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The Clematis Summer 2009/2010

Issue No 82

Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C

2

BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. A0006074C

List of Office Bearers for 2010

President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614 pmcphers@datafast.net.au

Vice President: James Turner ph. (03) 5155 1258 jameslynn@tvsched.com

Secretary: Fran Bright ph. (03) 5152 2008 franjohnbright@bigpond.com

Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541

Correspondence to: The Secretary,

P.O. Box 563,

BAIRNSDALE 3875

Web Site: www.eastgippsland.com/bdfnc

General meetings take place at: Noweyung Centre, 84 Goold Street Bairnsdale

General meetings take place: as per program at 7.30pm sharp

Committee meetings take place: at members homes in February,

May, September and November 2010 at 4.00pm (see program)

Group Co-ordinators: Botanic Group: James Turner Ph. (03) 5155 1258

Fauna Survey Group: Jenny Edwards Ph. (03) 5157 5556

Bushwalking Group: Noel Williamson Ph. (03) 5152 1737

Newsletter Editor: Pauline Stewart Ph. (03) 5152 1606

80 Bengworden Rd. Bairnsdale.3875

email: happycats@net-tech.com.au

All articles for Autumn Clematis must be in by March 1st.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 1. To further the study of natural history in all its branches, promoted by

periodical meetings, field excursions and other activities.

2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the preservation & protection of

indigenous flora and fauna and habitat and important geological features.

3. To promote the formation and preservation of National and State Parks

and Reserves.

27

Others seemed a bit unusual for Brachyscome and it was then noticed finished

flower heads that were quite plentiful had prickles.

This must mean surely it was a Burr Daisy Calotis sp. but as far as I could see not

much like Rough Burr-daisy Calotis scabiosifolia that we are very familiar with.

A collection and photos were taken of the unusual daisy for further study.

On returning home and after a more through examinations were made. It would

seem only one species fitted.

It was described in the Flora of Victoria as Calotis cuneata var. pubescens. A tax-

on considered extinct in Victoria.

Originally discovered by Baron Von Mueller in 1854 and not found since.

On checking the Census of Vascular Plants of Victoria – (Walsh & Stajsic Eighth

Edition). It was found the taxon has had a revision (Muelleria vol 16 ). It was now

called Calotis pubescens (N.G.Walsh & K. L. McDougall). To date only found in

a restricted area in the Snowy Mountains NSW and considered endangered.

The collection plus photos was duly forwarded to the Herbarium of Victoria

where upon the answer was soon received with much interest. Yes indeed the un-

usual daisy was Calotis pubescens. Not identified for Victoria for 155 years.

☺

Calotis cuneata var.pubescens Photo by James Turner

26

Along Black Snake Track on the way back the substrate was very grey

sand with big grass trees and Paperbark Teatrees. The only orchid was

Large Duck-orchid (Caleana major). This amazing looking orchid has

flowers which resemble a duck in flight. The flower is inverted and the

smooth dark labellum is shaped like a duck’s head and attached to the col-

umn base by a sensitive strap. This bizarre arrangement leads to the flow-

er being pollinated by the copulatory advances of male sawflies. There

was Bushy clubmoss and a lichen covered with bright orange fruiting

structures. Growing on the stump of a grass tree was a foliose lichen

which was loose, spongy and cream, and appeared like “snow“. This

same species or something similar covers large areas of the ground in the

Blue Tiers in eastern Tasmania. It might be like the “reindeer li-

chen” (Cladonia sp.) which forms extensive lichen pastures in the birch

forests of Scandinavia and the lichen woodlands of subarctic Canada

which are important feeding areas for reindeer and caribou. There were

Superb Fairy-wren and a Female Whistler with a very young male.

What an amazing trip. In all we found around 28 different species of or-

chids among the hundreds of plants we saw. Many thanks James!!

☺

CALOTIS REDISCOVERED

by James Turner

On a recent trip exploring the mountain county above Gippsland I decided anoth-

er visit to a remote mountain meadow a few kilometres south of Cobungra. that I

had visited once before with a friend would be worthwhile. Then the season had

been very dry plus we were about 6 weeks earlier and the vegetation had not start-

ed to grow much after the winter frosts.

However this season things were rather better. This was soon noticed when com-

ing down to the open plain. The Alpine Podelepis Podelepis robusta, although not

flowering yet were well under way.

Down along the moist flat nearer the creek were large numbers of Mountain

Golden Moths Diuris monticola. While across the Creek was quite yellow with a

mass of flowering Billy Button Craspedia coolminica .

So exploring this area came next. Mountain Swan Greenhood Pterostylis crassi-

caulis were noticed scattered through the Billy Buttons. Mauve daisies also were

very plentiful some were Brachyscome species.

3

RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN.

2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind.

3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until

following car has also turned.

4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car.

Other members will return to find you.

5. Car pool passengers should offer a donation to the driver for fuel costs.

Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this

newsletter rests with the author of the article.

SUBSCRIPTION FEES

Family membership $30

Single membership $20

Mid-year fee (new members only) $10

LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dot Prout Phone: 5153 1303

• Books are generally borrowed for one month - however you can write on

the sign-out sheet if you wish to have it longer.

• Should any library materials need maintenance, please make me aware of

same.

• If you wish to recommend a book, this can be done by writing a short

recommendation for the Clematis. This information could be from our li-

brary books or from other books that you believe our library could look at

purchasing.

CONTENTS

Program January to June 2010 5-6

Mt. Raymond 13-16

Blond Bay Metallic Sun Orchid Count 16-17

Cann River 18-26

Calotis Rediscovered 26-27

4

CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email address’s for meetings

and field trips.

