After the fires in Victoria of Feb 2009. Melba Highway, Kinglake NP.
These are not deciduous leaves but scorched brown by wildfire. They will soon all drop leaving a very bare forest for a time. Only very small patches of vegetation remain unburnt in the core of this fire area near Kinglake. The giant eucalypt Mountain Grey Gum trunks appear to have fared well.
Epicormic buds are present below the bark on Messmates and Mountain Grey Gums where they are protected from fire. After a fire the plant is able to use energy stored in the stems and roots to produce dense leaf growth. Mountain Ash has thin bark, and no epicormic buds.
Comments
Wonderful Ern, and thank you so much for sharing these with us all!
fabulous;