After years of walking and playing on Mt Wellington, this is the first time I have found this in flower. I remember talking with Mark Wapstra one day in late 2015 whilst on an Orchid foray about this plant. I was learning my Tasmanian plants and wanted something new to go and look for, he suggested this one. On a few occasssions I had gone and had a look, but as it wasn’t in flower it never jumped out at me. To be honest, I probably walked past it a million times and never realised, perhaps just thinking it was a Bedfordia… Of course it is really nothing like a Bedfordia, but thats the reason I am giving myself for not having noticed it.
As I drove up past The Chalet yesterday (8 dec 2017) I noticed a bright yellow daisy looking tree. Realised it was the daisy tree I had been meaning to look for in flower and stopped to have a look. It’s right on the road, as are many others you can see poking their heads out. It is beyond me how I haven’t seen it previously. Maybe I have, who knows. It just goes to show that there is ALWAYS something new to see, no matter how much time you spend with your eyes open on the mountain.
I have read that it only has a small range on Mt Wellington, even though it appears to have a much larger suitable range. Mainly found in the area near the Chalet, below the Organ Pipes and near the Lost World. The population here is the largest, with a smaller number of plants on Mt Dromedary and apparently Mt Faulkner as well. I don’t think there is anything really much happening to ensure the Brachyglottis doesn’t disappear into the history books. Let’s hope it hangs on and is there for years to come.
Brachyglottis brunonis
Tasmanian Daisytree
Endemic
Flowering:
December to February
Usual habitat/distribution:
Restricted to only a few spots on the Wellington Range and Mt Dromedary and Mt Faulkner. Grows at an altitude between 600 and 1200m asl amongst shrubby Eucalyptus sub alpine woodlands.
Status:
Rare
Description:
Large shrub/small pyramidal tree up to about 8m.
Leaves broadly linear, 5-9cm long crowded towards the branch ends. Prominient leaf scars on branches. Hairless, sticky and aromatic (when crushed)
Bright yellow flowers in terminal corymbose panicles (corymbose= arrangement where the lower flowers in the panicle have stems/pedicles which are longer than the upper ones, making the flowers sit about the same height. panicle=branched inflorescence where the flowers have pedicles/stems)