Pat McPherson 5152 2614 pmcphers@datafast.net.au

Margaret Regan 5156 2541

Pauline Stewart 5152 1606 happycats@net-tech.com.au

James Turner 5155 1258 jameslynn@tvsched.com

Noel Williamson 5152 1737 nwilliamson7@hotmail.com

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS

Easy Flat, good firm track.

Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition

Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition

Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in

places

Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non

existent at times

Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km.

Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program.

Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District Field

Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet.

The Clematis is printed and supported by

Dept. of Sustainability and Environment,

Bairnsdale.

Front Cover:

Heath Spider Orchid Caladenia pesleyi

(see page 10) Photo by John Drinkwater

25

Handsome Flat-pea, Common Heath, Ivy Violet, Wiry Bauera, Shrubby

Velvet-bush, Royal Grevillea (Grevillea parvula) with a small leaf and

Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa). Birds were Shining Bronze-

cuckoo, Fantail Cuckoo, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Fantail, Eastern

Whipbird, Crescent Honeyeater, Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler and ex-

citingly Cicadabird. The intrepid bush bashers failed to find the hop-bush,

but did find Giant Bitter-pea (Daviesia laxiflora). The bitter-peas have

their leaves modified to phyllodes or reduced to scales and have triangular

pods.

We backtracked to and down Nevilles Falls Track, and then abandoning

the cars, walked down a very steep slope to the lovely Neville Falls on the

Thurra River. These picturesque falls really need a more descriptive

name. The road is replaced by a wide rock sheet (about 30m across)

which holds back a large dark still pool. The water then flows widely over

the rock and drops about 3m to form the falls. The area surrounded by tall

trees forms a large amphitheatre. Some of the plants close around the riv-

er were Kanooka, Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Royal Gre-

villea (Grevillea parvula), Narrow-leaf Logania (Logania albiflora), a

shrub with opposite leaves and small white scented flowers in clusters in

the leaf axils; and Scrambling coral-fern (Gleichenia microphylla). There

were lots of mosses and liverworts growing over the rocks at the edge of

the falls. We heard a White-throated Treecreeper.

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24

daisy (Lagenophora stipitata) and Shiny Buttons (Leptorhynchos nitidu-

lus). Again we saw Woolly-style Heath. There was a tiny Sundew

(Drosera sp.) with a deep pink rosette of insectivorous leaves. Related to

club mosses was Swamp selaginella (Selaginella uliginosa).

At about 5.8km from the Princes Highway we again found Brachyscome

salkiniae. Another daisy was white Twiggy Daisy-bush (Olearia ramu-

losa). There was Nodding Blue Lily (Stypandra glauca) and Wattle Mat-

rush (Lomandra filiformis). There were again many orchids. These were

Wallflower Orchid (Diuris orientis) and Tiger Orchid (D. sulphurea),

Mantis orchid (Caladenia tentaculata), White Fingers (C. catenata), Pink

Fingers and Clark’s Caladenia and Peppertop Sun-orchid (Thelymitra

brevifolia). This strangely-named sun orchid is distinguished by a short

broad leaf and a mostly brightly-coloured post-anther lobe. We tried real-

ly hard but couldn’t see the Rufous Whistler that called repeatedly. A

Quail was flushed and gave us a scare.

Monday 12 October

The Thurra Junction Road is east and north of Cann River off the Princes

Highway. The first little creek we crossed was filled with ferns beneath

Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera). There was Austral king-fern

(Todea barbara) which has a short massive black trunk often with several

crowns. The fronds are large (up to 2m) shiny and bipinnate (twice

branched), and the sporangia with the spores covered the bases of the fer-

tile fronds. Other ferns were Rough tree-fern (Cyathea australis), a

scrambling Coral-fern (Gleichenia sp.) and two water-ferns, Fishbone wa-

ter-fern (Blechnum nudum) and Hard water-fern (B. wattsii). We had a

longer stop where the road crossed the West Branch of the Thurra River.

While James and Alan bush-bashed to search for the rare Angular Hop-

bush (Dodonaea truncatiales), the rest of us surveyed the vegetation

around the river. We were now in Coopracambra National Park. In the

overstorey were Apple Box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana) trees. Close to the

water was Kanooka (Tristaniopsis laurina) which is the family Myrtaceae

with the eucalypts, but differs in that the fragrant flowers have free yellow

petals and the stamens are united in five bundles. Again we saw Rough

tree-fern, Austral king-fern and Fishbone water-fern, but also River or

Long-leaf Lomatia (Lomatia myricoides), a shrub with long toothed leaves

and Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei). Further away the vegetation was

really dense with Snowy Daisy-bush (Olearia lirata), Hairy Pink-bells,

5

PROGRAM JANUARY TO JUNE 2010

It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field

trip to notify them of your intention to participate.

The co-ordinator can then notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to

adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.

JANUARY

Sat 9th. Orchid Survey 9.00am Bridge Club, 9.45am Nowa Nowa

to Marlo Plains and Old Coast Rd.

Contact: James Turner

FEBRUARY

Thurs 11th. Committee meeting 4.00pm at Pauline Stewart’s home.

Frid. 19th. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Jeremy Pickett-Heaps

“Nesting Birds in East Gippsland”.

Sun. 21st. Monthly excursion 9.00 Bridge Club to Nunniong Plateau.

Contact: James Turner

No bushwalk

MARCH

No committee meeting

Frid: 19th. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Don Love

“Reef Life Survey”

Sun. 21st. Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club 9.30am Red Knob

to Wulgulmerang

Contact: James Turner

Sun. 28th. Bushwalk 9.00am to Fairy Dell area.

