Eriochilus cucullatus

Eucalyptus amygdalina

Eucalyptus globulus

Eucalyptus pulchella

Exocarpos cupressiformis

Exocarpos strictus

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Knocklofty Reserve Flora - E

Eriochilus cucullatus, common name "Pink autumn orchid" or "Parson's bands", has been found on the summit of Knocklofty Reserve and down the slopes to the west.  One to five flowers with enlarged white or pink lateral sepals and tiny thin petals on a thin, wispy stem appear summer through autumn.  The single, ovate, dark green leaf fully develops flat on the ground after flowering.

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Eucalyptus amygdalina, common name "Black peppermint", is a medium to tall tree growing 10 to 30m high by 7 to 20m wide, with cream spring to summer flower clusters of 7 to 15+ club-shaped, round capped buds.  This large species can be confused with E. pulchella but the rough bark to upper branches on this species distinguishes it from E. pulchella.  It is a good species for revegetation but only suitable for large home gardens.  It appears to prefer sandstone derived soils.

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Eucalyptus globulus, common name "Tasmanian blue gum", is an iconic Australian, medium to tall tree that grows 15 to 70m high with, usually, the top third crown and the lower portion bare trunk.  The blue/grey juvenile leaves are large, up to 15cm by 10cm, but the adult leaves are green, sickle shaped, up to 25cm by 3cm.  The large buds are glaucous and warty, each with a flat cap that has a distinctive knob that flips off to reveal a large white petal-less flower in late spring to early summer.  The large, up to 3cm, fruit are also glaucous with distinctive ribs and flattish or slightly raised valves.  This species is not allowed to be grown in Hobart domestic gardens due to its large size, invasive roots and propensity to drop limbs. It grows throughout the Knocklofty Reserve, especially on the wetter slopes such as the southern and eastern slopes of the summit.

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Eucalyptus pulchella, common name "White peppermint", is a small to medium tree 9 to 21m high by 5 to 15m wide, with cream spring to summer flower clusters of 7 to 15+ club-shaped ~5mm diameter buds.  This species has very narrow leaves to 10cm long and smooth yellowish-white to grey bark and prefers dolerite derived soils.

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Exocarpos cupressiformis, common name "Common native-cherry", is the largest native cherry species and like the other species is hemi-parasitic.  That is, their roots attach themselves to host species; in this case usually Eucalyptus or Acacia species, mainly to extract water but, possibly also to extract nutrients, while the plants themselves photosynthesize.  This species has small, cream, stalkless flowers in spring followed by green maturing to red fruit on a green to red stalk.  It can be found in many places, especially along the Summit Loop and Mt Stuart Tracks in the Knocklofty Reserve.

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Exocarpos strictus, common name "Pearly native-cherry", is a smaller native cherry than the large green Exocarpos cupressiformis but like the larger species is a hemi-parasitic.  That is, their roots attach themselves to host species, in this case usually Eucalyptus or Acacia species, mainly to extract water but, possibly also to extract nutrients, while the plants themselves photosynthesize.  This species has small, greenish yellow flowers in spring followed by green then purple then black fruit on a succulent pink to white stalk.  It can be found in many places, especially beside the Summit Loop Track in the Knocklofty Reserve.

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