the north of Tasmania for dry sderophyll environments on soils of this type. For example, a work devoted to the plant speciesof parks and cemeteries (Kirkpatrick et al. 1988) only makes cursory mention of the Carr Villa Cemetery. Nevertheless, the great diversity of species obtained in the present survey is noteworthy. Two of the species recorded, Brunonia australis and Gratiola pubescens are unknown from any secure reserve in Tasmania (Kirkpatrick et al. 1991). A further four species, Crassula decumbens, Danthotiia geniculata, Dichopogon strictus and Myosotis australis are classified as r2 by these authors (loc. dt.), that is, they occur in 20 or less 10km x 10km National Mapping grid squares in Tasmania. The undeveloped portion of the cemetery, including the Flora Reserve which is not necessarily exempt, may eventually be ploughed up and converted to graves, headstones and memorial walls as the need for more burial space increases. Indeed, part of the undeveloped portion is already undergoing such modification. Thus, many of the spedes that are currently present will disappear in the future. The results of this survey will serve as a record of the vegetation that is there at the present time. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are grateful for the assistance in plant identification provided by Mary Cameron (Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston), Alex Buchanan and Dennis Morris (both of the Tasmanian Herbarium). REFERENCES Buchanan, A.M., McGeary-Brown, A. and Orchard, A.E. (1989). A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania. Tasmanian Herbarium Occasional Publication No. 2. (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart). Dalton, P.J., Seppelt, R.D. and Buchanan, A.M. (1991). An annotated checklist of Tasmanian mosses. In Aspects of Tasmanian Botany - a tribute to Winifred Curtis. Ed. M.R. Banks, S.J. Smith, H.E. Orchard and G. Kantvilas. (Royal Society of The Tasmanian Naturalist April 1993 3 Tasmania, Hobart). Kantvilas, G. (1989). A checklist of Tasmanian lichens. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tasm. 123: 67-85. Kirkpatrick, J.B., Gilfedder, L. and Fensham, R. (1988). City Parks and Cemeteries. (Tasmanian Conservation Trust, Hobart). Kirkpatrick, J.B., Gilfedder, L., Hickie, J. and Harris, S. (1991). Reservation and Conservation sSatus of Tasmanian Native Higher Plants. Wildlife Division Scientific Report No. 91/2. (Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, Hobart). Ratkowsky, D. A. (1987). Check-list of the Tasmanian liverworts. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tasm. 121:158-158. Table 1. List of species found in survey area. (I) = species introduced to Tasmania Abundance FLOWERING PLANTS Gnaphalium purpureum Abundance 1 = local (growing in a few places only, r = only 1-3 plants observed, rare o = widespread, but only occasional f = widespread and frequent c = widespread and common Acanthaceae Acanthus mollis (Bear's Breech) (I) r Alliaceae Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered Garlic) (I) f Apiaceae Hydrocotyle callicarpa (Pennywort) o Apocynaceae Vinca major (Blue Periwinkle) (I) 1 Asteraceae Arctotheca calendula (Cape Weed) (1) c Beilis perennis (Daisy) (I) f Brachyscome decipiens (Field Daisy) o Brachyscome spathulata asp. glabra (Daisy) f Carduus tenuiflorus (Winged Slender Thistle) (I) f Cassinia aculeata (Dolly Bush) r Conyza albida (Tall Fleabane) (I) r Cotula australis (Common Cotula) r Cotula coronopifolia (Water Buttons) r Craspedia glauca var. glauca (Billy Buttons) c Filago gallica (French Filago) (I) r Cudweed) (I) r Helichrysum apiculatum (Everlasting) o Helichyrsum scorpioides (Button Everlasting) c Hypochaeris radicata (Cat's Ear) (I) o Lagenifera huegelii (Coarse Bottle-Daisy) r Leontodon