Contact: Noel Williamson

APRIL

No committee meeting

Frid. 16th. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: James Turner

“ Orchids of East Gippsland - a preview of photos for our

proposed book.

Sun. 18th. Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club to the Ensay area.

Contact: James Turner

Sun. 25th. Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club to be announced.

MAY

Thurs. 13th. Planning meeting/committee meeting 4.00pm at

Pat McPherson’s home

6

Frid. 21st. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Malcolm Calder

“Galapagos Islands”

Sun. 23rd. Monthly excursion to be announced

Sun. 30th. Bushwalk 9.00am to Providence Ponds

Contact: Noel Williamson

JUNE

No General meeting

Sun. 20th. Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club to Lake Tyres area -

fungi trip

Contact: James Turner

Sun. 27th. Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club to Echo Bend

Contact: Noel Williamson

Copies of the 2010

calendar are still

available at Collins

Booksellers Bairnsdale.

FROM THE EDITOR

Firstly, I would like to thank our president Pat McPherson for her dedicated lead-

ership of the club in 2009. Pat works tirelessly on our behalf behind the scenes

and her efforts are greatly appreciated. Also to our secretary Fran Bright and

treasurer Marg Regan who again spent a lot of their time in ensuring the smooth

running of our club.

Thank you to those members and Marg Regan in particular who so ably de-

scribed the field trips in 2009 so that those who couldn’t attend on the day feel

like they were there. These articles also become a valuable record which are

now entered onto DSE’s flora information system.

We extend our thanks also to DSE in Bairnsdale for their support in the produc-

tion of the Clematis. Merry Xmas to all and a happy New Year.

Pauline

23

opposite side of the road was a swamp known to contain rare orchids and

it had been control burnt. The area was quite wet. There were many flow-

ering Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor). There were more birds -

Crescent Honeyeater, Spotted Pardalote, Grey Fantail, Grey Shrike-thrush

and Jacky Winter. There were Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata); Blue-

bells (Wahlenbergia sp.); Rush Lily (Sowerbaea juncea) with a tuft of

mauve flowers; and the orchids Tiny Fingers (Caladenia pusilla); blue-

spotted Rush-leaf Sun-orchid (Thelymitra juncifolia); and lots of Great

Sun-orchid (T. aristata). In a large pool by the side of the road Pobble-

bonk frogs were croaking loudly until we approached too closely. Then

they stopped. We couldn’t see them, but they could obviously see or feel

us!

About 100m further up the left was an old track on the east side of the

road. It was very overgrown and unfortunately some of the overgrowth

was that of the well-named Bushy Needlewood (Hakea decurrens) - ugh -

very prickly! A tiny Jacky Lizard ran under a clump of Thatch Saw-sedge

(Gahnia radula). On the way in we passed a Sour Currant-bush

(Leptomeria acida). Sour-bush is a green broom-like shrub with leaves

reduced to scales and the stems acting as the photosynthetic tissue. Its

fruits were green drupes. It is semiparasitic on the roots of other plants.

The area further in was damp with Pink Swamp-heath (Sprengelia incar-

nata) and Woolly-style Heath (Epacris lanuginosa). Some sun orchids

were tiny Pink Sun-orchid (Thelymitra carnea) and Spotted Sun-orchid (T.

ixioides) with unusual pink hair tufts on the lateral lobes of the column.

Just west of the East Wingan Road was a rough track Blaze Trail leading

to Dingo Creek Track. We didn’t proceed very far along this but found

tiny Short-lip Leek-orchid (Prasophyllum brevilabra) and the rare mauve

daisy Brachyscome salkiniae, and heard Spotted Pardalote and the lovely

warble of the Olive-backed Oriole.

On the west side of Cann River township and going north is Reed Bed

Road. About 2km along, the gas pipeline to Sydney lies buried alongside

the road and the vegetation above is kept slashed. There was a wealth of

small shrubs and herbs. These included the sun orchids, the bright pink

Crested Sun-orchid (Thelymitra Xirregularis), Spotted Sun-orchid and

everywhere Pink Sun-orchid. Other orchids were Wax-lip (Glossodia ma-

jor) and Pink Fingers (Caladenia carnea). Two daisies were Blue Bottle-

22

(Bauera rubioides); Slender Rice-flower (Pimelea linifolia); Leafless

Broom Spurge (Amperea xiphoclada) which is a small shrub with almost

leafless 3-angled green stems and small clusters of tiny cream flowers; and

the peas Giant Wedge-pea, and Common Aotus (Aotus ericoides). A

sedge was Red-fruit Saw-sedge (Gahnia sieberiana); there was the climb-

ing fern Pouched coral-fern (Gleichenia dicarpa) and Bushy clubmoss

(Lycopodium deuterodensum). The only orchid was Tall Leek-orchid.

Broome Track ended also at Cann River with a moister environment.

There was Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia); Snowy Daisy-bush

(Olearia lirata); Lance Beard-heath (Leucopogon lanceolatus); Rough

Bush-pea (Pultenea scabra) whose leaves have a rough surface and in-

rolled margins; Creamy Candles (Stackhousia monogyna); Button Ever-

lasting (Helichrysum scorpioides); and the ferns Rough tree-fern (Cyathea

australis); Common ground-fern (Culcita dubia) which quite resembles

Bracken but the growing tips are bright green; and a maidenhair

(Adiantum sp.).

Sunday October 11

Just over 3km along Stony Peak Road on a little hill was a recently logged

and bulldozed area. We were amazed to find thousands of Copper Beard

Orchid (Calochilus campestris) in this very disturbed environment. The

flowers of this orchid are spectacular. They are grey-green with the petals

with red stripes, the labellum is covered with purplish yellow tinged bris-

tly hairs and the base of the labellum has two bright purple plates. Appar-

ently the beard orchids are like sun orchids and open best on hot days.

