Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata

African Olive at Canberra Central, ACT

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Identification history

	Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata	26 Mar 2016	BettyDonWood
	Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata	26 Mar 2016	waltraud

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User's notes

During my woody weed control session on Friday 25 March I cut@dabbed and frilled 8 large olives in the vicinity of the one featured in the photographs. We removed many African olives scattered on the west slope of Mt Majura east of Hackett since 2004. They were most abundant on along the creek line that runs parallel to the Blue Metal Road and adjacent slopes, south of Blue Metal Road and east of the transmission lines.

3 comments

waltraud wrote:

29 Mar 2016

I took the fourth photograph on the right hand side a day after I cut and frilled the African olive. There were 2 Crimson Rosellas feeding on the olive fruits. You can see one clearly; the head of the second Rosella is just visible.

Mike wrote:

29 Mar 2016

Waltraud,
The African olive is listed as 'doubtfully naturalised' in the ACT 2012 Plant Census. When I queried this I was told the Herbarium did not have records of it reproducing in the wild. I was able to provide them with a specimen the following day. Obviously they did know of your patch. It is widespread in Isaacs/Mugga. If we get rid of all the exotic fruiting shrubs what will the rosellas eat?

waltraud wrote:

30 Mar 2016

Wow! the African olives are definitely reproduce on Mt Majura. As far as the diet of Rosellas is concerned I'm not sure what they ate before all the exotic berry bearing plants were introduced. I've seen Rosellas eating Cassinia seeds which actually tells me when the seeds are ready to be harvested...

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