Invasive weed update.

I HARDLY KNOW WHERE TO START . I am getting email from Herbariums in 3 states , chief Botanist from Mareeba plant research station.and from CSIRO, AQUIS,And Feral Animals and Weed dept.
The Herbarium in Sth Australia have been very efficient, the spread my request far and wide and all replies to their
enquiries are being forwarded to me as well .I am on their mailing list it seems.I have had 15 emails sent on to me today
all in regard to this Baleria strigosa.
Also had a phone call from the local men from Feral animals and weeds.He had been contacted by AQUIS[Aust.Quarantine
Inspection Service to contact me and arrange to collect specimens of the plant in question
Thats been arranged for next tuesday.
Then the Chief Botanist from Mareeba Plant Research Station advised me that he is arranging for specimens to be collected for the Herbariums in Canberra, Sth Australia, Victoria and Queensland by members of the Society for Growing Australian PLANTS
known as the SGAP. he mentioned they would consider the feasibility of eradication.
He also tells me that Barleria strigosa has been found in the Kimberley's West Aust . and the N.T.in Mataranka ,Katherine
and 3 other sites plus Cairns central swamp QLD.and in a Townsville site.
There has been so much interest that I would'nt be surprised to get a call next from ASIO.
Thats what you get when you have to put a name to a plant.

This is my first look in at GD forum today. I have been so tied up with the above .I
need a stiff or 3.

YaY I'll join you Gwen, as I said all very exciting

P.S. betta get the scooter serviced, sounds like you may have a few visitors

Yes that would be enough to drive you to

I'm calling it a day ,and what a day.

Gwen

Turning into quite an event keep us updated... when you can

WoW, what a story...you need a secretary, Gwen. As Gail said, keep us posted...-if you have time.

Not boring to me, I find it interesting and we are learning as well. You must be getting good at being a one handed typist, I'm hopeless and so slow when I try and do it one handed like now as I am having a late smoko and trying not to get crumbs in the keyboard

Not boring at all, Gwen..rather, it is very interesting.

Gwen, in the first thread you said

Apparently it escaped from the Cooktown Botanic Gardens at some time in the past.

Sounds a bit like horse flu. That escaped the quarantine station. Anyway, totally up to them to get rid of it and what an interesting subject this is. Naughty Gwen, sprinkling seeds everywhere, you needed the kind ladies on these forums to stop you, as they did when I said I was planting Forget-Me-Nots. There again, if you'd mentioned it, we might all have wanted seeds off you. LOL.

f unny you should say that Betty , a lot of people asked me for seeds but I did tell them that this plant spreads quickly .At the time they asked the plant was not seeding and they forgot about it.
But it is such a pretty blue colour I like it a lot.
Will have to stop using these Autumn smilies in a few days

Good thing they forgot, eh? ROTFL. I wish they'd take the bridal creeper as seriously down here, or the prickly pear over near our mailbox. Doesn't sound as if even a plant of it in a pot would be safe though. I agree it's a pretty thing.

I had an email this afternoon from a man who works for Mareeba plant research station , some how he got to see the correspondence concerning the invasive weed in Cooktown .
He said that the rental home he lives in is choked with a plant that looks just like the Barleria I
have,he said he'd take some into the Herbarium for ID.
So the plot thickens .

And thicken it does Gwen... Wouldn't it be great if they worked that fast with all kinds if weeds like Betty's or whats here, when I see what in the overflow to our Lagoon down the road I wonder why Council does not worry about those weeds maybe I should sent them a email with the pics, that is if I can find them again..

I hope you have some Winter smileys....

MA unfortunatly I DO NOT HAVE ANY WINTER SMILIES I'll have to see where I can get some.