taraxacoides (Hawkbit) (I) o Leptorhynchos squamatus (Scaly Buttons) f Olearia myrsinoides (Silky Daisy Bush) 1 Pseudognaphalturn luteo-album (Cudweed) f Senecio hispidulus (Scabrid Fireweed) o Senecio quadridentatus (Cotton Fireweed) r Sonchus asper (Prickly Sow Thistle) (1) o Sonchus oleraceus (Sow Thistle) (I) o Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew) (1) r Vellereophylon dealbatum (Silver Cudweed) (I) o Boraginaceae Cynoglossum suaveolens (Hound's-Tongue) r Myosotis australis (Forget-me-not) ^ o Brassicaceae Barbarea intermedia (Wintercress) (I) r Coronopus didymus (Lesser Swine-cress) (1) r 4 The Tasmanian Naturalist April1993 Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alyssum) (I) o Raphanus raphanistrum (Wild Radish) (I) 1 Smapsis arvensis (Charlock) (I) o Brunoniaceae Brunonia australis (Blue Pincushion) f Campanulaceae W ahlenbergia gyimtoclada (Bluebell) f Wahlenbergia litticola (Bluebell) o Caryophyllaceae Cerastium glomeratum (Sticky Mouse-eared Chick weed) (I) c Silene gallica (French Catchfly) (I) r Spergularia rubra (Sand Spurrey) (I) o Stellaria media (Chickweed) (I) o Casuarinaceae Allocasuarina littoralis (Bull Oak) c Centrolepidaceae Cen trolepis aris la ta (Poin ted Centrolepis) r Centrolepis strigosa (Hairy Centrolepis) r Chenopodiaceae Chenopodium album (Fat Hen) (I) 1 Clusiaceae Hypericum gramineum (Small St. John's Wort) o Hypericum japonicum (Matted St. John's Wort) o Convolvulaceae Convolvulus erubescens (Australian Bindweed) r Dichon dr a repens (Kidney-weed) r Crassulaceae Crassula decumbens (Spreading Crassula) c Cyperaceae Cyperus eragrostis (Umbrella Sedge) (I) 1 Cyperus tenellus (Tiny Flat-sedge) o Isolepis fluitans (Floating Club-rush) 1 Lepidosperma lineare (Narrow Sword-sedge) o Schoenus apogon (Common Bog-rush) c Dilleniaceae Hibbertia riparia (Guinea Flower) c Dipsacaceae Dipsacus sylvestris (Teasel) (1) 1 Droseraceae Drosera peltata ssp. auriculata (Sundew) f Drosera peltata ssp. peltata (Sundew) o Epacridaceae Acrotriche serrulata (Ant's Delight) f Astroloma humifusum (Native Cranberry) o Epacris impressa (Common Heath) f Lissanthe strigosa (Peach Berry) o Ericaceae Erica lusitanica (Spanish Heath) (I) o Euphorbiaceae Poranthera microphylla (Small-leaf Poranthera) f Fabaceae Acacia bailey ana (Cootamundra) (I) r Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) c Acacia genistifolia (Spreading Wattle) c Acacia sp. (I) r Bossiaea prostrata (Creeping Bossiaea) r Cytisus scoparius (Broom) (I) o Daviesia latifolia (Bitter Leaf) o Genista monspessulana (Canary Broom) (I) o Gompholobium huegelii (Bladder Pea) r Hovea linearis (Common Hovea) r Kennedia prostrata (Running Postman) f Lotus comiculatus (Bird's-foot Trefoil) (I) 1 Lotus pedunculatus (Greater Trefoil) (I) o Medicago arabica (Spotted Medick) (1) o Medicago lupulina (Black Medick) (I) 1 Medicago polymorpha (Burr Medick) (I) o Platylobium obtusangulum (Common Flat-pea) o Trifolium repens (White Clover, Dutch Clover) (I) o Trifolium subterraneum (Subterranean Clover) (I) o Ulex europaeus (Gorse, Furze) (I) c Vicia hirsuta (Hairy Vetch) (I) r Fumariaceae Fumaria muralis (Wall Fumitory) (I) 1 Gentianaceae Centaurium erythraea (Common Centaury) (I) o Geraniaceae Erodium moschatum (Musk Storksbill) (1) f Geranium potentdloides (Geranium) f Goodeniaceae Goodenia lanata (Native Primrose) f Haloragaceae Gonocarpus tetragynus (Common Raspwort) c Hypoxidaceae Hypoxis glabella (Yellow Star) r lridaceae Diplarrhena moraea (White Iris) o Juncaceae I uncus articulatus (Jointed Rush) (I) o Iuncus bufonius (Toad Rush) o Juncus capitatus (Capitate Rush) (I) 1 The Tasmanian Naturalist April 1993 5 Juncus subsecundus (Finger Rush) 1 Lamiaceae Prunella vulgaris (Self-heal) o Lauraceae Cassytha melon tha (Native Dodder) c Cassytha pubescens (Downy Native Dodder) o Liliaceae Arthropodium mUleflorum (Pale Vanilla-lily) r Burchardia umbellata (Milkmaids) o ChamaescUla corymbosa var. corymbosa (Blue Stars) r Dianella revoluta var. revoluta( Flax-lily) f Dichopogon strictus (Chocolate Lily) f Thysanotus patersonii (Twining Fringe-Lily) r Wurmbea dioica (Early Nancy) f Linaceae Linum marginale (Wild Flax) o Myrtaceae Eucalyptus amygdalina (Black Peppermint) c Eucalyptus viminalis (White Gum, Manna Gum) o Orchidaceae Caladenia catenata (Pink Fingers) r Calochilus robertsonii (Red Beard-orchid) r Dipodium punctatum (Hyacinth Orchid) r Diuris maculata (Leopard Orchid) o Diuris pedunculata (Golden Moths) r Diuris sulphurea (Tiger Orchid) r EriochUus cucullatus (Parson's Bands) r Glossodia major (Parson-in-the-Pulpit) f Microtis sp. (Onion Orchid) r Pterostylis nutans (Nodding Greenhood) 1 Pterostylis pedunculata (Maroonhood) 1 Thelymitra ixioides (Dotted Sun-orchid) r Thelymitra pauciflora (Slender Sun-orchid) r Oxalidaceae Oxalis comiculata (Yellow Wood Sorrel) c Oxalis incamata (Pale Wood Sorrel) (I) 1 Papaveraceae Eschscholzia califomica (Californian Poppy) (I) r Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy) (I) r Pittoeporaceae Billardiera procumbens (Mary's Flower) o Billardiera scandens (Apple Berry) o Bursaria spinosa (Australian Prickly Box) c Plantaginaceae Plantago coronopus (Buck's-horn Plantain) (I) c Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort) (I) c Plumbaginaceae Limonium sinuatum (Notch-leaf Sea Lavender) (I) r Poaceae Agrostis capUlaris (Brown-top Bent) (I) f Aira caryophyllta (Silvery Hair Grass) (I) f Aira elegantissima (Elegant Hair Grass) (I) f Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet Vernal Grass) (I) o Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum (Onion Twitch) (I) o Briza maxima (Quaking Grass) (I) c Briza minor (Lesser Quaking Grass) (I) c Bromus catharticus (Prairie Grass) (I) f Cynosurus echinatus (Rough Dog's-Tail) (I) o Dactylis glomerata (Cocksfoot) (I) f Danthonia caespitosa (Wallaby Grass) f Danthonia geniculata (Wallaby Grass) 1 Danthonia pilosa (Wallaby Grass) f Danthonia setacea (Wallaby Grass) o Deyeuxia quadriseta (Bent Grass) f Dichelachne rara (Plumegrass) f Ehrharta distichophylla (Ricegrass) o Ehrharta stipoides (Weeping Grass) f Holcus lanatus (Yorkshire Fog) (I) f Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum (Barley Grass) (I) f Lolium perenne (Perennial Ryegrass) (I) o Paspalum dilatatum (Paspalum) (I) f Phalaris aquatica (Phalaris) (I) f Poa annua (Annual Poa) f Poa labUlardieri (Tussock Grass) f Stipa semibarbata (Speargrass) f Stipa mollis (Speargrass) f Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass) f Polygalaceae Comesperma volubile (Blue Love Creeper) f Polygonaceae Polygonum aviculare (Wireweed, Knotgrass) (I) o Rumex acetosella (Dock; Sheep's Sorrel) (I) c Rumex obtusifolius (Broad-leaved Dock) (I) 1 Primulaceae Anagallis arvensis ssp. arvensis (Pimpernel) (I) f Proteaceae Banksia marginata (Honeysuckle) o Ranunculaceae Clematis aristata (Australian Clematis) f Ranunculus lappaceus (Common Buttercup) r Ranunculus muricatus (Sharp Buttercup) (I) r 6 The Tasmanian Naturalist April1993 Ranunculus parviflorus (Small-flowered Buttercup) (I) c Rosaceae Acaena echinata (Sheep's Burr) c Acacna novae-zelandiae (Buzzy, Biddy-widdy) f Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn) (I) o Rosa canina (Dog Rose) (I) r Rosa sp. (Garden Rose) (I) r Rubus fruiticosus (Blackberry) (1) o Rubiaceae Galium aparine (Cleavers, Goosegrass) (I) f Opercularia varia (Variable Stinkweed) r Rutaceae Boronia nana (Dwarf Boronia) 1 Eriostemon verrucosus (Fairy Wax-flower) 1 Salicaceae Populus sp. (Poplar) (I) r Salix sp. (Willow) (I) r Santalaceae Exocarpos cupressiformis (Native Cherry) f Scrophu