Has anyone else noted the lack of seed this year? Mingimingi had a very heavy load last summer, this year I have only being able to find seed on one plant in Titahi bay. Im told it is the same out at Bearing Head.
Yeah, it is not a lot here, but present (mainly as green fruit) on many plants. C. dumosa seems to have more.
Have they being stripped by birds, desperate for a drink during the drought? I found some seeds deep inside one plant...
I'd imagine if fruiting was limited the birds that normally eat them would strip a plant easily. Whether they would eat them as a water source would be doubtful (but an interesting idea) - this does happen on arid island with lizards and birds getting their water from fruit and inverts - but in NZ I think there are too many other water sources and birds aren't fussy about the quality of water they drink.
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