It is not a forest tree, growing instead in woodland and lightly timbered places, usually with a grassy understorey.

In most places it grows to about eight or ten metres tall, but larger trees are sometimes seen. It is widespread across the Ballarat district, particularly at lower altitudes in partly cleared country.

Like the wirilda wattle - which flowers at the same time - the black wattle produces its seed over a period of 12 months or more. The photo shows flowers and pods.

Most other wattles flower in spring and drop their seed in January, just a few months later. A fast grower, it provides quick shade and shelter, but tends to break and collapse after 20 years or more.

Some trees live longer, still looking good at 40 years if sufficient water is available. Fallen branches are often used as firewood.

The black wattle is often used by small birds for sheltering. Thornbills, honeyeaters, robins and others flit readily into its sheltering branches.

It is sometimes called the late black wattle to distinguish it from the non-indigenous early black wattle - another feathery-leaved wattle, but one that flowers in late winter and early spring.

It can be mistaken for the silver wattle, but it tends to grow on drier sites than that early-flowering species.

Like that of the blackwood, its sweet perfume is most prominent on mild or warm days, when it can be quite strong and heady.

It often produces large amounts of sap on its trunk and branches. These have long been known as bush tucker. Experienced people know how to find those of the best flavour - not too old and hard, but nicely liquid inside.

Acacia mearnsii is the black wattle's botanical name. It honours Mr Edgar Mearns, who collected the type specimen.

For many years (1809 - 1926) it was known as Acacia mollissima, but that name was changed to A. mearnsii to comply with international laws of botanical names.

The spotted quail-thrush and the chestnut-rumped heathwren were a couple of interesting birds found in the Enfield-Dereel area during a recent bird count.

The spotted quail thrush occurs through much of the forested country around Enfield, but is not well known to many people.

The heathwren is more localised, known only from a couple of spots at Dereel.

It is a small bird, somewhat like a white-browed scrubwren, with a bright, spirited song. Its local population is small.

Is this fog grass? I would like to be sure. R.B., Dunnstown.

Yes, this is fog grass. Sometimes the heads have a purplish or pinkish tone, and often they are not quite as spreading. This depends on their age. The leaves are softly hairy, often with a greyish tinge. They readily retain droplets of water.

Many other grasses look similar to the one in the photo, but the leaves of most are not as described above.

Fog grass is very common in the Ballarat district, growing mostly in disturbed places and gardens. It invades native grassland and disturbed places in bushland. It prefers damper sites rather than dry.

It is native to Britain, Europe and Asia, but has become established in many other parts of the world, and is generally regarded as a weed. The official name of this grass is Yorkshire fog.

Questions and photos are welcome. Email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au, or send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353.