Back in Palmerston North I lived for a period of around 5 years in a house with a fence bordering a stream, which seems artifically straight along some stretches as if they were artifically extended, and has a name which starts with a K. The sides of the stream were reinforced with earth walls which had grass which was regularly mown. Quite a few crickets lived in the grass. On the opposite bank some willow trees were recently planted, and on this side of the bank there were some shrubs and trees planted by house owners on the other side of the fence (illegally?) such as feijoas.
In the stream itself were growing somewhat useful plants: watercress, a now illegal pondweed (Egeria densa?), some unidentified peace-lily-flower-taro-leaved plant which might be edible but is certainly not native are a few that I can remember. There were plenty of eels, which were fished for by local kids. There also appear to be a lot of bumblebees and wasps around the area, and at one stage I had discovered a wasp (though I didn't stop to confirm that) nest in a hole in the side of a steep area of the bank right by the water. After being chased and stung, I reported it to the city council and they sent some pest controller to deal with it. There may also have been rabbits around there, but I can't remember. There were certainly hedgehogs there. That hole might have been originally dug by a rabbit.
Between the fence and the earth wall were plants habiting shaded moist areas such as mint or peppermint, wandering jew, and quite a few woodlice. Those frequently grew under the fence and were a perennial garden weed. Wandering Jew, I am almost certain, is an illegal invasive weed which also grows around the Turitea Stream area. I was quite amused at seeing submerged Wandering Jew sold at the local pet shop Wetpets as aquatic plants for a little while.
To the topic of this post now. There is a tree which grew right on the other side of the fence. Often new shrubs of it would appear further along due to self-seeding (is this the right word?) by birds who had consumed the berries. It grew suckers which spread under the fence and to the edge of the backyard lawn. The berries looked unfamiliar and possibly poisonous to me, and I noticed the ease at which it spread, and so I cut down the suckers on the inner side of the fence and the main tree on the outer side of the fence. It resprouted from the trunk, but before I could apply any glyphosate, we moved house.
That tree, it turns out, I recognised in a picture today. It's elder(berry?) and the berries are edible and have a reputation for health properties. The rest of the plant contains cyanide.
http://blog.healthpost.co.nz/2012/elderberry/
http://www.blackmoresnz.co.nz/learning-centre/article/the-tradition-of-elderberry-for-cold-and-flu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae
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