Nuytsia floribunda A hemiparasitic plant steals water and minerals from their hosts but still use green chlorophyll in their leaves to produce energy.
Holoparasites derive all their energy from their hosts without killing them. Plant examples include dodder laurel and orabanche, and there are many animal parasites such as ticks and fleas.
The animal world also has parasitoids, such as wasps whose larvae kill their hosts.
Mistletoes are hemiparasites, which grow on eucalypt and acacia branches, but most hemiparasites feed from their host's roots.
The beautiful Christmas tree Nuytsia floribunda is the largest root hemiparasitise, and has special organs on their roots called haustoria to tap into the sap of host plants. In the 1960’s they caused short circuits in underground power cables until resistant cables were developed.
Sandalwood and quandongs are Santalum genus hemiparasites, which prefer acacias.
Western quandong Santalum acuminatum is a small tree that produces edible nuts covered by a red vitamin C-rich rind that makes wonderful jam. In Foxes Lair it occurs as clumps of small shrubs that have never fruited in the last twenty years. I think that the clumps are clones of a single plant, which have spread from underground root shoots.
Holoparasites derive all their energy from their hosts without killing them. Plant examples include dodder laurel and orabanche, and there are many animal parasites such as ticks and fleas.
The animal world also has parasitoids, such as wasps whose larvae kill their hosts.
Mistletoes are hemiparasites, which grow on eucalypt and acacia branches, but most hemiparasites feed from their host's roots.
The beautiful Christmas tree Nuytsia floribunda is the largest root hemiparasitise, and has special organs on their roots called haustoria to tap into the sap of host plants. In the 1960’s they caused short circuits in underground power cables until resistant cables were developed.
Sandalwood and quandongs are Santalum genus hemiparasites, which prefer acacias.
Western quandong Santalum acuminatum is a small tree that produces edible nuts covered by a red vitamin C-rich rind that makes wonderful jam. In Foxes Lair it occurs as clumps of small shrubs that have never fruited in the last twenty years. I think that the clumps are clones of a single plant, which have spread from underground root shoots.
Bell shaped quandong root haustorium on host root Australian Sandalwood Santalum spicatum has been planted at the Range Road car park with their jam acacia hosts. They have tasty nuts like macadamias.
Weeping, narrow-leaved bitter quandong, Santalum murryanum occurs on lateritic soils. It has inedible fruit.
Olax and quandongs have bell-shaped root haustoria that attach to the host root and drill into it to connect to the water bearing vessels.
Weeping, narrow-leaved bitter quandong, Santalum murryanum occurs on lateritic soils. It has inedible fruit.
Olax and quandongs have bell-shaped root haustoria that attach to the host root and drill into it to connect to the water bearing vessels.
 Sandalwood |  Quondong |  Bitter quandong |
Olax benthamiana is another hemiparasite flowering now on gravelly soils, which became more common after the 2009 fire. It is adapted to germinate with its acacia and melaleuca shrub hosts. Its flowers have a strong sweet smell which attracts insect pollinators
 Olax benthamiana flower |  Plume moth feeding on Olax flower |  Olax benthamiana fruit (drupe) |
Most hemiparasites produce nuts or fruit (drupes) that are spread by passing through animals (e.g) emus woylies and birds, some of which are now extinct in most reserves. This has reduced the ability of quandong and sandalwood to spread. There has been a huge regeneration of bitter quandong seedlings after a 2009 fire. As there are far more plants that can be supported by their hosts; the stand has to thin out.
Profuse bitter quandong seedling establishment ten years after a fire
Native currants (Leptomeria species) tend to occur in relatively bare areas under eucalypts, which they must be parasitising.
They are very obvious in late spring and summer, with their almost glowing light green soft looking foliage. See them under the salmon gums near the Brockway tree at Yilliminning Rock. The tiny bush tucker 'currants' are very high in vitamin C.
They are very obvious in late spring and summer, with their almost glowing light green soft looking foliage. See them under the salmon gums near the Brockway tree at Yilliminning Rock. The tiny bush tucker 'currants' are very high in vitamin C.
 Tiny developing native currants |  Flowering Leptomeria |  Leptomeria Newman Block |