Tea-tree Fingers project – photo monitoring

The largest known population of Hypocreopsis amplectens – Tea-tree Fingers is at the Wanderslore sanctuary at Launching Place, Vic. – a Trust for Nature property. These were discovered in July 2017 by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and have been photo-monitored twice so far in 2018. We hope to learn more about the reproductive biology of TTF using photo-monitoring. Small DNA samples of TTF and its likely host fungi, may be taken later to enable population studies to be done.

Hypocreopsis amplectens, SJM McMullan-Fisher CC BY-SA
Coded and tagged SJM McMullan-Fisher CC BY-SA

Individual Tea-tree Fingers were given a unique code and tag to help with photo-monitoring and DNA sampling

If you are interested in contributing to this project, you can:

  • learn to recognise Tea-tree Fingers using our booklet
  • prepare and ‘rich’ data record, including its host fungi – see example here
  • upload a record on the ALA’s Biocollect project for Tea-tree Fingers

 

Fungimap and other volunteers have continued work towards better conservation of the threatened fungus  Tea-tree Fingers (TTF) and in the long term, contribute to an action plan to guide its survival and recovery.

During Feb 2018 surveys were carried out at Mornington Peninsula where sadly TTF has not been observed since 2002.

And if you think you have seen Tea-tree Fingers but are unsure, please email us at: fungimapconservation@gmail.com.