There were also a few fungi; one was a bracket with an orange top with

concentric circles radiating out and ragged pores below, and there were

large clumps of 3cm mustardy-brown gilled toadstools which were paler

below with scaly stalks. Birds were quite prevalent and we saw or heard

Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo, Fantail and Pallid Cuckoo, Welcome Swallow,

Grey Shrike-thrush, Red Wattlebird, Olive-backed Oriole, Rainbow Lori-

keet and Dusky Woodswallow.

About 1km west along the East Wingan Road was an old gravel pit with

white Blunt-leaf Heath (Epacris obtusifolia), and white Common Heath

(E. impressa) with pointed leaves. One of the trees was White Stringybark

(Eucalyptus globoidea). There was a tiny Wiry Bauera. We were enter-

tained by a curious female Golden Whistler and other birds were Laughing

Kookaburra, Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo and Sacred Kingfisher. On the

7

BAIRNSDALE & DISTRICT FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC

Reg. No. A0006074C

ANNUAL REPORT 2009

I am pleased to present the Annual report of the Bairnsdale and District Field Nat-

uralists Club for 2009.

Membership

Current membership of the Club is 71.

Committee

The following committee was elected in December 2009:

President: Pat McPherson

Vice President: James Turner

Secretary: Fran Bright

Treasurer: Margaret Regan.

The time of the committee meetings was trialed at 4.00pm for the latter half of the

year and this worked well for all involved. This will be the scheduled time from

now on. Four meetings were held this year; the other three scheduled meetings

were cancelled because there was no business to discuss. Two planning meetings

were also held.

General meetings

Seven general meetings were held during the year with an average attendance of

18 members and visitors

Guest speakers

Presentations were made by the following speakers during the year:

Wendy Parker and Pat McPherson Report of the HNEG Forum - Gipps-

land Lakes Managing Change

Dr Mike Duncan Orchids of Sunrise and Sunset of Spring

Andrew Murray Southern Ark

Dr David Holland Frogmouths, Owlets and Nightjars

Lesley Kool Dinosaur Dreaming

Jim Reside Cambodia and the Avian Flu’

Geoff Mattingly Antarctica

Field excursions

Monthly field excursions were once again ably planned and led by James Turner

to Marlo, Nunniong, Raymond Island, Red Bluff and Balley Hooley Road, Marlo,

Stockdale, Mitchell River National Park, Nowa Nowa to Waygara Forest, Nowa

8

Nowa to Mt Raymond, Fernbank/Munro area including Swallow Lagoon, Red

Knob to Gelantipy including a joint excursion with members of the Bairnsdale

Camera Club to Deaths Head Cave at Murrindal.

James also conducted special excursions to survey orchids on the Marlo Aero-

drome and the Metallic Sun Orchids at Blond Bay.

Full reports of all excursions are meticulously recorded in the Clematis by Marga-

ret Regan.

James Turner and Margaret Regan assisted at the Friends of the Gippsland Lakes

excursion to Boole Poole Peninsula in November as expert botanists.

James continued to lead members who are keen photographers on excursions to

photograph orchids which will illustrate a proposed Field Guide to Orchids in

East Gippsland.

Bush walks

Bush walks were led either by Pauline Stewart or Noel Williamson to the Chinese

Diggings at Melwood, Old Weir Track at Glenaladale, Nowa Nowa Rail Trail,

Nicholson Track at Deptford, West Weir Track, Mt Taylor/Bullummwaal and Old

Man Hill.

Camp outs

Two successful campouts were held during the year, the first at Cann River in

October and the second at Omeo in December. A different sort of camp out i.e. in

a tourist park, was held in February when 19 members and family/friends jour-

neyed to Inverloch to the Dinosaur Dreaming dig site on the coast where we were

taken on a guided tour. There is only a four week window of opportunity to visit

this site when the tides allow volunteers to work.

Fauna survey

There were no fauna surveys undertaken this year.

B&DFN data base

Scott Leech, the Manager of the Biodiversity Information Management sector of

DSE is overseeing the entry of our excursion data into the DSE Flora Information

System. All copies of the Clematis have been photocopied and returned to the

Club and these data are currently being put onto Excel by Scott’s assistant. David

Cameron from the Rylah Institute (a long time friend of the Club) is assisting with

clarification interpretation. Once all data is on Excel a copy will be made availa-

ble to us for our own use. When the Victorian Diversity Atlas is released, possibly

in 2010, these data will be made available on the internet via the Biodiversity In-

teractive Map.

21

from the archegonium. Fertilisation then occurs and a sporangium is pro-

duced. Spores from this are released and germinate to form new thalli.

Further down the hill where there was Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea

minor) was a cream form of the Purple Beard-orchid (Calochilus robert-

sonii). The beard orchids are named for the prominent labellum which is

decorated with long bristly hairs. This track ended at Cann River amongst

rainforest vegetation. There we lunched amongst Shrubby Velvet-bush

(Lasiopetalum macrophyllum), a shrub where the undersurface of the

leaves and the stems are covered with brown stellate hairs; and Ivy Violet

(Viola hederacea).

Back up to the Bass Track junction we took the left-hand fork and after

about 2km came to an area regenerating after logging. There were masses

of young eucalypts with bright pink new leaves. Silvertop Ash

(Eucalyptus sieberi) was flowering and was probably the parent of all the

seedlings. Bright peas were Large-leaf Bush-pea (Pultenea daphnoides)

and Giant Wedge-pea (Gompholobium latifolium) whose leaves had three

leaflets, and the large yellow flowers had densely fringed keels. There

was a plant of Tall Leek-orchid (Prasophyllum elatum) with an inflo-

rescence about 90cm high with many flowers .