lariaceae Gratiola pubescens (Hairy Brooklime) r Parentucellia viscosa (Sticky Bartsia) (I) o Solanaceae Solanum laciniatum (Kangaroo Apple) r Solanum nigrum (Black Nightshade) (I) 1 Stackhousiaceae Stackhousia monogyna (Native Mignonette, Candles) o Stylidiaceae Stylidium graminifolium (Trigger Plant) f Thymelaeaceae Pimelea humdis (Common Rice-flower) f Tremandrmceae Tetratheca pilosa (Hairy Lilac Bells) o Violaceae Hymenanthera dentata (Tree Violet) r Viola hederacea (Ivy-leaf Violet) c Xanthorrhoeaceae Lomandra longifolia (Sagg) o Lcmandra nana (Dwarf Sagg) r FERNS Aspleniaceae Asplenium flabellifolium (Necklace Fern) 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Pteridium esculentum (Austral Bracken) c MOSSES (no abundance data) Bartramiaceae Breulelia affinis Bryaceae Bryum billardieri Dicranaceae Campylopus introflexus Ditricaceae Ceratodon purpureus Funariaceae Funaria hygrometrica Orthotrichaceae Zygodon intermedius Polytrichaceae Poly trichum junipermum Pottiacea t Barbula calycina Tor tula princeps LIVERWORTS (no abundance data) Geocalycaceae Chdoscyphus semiteres LICHENS (no abundance data) Calicium victorianum (F. Wilson) Tibell ssp. victorianum Candelariella xanthostigmoides (Miill. Arg.) R.W. Rogers Qadia aggregata (Sw.) Nyl. Qadonia comiculata Ahti 6c Kashiwadani Oadonia pleurota (Fl&rke) Schaerer Qadonia praetermissa Archer var. praetermissa Qadonia ramulosa (With.) Laundon Flavoparmelia rutidota (J.D. Hook. 6c Taylor) Hale Heterodea muelleri (Hampe) Nyl. Hypocenomyce australis Tim dal Lecidea sp. A Lepraria sp. Pannoparmelia wilsonii (RasSnen) D. Galloway Parmelina conlabrosa (Hale) Elix 6c Johnston Parmelina pseudorclicina (Jatta) Kantvilas 6c Elix Parmotrema chinense (Osbeck) Hale 6c Ahti Punctelia subrudecta (Nyl.) Krog Thysanothccium scutellatum (Fr.) D. Galloway Usnea mermis Motyka Usnea cf. oncodes Motyka Xanthoparmelia tasmanica (J.D. Hook. 6c Taylor) Hale The Tasmanian Naturalist April 1993 7 THE BIRDS OF THE CARR VILLA CEMETERY, LAUNCESTON Ann V. Ratkowsky 44 Waroona Street, Youngtown, Tasmania 7249 The Carr Villa Cemetery and associated Crematorium and War Memorial is located in the Launceston suburb of Kings Meadows. Its total area of approximately 60 hectares is divided up into a developed western portion of ca. 20 hectares, consisting of graves, headstones and memorial walls, and an undeveloped eastern portion of ca. 40 hectares, bounded by Quarantine and Opossum Roads. The vegetation in the undeveloped area is a mixture of grassy and shrubby Eucalyptus amygdalina forest. This area is designated as the Carr Villa Wildlife Sanctuary and includes a fenced-off Floral Reserve under the supervision of the Launceston City Council. The vegetation in the undeveloped section Part of the wildlife sanctuary is earmarked for future development, and only the tendency for many residents and their families to choose cremation as an alternative to burial will decelerate the eventual conversion of all of the native bushland into a developed graveyard. Fifteen visits were made between October 10, 1991 and February 4, 1992. Observations were always made during the early morning, between the hours of 7.0-11.0am. Separate lists of the bird species present were made in the "developed" area, that is, where graves are present and little if any of the original native vegetation remains, and in the "undeveloped" area. Table 1 lists the 48 species that were observed during the survey and also gives the percentage of total visits in which each species was observed. The order of the common names in Table 1, and the names themselves, follows that of Simpson and Day (1989), which also gives the scientific names of the species. Twenty-one of the species (44%) were observed during all 15 visits. All of the 22 species observed exclusively