April Guardians Update

Happy Monday Guardians and welcome to our new members!

I’m here with a quick update of your observations from April. Firstly, a big thank you to those who have joined the project and shared to details with others in their community. By sharing the project, you’re helping to raise awareness of the impacts of myrtle rust on Myrtaceae plants and how we can best protect them.

Before diving into April’s numbers, we had a concerning observation backdated from March. Member Damien spotted rust infecting juvenile leaves of Eucalyptus eugenioides in New South Wales. While it’s uncommon to see infection on Eucalyptus, the juvenile leaves are often susceptible especially when conditions are favourable. Please be extra vigilant and if you see yellow spores on Eucalyptus and please log it through the app!

Myrtle rust spores on juvenile leaves of Eucalyptus eugenioides by @damien_vella12

Onto our April stats! An extra 12 observations were added over the month on a range of Myrtaceae species including on Rhodamnia maideniana, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Backhousia leptopetala, Eugenia reinwardtiana, and Austromyrtus tenuifolia. The observations spanned as far North as Cape Tribulation all the way down to Sydney.

Remember, if you come across a myrtle rust infected plant, don't touch it! The spores can spread easily, so it's best to keep your hands off. Take a picture of the infected material, and some photos of the entire plant if possible, to help us identify the host plant. Then, upload the photos to iNaturalist, including the location, which will automatically add the image to the Gum Tree Guardians project.

Being a Gum Tree Guardian is about more than just monitoring and reporting on myrtle rust infected plants. It's also about raising awareness of the importance of Myrtaceae plants in our unique ecosystem. If your friends or family aren't already part of the Gum Tree Guardians project on iNaturalist, why not encourage them to join us and start making a difference today? https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/projects/gum-tree-guardians

Together, we can protect our native Myrtaceae plants and preserve our beautiful ecosystem for generations to come.

Thank you again for your contribution to science,

Alyssa

Posted on May 8, 2023 09:57 AM by myrtle_rust_martino