Along the Point Hicks Road just before the turnoff to Tamboon Inlet was a

damp area where most of the ground layer had been burnt not too long

previously. The overstorey included Paperbark Teatree (Leptospermum

trinervium) and Spear Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea resinosa). Spear Grass-

tree is a plant of East Gippsland, is always trunkless and its 3-angled

leaves produce a yellow resin from their bases. Apparently the indigenous

people used this resin to help attach stone spear heads to the shaft of the

spear, hence the common name for the plant. Shrubs were Woolly Xan-

thosia (Xanthosia pilosa), a hairy shrub with trifoliate leaves and flowers

held in umbrella-shaped groups; Wedding Bush (Ricinocarpos pinifolius)

and Pink Beard-heath (Leucopogon ericoides). Along the edge of the road

were many plants of Twisted Sun-orchid (Thelymitra flexuosa) in bud.

This orchid has a wiry zigzag stem and small cream flowers.

Going north again we turned west onto Broome Track and stopped about

100m along the road to admire the lovely Pink Boronia (Boronia

muelleri). Here one of the trees was Saw Banksia (Banksia serrata). Oth-

er shrubs were red Common Correa (Correa reflexa); Wiry Bauera

20

688825E, 5833703N) we heard Fantail Cuckoo, Shining Bronze-cuckoo,

Spotted Pardalote, Grey Fantail and White-throated Treecreeper. The area

had been burnt about 21/2 years ago. The lower vegetation was a sea of

flowers. One fascinating plant was the bright green Curly Wig (Caustis

flexuosa). This rush has much divided, curled and coiled ultimate branch-

es. Lilies were Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata), Nodding Blue Lily

(Stypandra glauca) and Dwarf Wire-lily (Laxmannia orientalis), a tiny lily

with whitish sessile flowers and thin leaves up the stem. A daisy was

Fringed or White Everlasting. Peas were Running Postman, Showy Parrot

-pea, Leafless Globe-pea (Sphaerolobium vimineum) and Hop Bitter-pea

(Daviesia latifolia). Others were Blue Dampiera (Dampiera stricta),

Hairy Fan-flower (Scaevola ramosissima), Heath Milkwort (Comesperma

ericinum), Pink-bells, Pomaderris (Pomaderris sp.), Prickly Erect Guinea-

flower (Hibbertia calycina) and Common Apple-berry (Billardiera muta-

bilis). Orchids were Clark‘s Caladenia (Caladenia clarkiae) named for

Ruth Clark, a late member of the Bairnsdale Field Nats, which is distin-

guished by its tri-lobed labellum and the outer surface of the petals and

sepals lacking glandular hairs; Wax-lip; Tiny Fingers (Caladenia pusilla);

Hybrid Sun-orchid (Thelymitra Xtruncata), a hybrid between Spotted Sun

-orchid (T. ixioides) and Slender Sun-orchid (T. pauciflora); and a Leek

Orchid (Prasophyllum sp.).

At a fork on the Bass Track we turned to the right. More orchids were

Yellow Leek-orchid (Prasophyllum flavum), Tiger Orchid and Clark’s

Caladenia. On burnt wood on the ground were a group of small cylindri-

cal wasps’ nests made of clay. Another 100m further south we saw

(Prasophyllum sp. aff. patens), Large Duck-orchid (Caleana major), Wall-

flower Orchid (Diuris orientis) with some purple colouring, a very pink

Pink Fingers (Caladenia carnea) in a forest of Pink Fingers and lots of

leaves of Brown-beaks. Other plants were deep pink Common Heath,

White Everlasting and Dusty Miller (Spyridium parvifolium). Sharp eyes

spotted a Scarlet Robin. A fallen burnt log was being colonised by mosses

and liverworts. Of particular interest was the thallose liverwort Marchan-

tia as both the male and female green umbrella-shaped reproductive struc-

tures were seen. The male structure is a disc raised on a stalk. There are

cavities in the top surface of the disc, and in these are antheridia which

produce swimming sperm. On the female structure the archegonia arise

below the raised umbrella. Each of these contains an egg. When moisture

is around the sperm swim to the eggs attracted by a chemical released

9

B&DFN calendar

The 2009 calendar wasn’t as popular (sales wise) as the inaugural one, nonethe-

less we raised enough money to go ahead and publish another one for 2010. This

is a particularly handsome publication which showcases the best of East Gipps-

land. Local photographers, including several Club members are represented. Once

again our sincere thanks go the Jennifer Wilkinson and Pauline Stewart who were

responsible for producing and marketing the calendar and to the local photogra-

phers who submitted the beautiful photos used in the production.

Library

The re-organized library trolley is working well and our collection is growing

under the careful guidance of Dot Prout. The following additions were made dur-

ing the year:

Owls, Frogs and Nightjars

People and Plants: A History of Gardening in Victoria

Frogs of Australia

Car pooling

Car pooling has been introduced this year and to facilitate this, the U3A King

Walkers Group has made their car pooling calculator available to the Club to use.

This is published in the summer edition of the Clematis and I thank the King

Walkers for making it available to us.

Thanks

I would like to record my thanks to:

The management of Noweyung for the continued use of their building

for our general meetings

DSE for photocopying our Clematis newsletter.

All the office bearers and group Co-ordinators and members for their

support and contribution to the activities of the Club during the year.

I close with every good wish for a safe and happy Christmas and for peace and

prosperity in 2010.