in the undeveloped area were natives, and three of the four species observed exclusively in the developed area were introduced. An additional four species were observed almost equally in both areas, and 18 others were observed predominantly in one of the areas, usually the undeveloped area, but not exclusively in that one area. The predominance of native species in the "undisturbed" area and introduced species in the developed area indicates the influence that alteration of natural habitat has on bird species distribution. This undoubtedly points to a paucity of food sources for native species in the developed area, although there are some exceptions. For example, the New Holland Honeyeaterand Brush Wattlebird were more prevalent in the developed than in the undeveloped area, and the Pallid Cuckoo seemed equally "at home" in both. The species list contains most species likely to be observed in a drysclerophyll environment lacking the diversity of marshlands, native grasslands and perennial 8 The Tasmanian Naturalist April1993 streams. Such a habitat, forming an "island" in a sea of suburbia, may occasionally attract an unusual bird species. For example, the author believes she heard a Leaden Flycatcher on November 4,1991 in the undeveloped area, bu t conditions were not suitable for positive visual identification. The calls made by the bird in question fitted that species rather than the more common related species, the Satin Flycatcher, which was recorded on eight of the visits. The regular occurrence of the Spotted Quail-thrush is encouraging, suggesting that ground-dwelling species such as these can still survive despite their vulnerability to predation by suburban cats. The cemetery managers should consider planting native species in the disturbed area to provide additional foraging habitat for birds, and also to retain some native plant species in the present undisturbed section due to be cleared for further development in the near future. Table 1. List of Birds at Carr Villa Cemetery Observed in 15 visits during the period October, 1991 - February, 1992 (I) = species introduced to Tasmania (E) = species, subspecies or race endemic to Tasmania Area B = almost equally observed in both areas observed D = observed exclusively in developed area U = observed exclusively in undeveloped area U+D = observed mostly in undeveloped area, but not exclusively D+U = observed mostly in developed area, but not exclusively Spedes % of visits Area Spedes % of visits Area observed observed observed observed Mallard (I) 40 D Grey Fantail 100 U Masked Lapwing (Plover) 100 B Spotted Quail-thrush 73 U Feral Pigeon (I) 60 D+U Superb Fairy-wren 93 U Spotted Turtle-Dove (I) 73 D Brown Thornbill 100 U+D Common Bronzewing 27 U+D Yellow-rumped Thornbill 33 U+D Brush Bronze wing 7 U Yellow Wattlebird (E) 100 U+D Swift Parrot 13 U Brush (Little) Wattlebird (E) 80 D+U Green Rosella (E) 33 U+D Yellow-throated Honeyeater (E) 67 U Pallid Cuckoo 100 B Black-headed Honeyeater (E) 47 U Fan-tailed Cuckoo 47 U Crescent Honeyeater 53 U Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo 7 U New Holland Honeyeater 100 D+U Shining Bronze-Cuckoo 100 U Eastern Spinebill 100 U Tawny Frogmouth 40 U Spotted Pardalote 100 U+D Laughing Kookaburra (I) 67 U+D Striated Pardalote 100 U+D Welcome Swallow 13 D Silvereye (E) 100 U+D Tree Martin 53 U European Goldfinch (I) 100 B Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 100 U European Greenfinch(I) 73 D Blackbird (1) 100 B House Sparrow (I) 100 U+D Flame Robin 13 U Common Starling(I) 93 D+U Scarlet Robin 100 U+D Dusky Woods wallow 100 U+D Dusky Robin (E) 47 U+D Grey Butcherbird 33 U Golden Whistler 100 U Australian Magpie 33 U Grey Shrike-thrush 100 U Grey Currawong 100 U Satin Flycatcher 53 U Forest Raven 100 U+D P S~70 • i T / e t°t