Hydriastele ramsayi inhabitat

[tropicbreeze]

This is some of the population closest to Darwin that I know of, about 40 kms as the crow flies from the CBD. By road it's probably something like twice that distance, I haven't checked.

Habitat is typical tropical woodland dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Eucalyptus miniata. Slightly undulating country, soil fairly sandy with a lot of lateritic pea gravel. The area is prone to frequent fires with some of the taller trunks showing some severe scorching. The scorching doesn't seem to have affected the health of the palms.

[Stevetoad]

Great shots! It’s seems out of place among the eucalyptus. Looks like a form you would see in a soggy jungle. Beautiful palm. Thank you for sharing them. Nothing better than habitat shots. 

[Really full garden]

Great habitat photos. I certainly hope a get a few seeds to germinate from the recent RPS  seeds offered.

[Hillizard]

1 minute ago, Really full garden said:

Great habitat photos. I certainly hope a get a few seeds to germinate from the recent RPS  seeds offered.

I agree, great photos. I even soaked my H. ramsayi seeds from RPS in smoke-infused germination stimulant. I understand it takes months to see results and only a few seeds will sprout even in the best circumstances. The initial roots are apparently extremely fragile too. Let us all know what happens with your seeds!

[greysrigging]

Great habitat shots.... I was out at Gunn Point and Koolpinyah a couple of weekends ago after a big fall of overnight rain. The bush looked so lush and green and alive !. Next shots should be some September ones showing the vast contrasts between monsoonal Wet and Dry. The Top End is a great place to live......

[Pal Meir]

30 minutes ago, greysrigging said:

Great habitat shots.... I was out at Gunn Point and Koolpinyah a couple of weekends ago after a big fall of overnight rain. The bush looked so lush and green and alive !. Next shots should be some September ones showing the vast contrasts between monsoonal Wet and Dry. The Top End is a great place to live......

This photo was shot in (dry) September:

[tropicbreeze]

Thanks for the many comments and good luck with the seed sprouting endevours, it's not easy.

Gunn Point has an amazingly diverse range of ecosystems/habitats in it's relatively small area. The H. ramsayi here are in tropical woodland, different to the open tropical savanna woodland shown in Pal Meir's photo, although that habitat type also occurs on the peninsula.

Other common palm species there are Carpentaria acuminata, Livistona humilis and Livistona benthamii. Just out side the area there's Ptychosperma macarthurii although, I wouldn't be surprised is some are eventually found there (but maybe wishful thinking on my part).

Other ecosystems/habitat types are coral reefs, mangrove forests, salt flats, samphire flats, flood plains, Melaleuca swamps, monsoon rainforests, freshwater streams, tidal creeks, and all the gradations that occur between those.

@greysrigging, these are a couple of K just before Salt Arm, mostly left side of road.

www.explorethent.com/home/2016/10/13/gunn-point-peninsula

A Google Earth 'fly-over' of the peninsula is very interesting too if anyone wants to look.

[greysrigging]

On 4/5/2020 at 8:19 AM, tropicbreeze said:

Thanks for the many comments and good luck with the seed sprouting endevours, it's not easy.

Gunn Point has an amazingly diverse range of ecosystems/habitats in it's relatively small area. The H. ramsayi here are in tropical woodland, different to the open tropical savanna woodland shown in Pal Meir's photo, although that habitat type also occurs on the peninsula.

Other common palm species there are Carpentaria acuminata, Livistona humilis and Livistona benthamii. Just out side the area there's Ptychosperma macarthurii although, I wouldn't be surprised is some are eventually found there (but maybe wishful thinking on my part).

Other ecosystems/habitat types are coral reefs, mangrove forests, salt flats, samphire flats, flood plains, Melaleuca swamps, monsoon rainforests, freshwater streams, tidal creeks, and all the gradations that occur between those.

@greysrigging, these are a couple of K just before Salt Arm, mostly left side of road.

www.explorethent.com/home/2016/10/13/gunn-point-peninsula

A Google Earth 'fly-over' of the peninsula is very interesting too if anyone wants to look.

I took a trip out to Salt Water Arm yesterday in search of the Hydriastele ramsayi in habitat....and sure enough...!  Here they are in all their glory. 





 

[Hillizard]

greysrigging: Thanks for posting all those great pictures from your recent expedition to Hydriastele habitat! Amazing that such a beautiful, tropical-looking palm species has adapted to that harsh environment. Perhaps it's a relic/survivor from a past, wetter climate regime? Anyway, if the seeds I have don't sprout, this may be the closest I ever get to seeing these palms up-close!

[Tyrone]

It’s hard to imagine a Hydriastele that is bushfire tolerant but there it is.

