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Grass Trees |
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What Is a Grass Tree?Grass Trees are found only in Australia. There are 28 identified species, 4 of which occur in Victoria. There are many differences between grass tree species. Some might have a trunk and look a bit like a tree above the ground, growing up to 6 meters tall, whilst others grow their trunks below ground. Species such as Xanthorrhoea australis (Austral Grass Tree) grows a trunk. The trunk is composed of a mass of old leaf bases held together by natural resin which can take 10 years before it begins to form. It is then a further 20 years or more before the mass of thin, linear leaves emerge. Growth progresses at a rate of 1-2cm in height per year, growing 1 metre every 100 years! Many plants are over 4 metres in height. Other species such as Xanthorhroea minor (Small Grass Tree) do not grow a trunk above ground. It's fine leaves grow from the base of the plant at ground level. Flowering occurs twice to three times each year in mature plants. The flowering stalks grow rapidly at a rate of 2-3 centimetres per day and reach a height of over 3 metres! These remarkable plants have a lifespan of 600 years.
Grass trees are related to the lilies, but are placed in a separate family. They are closely related to other sedges such as Lomandra spp., with which it share many characteristics. A wide range of lizards and insects shelter in the plant's massive foliage. The flowering spear of the plant attracts nectar feeding birds, bees, ants, and butterflies. This unique Grass Tree has been a victim of land clearing. To conserve them they are sometimes removed with great effort and care and replanted. For Victorian Aborigines including the Wotjobaluk, the Wathaurung and the Gunai/Kurnai, grass trees are a staple plant providing food, drink, fibre and materials for making implements. Pieces of dry flower stalk are used for making fire with a drilling stick, while leaves collected from the base of the trunk produce a hard resin well suited for waterproofing bark canoes and water carrying vessels. Where Do Grass Trees Grow?Grass Trees grow in coastal heaths, wet and dry forests of Australia. They are drought and frost tolerant. |
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