Pat McPherson

President

10

COLQUHUON AND LAKE TYERS - 23 August 2009 by Margaret Regan

Just down Scriveners Road from Forestech TAFE in the Colquhuon State

Forest we found Tall Greenhood (Pterostylis melagramma) which has a

labellum with a black stripe down its centre. It can grow to 80cm tall.

There was one plant which had eleven flowers on the flowering stalk!!

Twenty is about the maximum number found. The lateral sepals are held

straight down and are fused together for most of their length. Other or-

chids were the greenhoods Maroonhood (P. pedunculata), Trim (P. con-

cinna) and Nodding (P. nutans). Also in flower were two creeping purple

peas, the large subshrub Purple Coral-pea (Hardenbergia violacea) and

the tiny herb Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina). On Colquhuon

Road near Blackfellows Track beneath cream-flowered Red Ironbark

(Eucalyptus tricarpa) and Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis) was

Heath Spider-orchid (Caladenia pesleyi). This orchid was named for Alan

Pesley; a long time orchid fancier and farmer from Genoa. It has a hairy

stem, the sepals have dark burgundy clubs at their ends and there are a few

short teeth on the margins of the labellum. Again there were Nodding

Greenhood, but also Small Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus pusillus) which is

similar to Large Mosquito-orchid (A. exsertus), but has smaller, paler and

more crowded flowers. Also of interest were Spreading Wattle (Acacia

genistifolia) whose leaves are almost spines and the balls of flowers are 2-

4 in each axil; Sallow Wattle (A. longifolia) with flattened straight phyl-

lodes with several main veins and spikes of flowers; and Hop Wattle (A.

stricta) with similar phyllodes, but with one main vein and flowers in

balls. Two heaths were a pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa) and

Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum). There was another pea, the

shrub Austral Indigo (Indigofera australis) with mauve flowers, Creamy

Candles (Stackhousia monogyna) and Showy Violet (Viola betonicifolia).

We found evidence of the activities of Long-nosed Bandicoot.

These animals make vertical conical holes in the ground when searching

for insects and plant roots.

On to Lake Tyers Forest Park where on Peterson Road near Burnt Bridge

Road some Red Ironbarks had bark with very deep furrows. The cream-

flowered ironbarks appear to bloom before those with red flowers. Anoth-

er tree was Blue Box (Eucalyptus bauera). We came here to see Granite

Greenhood (Pterostylis tunstallii) which is in the same group as Tall

19

prickly leaves and masses of tubular scented flowers. Also in flower was

Common Riceflower (Pimelea humilis), Creamy Candles (Stackhousia

monogyna), Pink-bells, Purple Coral-pea (Hardenbergia violacea); daisies

Fringed or White Everlasting (Chrysocephalum baxteri), the rare mauve

daisy Brachyscome salkiniae with a rosette of leaves, and a Yellow Billy-

button (Craspedia variabilis). There was blue Love Creeper (Comesperma

volubile) and a bright yellow Buttercup (Ranunculus sp.) whose leaves

were trilobed and wedge-shaped, and whose achenes each had a curved

down hook (which is also seen in the Colquhuon Forest). The orchids

were Brown-clubbed Spider-orchid (Caladenia phaeoclavia) and Tiger

Orchid. There were some small fungi; cream rough puffballs covered with

soft deciduous warts. The mature puffballs are smooth and papery with a

hole at the top through which the spores are dispersed. They were possi-

bly a Lycoperdon species. There was also a bird’s-nest fungus; a tiny

smooth open cup with just a few round pale brown peridioles containing

the spores. These are popped out of the cup by water droplets falling into

the ’nest’.

One km N on Cemetery Track were quite a few species of peas; red Run-

ning Postman (Kennedia prostrata), and some “egg and bacon” (yellow

and reddish) flowered peas, Handsome Flat-pea (Platylobium formosum),

Large-leaf Bush-pea (Pultenaea daphnoides) with wedge-shaped leaves,

and Showy Parrot-pea (Dillwynia sericea). Most wattles were finished

except Thin-leaf or Snake Wattle (Acacia aculeatissima). It is a scram-

bling shrub to 50cm with small thin pointed phyllodes and usually solitary

globular flower heads. Again we saw Wax-lip Orchid, but also Brown-

beaks (Lyperanthus suaveolens) and Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nu-

tans). In a patch of green alga growing over the soil was the belly button

fungus Omphalina umbellifera. It is a tiny pale orange toadstool with a

ridged cap with a dimple in the centre. “Omphali” is Greek for “the na-

vel”!! On Cemetery Track just south of Magazine Track an overstorey

tree was Black Sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis) with lots of Peach Heath

below and a Kookaburra. Further on above a creek (55 621109E,

5818452N) was the daisy Brachycome spathulata and the orchids Brown-

beaks, lots of tiny Pink Fingers, White Fingers, Tall Greenhood and the

rare spider-orchid Caladenia osmera.

Saturday October 10

South and east of Cann River onto Bass Track and about 1km along (55

18

CANN RIVER - 9 October to 12 October 2009

by Margaret Regan

Friday October 9

On the way to Cann River we stopped about 1km east of Hospital Creek

near Tostaree to admire quite a number of one of the green-comb spider

orchids, the Mantis Orchid (Caladenia tentaculata) and a very pale mauve

Wax-lip Orchid (Glossodia major).

Around the caravan park and river at Cann River we saw or heard a pair of

White-winged Choughs, Red-browed Finch, New Holland Honeyeater,

Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin, Blackbird, Raven, Fan-

tail Cuckoo (which we heard everywhere we went all weekend), Olive-

backed Oriole, White-throated Treecreeper, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike,

Grey Fantail, Magpie, Pied Currawong and Superb Fairy-wren. The vege-

tation along the river walk was rainforest with Lillypilly (Syzygium

smithii) and Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) beneath large eucalypts.