These are hard to germinate requiring high humidity and high temps in the 40s C to come up. I’ve germinated one from a few seeds given to me a few years back but of course it never lived. Really blue colouring in the leaf too. Some say to leave the seed in a plastic bag with spaghnum moss and put them in your car parked in the sun and the high heat will make them come up. It sounds plausible.

[greysrigging]

I have no experience whatsoever in trying to strike the seeds, but if I was to try, I would use my tried and proven method of plant,  neglect and forget.  And then perhaps be pleasantly surprised in 12 months or 2 years time ? Of course that is easy in Darwin as we have the climate for it..... max temps above 90f all year round and the wet/dry seasonal regime. I would use growing media soils and leaf litter from habitat ( its a sandy loamy type soil ). I really wonder why these Gunn Point plants are the furtherest west plants to be found. There are similar soils and climate to the east of Darwin out along the Finniss River and sandstone/escarpment country out in Litchfield Park. I wonder if its a soils reason or maybe seed dispersals reason for their restricted range ?

[Hillizard]

2 hours ago, Tyrone said:

It’s hard to imagine a Hydriastele that is bushfire tolerant but there it is.

These are hard to germinate requiring high humidity and high temps in the 40s C to come up. I’ve germinated one from a few seeds given to me a few years back but of course it never lived. Really blue colouring in the leaf too. Some say to leave the seed in a plastic bag with spaghnum moss and put them in your car parked in the sun and the high heat will make them come up. It sounds plausible.

I'm hoping it also helps to stare at the seeds several times a day, looking for signs of life!

[greysrigging]

Some Google sat pics of the region. Notice the darker areas ? That is a huge patch of Top End monsoon vine forest.... if you blinked, you would think you were in the Amazon or the Congo. This is not the palm habitat, it prefers tropical woodland and tropical savanna country.
This pic is of a remote isolated campsite with the jungle right to the waters edge.

And the different colour vegetation shows the transition to tropical woodlands, there are some patches of  Hydriastele ramsayi  in this area. The red line is the track into the camp sites.

This pic with the red line is Leaders Creek, a crystal clear seasonal fresh water creek that supports a riparian wetland forest ecosystem along its banks. A favourite swimming spot along the Salt Water Arm road for locals.  I will do a bit of a bushwalk along here in the future to see what other species I can find.

 

[hbernstein]

What, no Saltwater Crocs? Only Freshies?

[greysrigging]

6 hours ago, hbernstein said:

What, no Saltwater Crocs? Only Freshies?

Haha....all saltwater crocs out this way. And I never take a dip in the swimming hole at the causeway by myself. There is safety in numbers. And even better if others have their dogs and kids with 'em ( crocs are partial to both ..... )

[tropicbreeze]

16 hours ago, greysrigging said:

I have no experience whatsoever in trying to strike the seeds, but if I was to try, I would use my tried and proven method of plant,  neglect and forget.  And then perhaps be pleasantly surprised in 12 months or 2 years time ? Of course that is easy in Darwin as we have the climate for it..... max temps above 90f all year round and the wet/dry seasonal regime. I would use growing media soils and leaf litter from habitat ( its a sandy loamy type soil ). I really wonder why these Gunn Point plants are the furtherest west plants to be found. There are similar soils and climate to the east of Darwin out along the Finniss River and sandstone/escarpment country out in Litchfield Park. I wonder if its a soils reason or maybe seed dispersals reason for their restricted range ?

You're getting a bit dizzy there, Finniss River is west of Darwin (well, south west) .

I've found them in Litchfield, in the general area between Tjaynera Falls/Old Blyth/Lost City. Vegetation surveys have recorded them in other areas west of Darwin although no specimens  have been lodged with herbariums.

That waterhole is really nice but being on the main track is a bit of a drawback. I agree, croc risk is too high, they very mobile in that sort of country.

[greysrigging]

6 hours ago, tropicbreeze said:

You're getting a bit dizzy there, Finniss River is west of Darwin (well, south west) .

I've found them in Litchfield, in the general area between Tjaynera Falls/Old Blyth/Lost City. Vegetation surveys have recorded them in other areas west of Darwin although no specimens  have been lodged with herbariums.

That waterhole is really nice but being on the main track is a bit of a drawback. I agree, croc risk is too high, they very mobile in that sort of country.

Yes I saw the error and couldn't find the edit button.... haha.... interesting the western occurrences..... I have knocked around the area you describe a fair bit in my younger ( pre palm interest ) days. One of my sons works for the earth moving mob pushing new access roads into the soon to be newly opened water falls and water holes in the area, so I'm going to take a bit more note now.....I might have a scout around Sybel Springs area as well.
As an aside, there is a healthy colony of Emus in that part of Litchfield, not a real common bird in the Top End bush. I saw a Dad bird and half a dozen chicks run across the road to Mandora once about 30 years ago, the only other time I have seen them in the wild up this way.