|
Post by raymondo on Mar 20, 2010 2:29:00 GMT -5
For those who got samples of this grain from me last year, here's an update. I met a retired botanist who has done a lot of work with this grass. In fact, he is part owner of the company where I sourced the seed I had. He told me that that seed would be unlikely to germinate as it was hulled in a machine not suited to the grain and the hulling process removed the embryo. He reckoned you'd be lucky to see even 1% germination. I think I did warn people at the time that it may not germinate but now I know it was probably dud seed. I think it's still an interesting grain, being perennial, shade tolerant and happy to at least 5°F, so I'll look out for unhulled seed. I'll post about it should I find any.
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Mar 20, 2010 11:26:36 GMT -5
ray, is this the Alpine Rice you sent me? i didn't plant it last year, but was planning to this yeaar. i'm going to go ahead and germinate the seeds before i plant to see what happens. will post results here...
if you do find unhulled seed, please keep me in mind. thanks!
|
|
|
Post by raymondo on Mar 22, 2010 19:56:28 GMT -5
Yes bunkie, Microlaena stipoides is alpine rice. I'd be interested in your germination rates.
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Aug 9, 2010 9:36:24 GMT -5
sorry for my tardiness ray, but i tried germinating 2/3 of this seed you sent with no luck. if you find some untreated, i'm still interested. thanks!
|
|
|
Post by raymondo on Nov 21, 2010 16:20:34 GMT -5
Thought I'd continue the conversation here steev rather than in the 'Cleaning Wheat' thread. Yes, it is a fodder grass. Graziers (Australian for cattle and sheep ranchers) are happy to see it in their pastures. The biggest hurdle to overcome at the moment is shattering. I think that would be the first objective - to grow enough to hopefully find some plants that didn't shatter. I sent some seed samples to a few people a while back. Unfortunately the seed had been hulled and the process destroyed the germ so it didn't grow. I'm still looking for intact seeds and will offer some here should I find any. It's growth habit is one of clumping. It only spreads by seed, not by runners, so in that sense it is non-invasive. I think you're right to be wary of introducing a potential weed. There are plenty of Australian plants that have become serious pests overseas, just as there are serious imported pests here. There may well be native American grasses that are worthy of a closer look. I think there's a group on this forum looking at perennial grains.
|
|
|
Post by DarJones on Nov 21, 2010 16:27:29 GMT -5
Vipers Bugloss aka Salvation Jane fits that invasive description.
DarJones
|
|
|
Post by steev on Nov 21, 2010 19:19:39 GMT -5
Here around San Francisco Bay, we are very conscious of the Blue Eucalyptus that was planted to replace the logged-off Redwoods, intending to use the eucs for timber. Big mistake. Neither the first, nor the last, just one of the more prominent. Oh, well. "Vipers Bugloss aka Salvation Jane" sounds worth having around just for the names.
|
|
|
Post by DarJones on Nov 21, 2010 21:04:13 GMT -5
It has been 30 years since I read that story. Purple Vipers Bugloss is a very strange plant. It makes a premium table honey. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterson%27s_CurseA woman named Patterson brought it to Australia where it went native and was thought of as a horrible invasive that ruined pastures. Then a year of intense heat and searing drought decimated those pastures of everything green.... except Patterson's Curse. And that is when the sheep began to eat it and it brought them through. From then on was known as Salvation Jane. Today, it is kept around in some pastures as emergency feed but only for ruminants. Horses and such are poisoned by it. Most people consider it one of the worst invasives ever DarJones
|
|
|
Post by garnetmoth on Nov 22, 2010 9:23:31 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by raymondo on Nov 22, 2010 15:34:35 GMT -5
Yes, I know that site garnetmoth. They're reliable, just expensive. I was planning on trying to harvest my own seed later this coming summer. The grass is plentiful where I live. If that fails, then I'll buy some from a supplier.
Yes, Salvation Jane is a damn nuisance. Our government scientific research organisation has been looking at natural predators and have introduced some. Even more new species to be absorbed into our environment! In the past, this group has had some spectacular successes, control of Prickly Pear for example, and some spectacular disasters, introduction of the cane toad.
|
|
|
Post by steev on Nov 23, 2010 19:30:11 GMT -5
Purple vipers bugloss, Salvation Jane, Patterson's Curse... it just gets better and better. No offense meant; I just love the names and don't have to cope with the weed. I wish they'd take all the star thistle back where it came from, even though it makes good honey.
|
|