There was Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia) and Mutton-wood

(Myrsine howittiana) which had been selectively and heavily grazed, pre-

sumably by Sambar Deer. Two creepers with white flowers were Wonga-

vine (Pandorea pandorana) with tubular flowers with frilly mouths; and

Mountain Clematis (Clematis aristata) with 4 petaloid sepals, and male

and female flowers with many parts on different plants.

After lunch we travelled north up the Cann Valley Hwy and turned east

into Magazine Track. Just before the junction with another track was a

tree across the road, a little too large for James’ chainsaw, so we lingered

to look about before turning back. The vegetation was very open forest

with no shrubs and little on the ground. We did find Tiger Orchid (Diuris

sulphurea), Pink Fingers (Caladenia carnea) and buds of Common Rud-

dyhood (Pterostylis squamata) which has reddish flowers with fine white

hairs along the edge of the labellum. As well as the orchids were little

rosettes of Austral Bugle (Ajuga australis), a herb with purple flowers and

square stems in the lavender family Lamiaceae; and Hairy Pink-bells

(Tetratheca pilosa). At the top of the hill was an old gravel pit and a solar

panel used by seismologists from ANU (for what??).

Near the corner of Lesleys Track and Cemetery Track was lots of white-

flowered Peach Heath (Lissanthe strigosa). This small shrub (to 1m) has

11

Greenhood. Again the flowering plant has no basal rosette. Its labellum is

brown with a darker brown central stripe. There were also the leaves and

buds of Brown-beaks (Lyperanthus suaveolens). Another wattle seen was

Prickly Moses (Acacia verticillata) which as suggested has its phyllodes

modified to be like spines. These are arranged in rings of 6 at each node

and the flowers are in bright yellow spikes. The delicate pretty blue Love

Creeper (Comesperma voluble) was scrambling over some shrubs. We

lunched by the water at the end of Trident Arm Track. Here was our na-

tional flower Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha); Coast or Limestone Po-

maderris (Pomaderris oraria) which grows on limestone formations of

coast and river cliffs, and has ovate leaves with white stellate hairs below

and brown hairs on the veins; Salt Lawrencia (Lawrencia spicata), a

fleshy herb with tiny yellow hibiscus-like flowers arranged in a tall spike;

Sea-box (Alyxia obtusifolia), a shrub to 3m with tough rounded leaves,

flowers with an orange tube and white corolla lobes and finally red fleshy

drupes; and Rounded Noon-flower (Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavel-

latum), a succulent prostrate subshrub (a ’pigface‘) with bright pink flow-

ers. About 2km along Moras Break Road at an elevation of 280m and

GPS 55 603794E and 5813644N was White Fingers (Caladenia catenata),

an orchid with usually a single bright white flower with a deep pink col-

umn; White Marianth (Rhytidosporum procumbens), a tiny subshrub (to

40cm) with white starry flowers which we see all the time; and Scarlet

Bracket Fungus (Pycnoporus coccineus). Further along this road was

Dusky Fingers (Caladenia fuscata) which has a column and labellum with

prominent red transverse stripes; Pink Fingers (C. carnea) and a Mosquito

-orchid (Acianthus sp.) whose leaf was green below. A Common Grass-

blue butterfly was visiting White Fingers. Hairy Pink-bells (Tetratheca

pilosa) has hairy leaves and stems, and bright pink flowers with dark cen-

tral stamens giving it its other common name of Black-eyed Susan (I won-

der who Susan was?). A plant of Thatch Saw-sedge (Gahnia radula) was

parasitised by a small twining Dodder-laurel (Cassytha sp.) which was

winding itself around the leaf of the Saw-sedge with haustoria (suckers)

about every 2mm near the bottom of the leaf tapping into the nutrient sys-

tem of the plant. The first bush tick was noticed on someone’s arm and

removed along Circle Road; but not before it had caused a large red swell-

ing on the poor victim, who continued to suffer for many more days. Here

Heath Wattle (Acacia brownii) was flowering. This is a small shrub to 1m

with needle-like leaves and single balls of flowers. A little further east on

this road were Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora) with large white

12

and green striped flowers with brown margins at the tip of the dorsal se-

pal; Maroonhood and the ubiquitous Noddies. An emu dropping was care-

fully examined. It contained furrowed fruits, some still with a smooth

coating, and we wondered if they were the fruits of the Blue Oliveberry

(Eleaocarpus reticulatus).

A lovely day again, thank you James.

☺

White Fingers Caladenia catenata Photo by John Drinkwater

17

for agriculture. It is now classified as endangered. This area at Blond Bay

has had over 10? years drought. The original small fenced enclosure has

not been penetrated by wombats, but is heavily overgrown with Spiny-

headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia), Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii),

grasses and sedges. It needs burning or grazing at the appropriate time of

the year when the orchids are dormant. The outer much larger enclosure

has been breached by wombats, and rabbits as well have entered. We

found 7 orchids in the inner smaller enclosure, 10 in the big section and 6

outside the fence; giving a total of 23 plants. Last year 2008 we counted

20. In 2007 the number was 136, and the largest number was 261 in 2005

(was this before the enclosure was extended??). Outside one boundary

fence and near Black Sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis) were the small

white lily Early Nancy (Wurmbea dioica) which is very like Milkmaids

(Burchardia umbellata), but the tepals have a distinctive purple nectary

band near their bases. Across the road from the fenced site is a large

swamp called Fiddians in which the Metallic Sun Orchid has been found

before, but only one was seen!

