Twitching whalebones!

Leaves of the Whalebone Tree Paratrophis pendulina

Did something today that I’ve never done before - went chasing a species on the basis of a previous iNaturalist record. Some time ago I came across SpeciesDex, which makes it possible to list out species recorded on iNaturalist in particular region that an observer hasn’t yet recorded anywhere in the world. This yielded a list of a whopping 1,777 plant species in Brisbane that I haven’t yet observed, and so although I have already seen 910 of the plant species that occur in Brisbane, I still have a long way to go!

Right at the top of the list was Whalebone Tree Paratrophis pendulina with 417 iNaturalist observations by others, and with a few records in a local nature reserve that I pass every few days. I found a record with 5m accuracy, and decided to try and track it down. Lo and behold, I found a Whalebone Tree almost straight away! Part of me is excited about the potential for gaining experience of more species this way, and part of me is horrified, because this sort of “twitching” seems morally bankrupt!

Anyway, here it is - I present you the Whalebone Tree! Apparently, it earns its English name not from any marine connection, but from the quality of its timber, which is strong, fine-grained, and ideal for durable handles—hence likened to whalebone. It produces sweet, edible berries consumed by Indigenous Australians over millennia, and it is also a favourite resource for many frugivorous birds.

Looking forward to working my way further down the list of Brisbane “needs” - there are 42 plant species with over 100 observations in Brisbane that I have never seen.