Just a little south towards Lake Victoria on the same road we paused to see

the Red-beak or Undertaker Orchid (Pyrorchis nigricans). This orchid has

a single large leathery leaf which lays flat on the ground. The white and

red striped flowers have the dorsal sepal forming a pointed hood, and the

labellum margins are deeply fringed. There were masses of leaves, with

some very large, and a few flowers. This species mostly flowers after a

bushfire. ‘Pyr’ is Greek for fire. All parts of the plant die to black, which

accounts for the second common name. There was also Silky Guinea-

flower (Hibbertia sericea), Daphne Heath (Brachyloma daphnoides), a

small shrub with blunt oblong leaves and sweet-scented white tubular

flowers, and Common Rice-flower (Pimelea humilis). Across the road in

a presumably sometimes wetter environment were some tiny plants of

Austral adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum). This small plant (3-

15cm) has up to 4 fronds. Each frond consists of a leaf-like lamina, and a

taller spike with pairs of sporangia in which spores are produced. Austral

adder’s-tongue is in a primitive family of ferns, the Ophioglossaceae. The

only other genus of this family present in Victoria is Moonwort

(Botrychium), a species of which, Austral moonwort (B. australe) we have

seen several times, including in the Colquhuon Forest.

Thank you once again, James. ☺

16

☺

BLOND BAY METALLIC SUN ORCHID COUNT

- 26 September 2009 by Margaret Regan This year’s Metallic Sun Orchid (Thelymitra epipactoides) count was

again very disappointing. This spectacular large orchid has a thick fleshy

grey-green leaf to 25cm with an inflorescence to 50cm. The flowering

stalk can bear up to 20 large bronze, pink, green or blue flowers with a

metallic sheen. The flowers only open on bright sunny days. The plant

mostly grows in coastal areas, but much of its habitat has been destroyed

Cobra Greenhood

Pterostylis grandiflora

Photo by

John Drinkwater

13

MT RAYMOND - 20 September 2009

by Margaret Regan

Just past Orbost and east of Mt Raymond is south-running Alexander

Creek Road. We found a fertile ground for birds, plants and reptiles at

Newton Creek Road, where the powerlines and the gas pipeline travels

through and the area above is free of trees and kept slashed. Birds we ei-

ther saw or heard their dulcet tones, were Pallid and Fantail Cuckoo, Shin-

ing and Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo, Superb Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Pied

Currawong, Kookaburra, Olive-backed Oriole, Jacky Winter, Spotted Par-

dalote and a Treecreeper. We avoided a Brown Snake and Andrew had a

wonderful time on his tummy photographing a most compliant pregnant

Jacky Dragon. He moved about her to get different angles and came ex-

ceedingly close. She only objected and ran off when he took the liberty of

trying to rearrange her very long and splendid tail. There was also an

Australian Painted Lady butterfly.

Two of the trees were White Stringybark (Eucalyptus globoidea) and Red

Ironbark (E. tricarpa). There were no end of plants in flower. There was

Spreading Wattle (Acacia genistifolia) with long thin pointed phyllodes,

with balls of flowers held singly or double in the axils of the phyllodes at

the ends of branches. Peas were Golden Bush-pea (Pultenaea gunnii) with

small ovate to lanceolate convex leaves; Leafless Globe-pea

(Sphaerolobium vimineum), a slender rush-like shrub with mostly yellow

flowers borne in clusters at the ends of the branchlets; red-flowered Run-

ning Postman (Kennedia prostrata); and Creeping Wedge-pea

(Gompholobium inconspicuum) with a yellow and grey keel. This was

an extension of the range of the Creeping Wedge-pea, as it was previously

only found in far East Gippsland. Another showy pea creeping in places

was Pultenaea sericea. Orchids were Pink Fingers (Caladenia carnea),

Brown-beaks (Lyperanthus suaveolens) (of which we found 39 plants

flowering), Waxlip (Glossodia major) and Leopard Orchid (Diuris pardi-

na). Brown-beaks have a single lanceolate leaf to 20cm, and a flowering

stalk to 45cm with up to 8 brown to green flowers. The tepals are long

and thin and the labellum has a yellow tip. Some other plants were Hairy

Pink-bells (Tetratheca pilosa), Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata) and Blue

Dampiera (Dampiera stricta). Lilies were Nodding Blue Lily (Stypandra

glauca) and Twining Fringe Lily (Thysanotus patersonii). The Common

Heath (Epacris impressa) here was a deep pink. A daisy was Yellow Billy

14

-buttons (Craspedia variabilis) which has its leaves mostly in a basal ro-

sette and a spherical inflorescence. A small she-oak was Scrub Sheoak

(Allocasuarina paludosa) which is a shrub to 3m. The only guinea-flower

tall enough to get into Costerman‘s “Trees and Shrubs of SE Australia” is

Rough Guinea-flower (Hibbertia aspera), a shrub to 2.5m which has mi-

nutely rough leaves with a dense whitish felt beneath. Climbing Sundew

(Drosera macrantha) has no basal rosette, but leaves are in alternate

groups of 3 or 4 along the stem. A climber shrub was Common Apple-

berry (Billardiera scandens) with cream tubular flowers and large long

berries. The range of plants seemed endless with pink Heath Milkwort

(Comesperma ericinum), Large-leaf Hop-bush (Dodonaea triquetra), pink

Wiry Bauera (Bauera rubioides) and Thatch Saw-sedge (Gahnia radula).

An inconspicuous fern often found in this drier situation was Screw fern

(Lindsaea linearis). This tiny fern has almost prostrate sterile fronds with

fan-shaped pinnae, and erect fertile fronds bearing the spores.

About 200m further along were more treasures beneath Box and Black

She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). The orchids were White Fingers

(Caladenia catenata), a spider-orchid mantis Orchid (Caladenia tentacu-

lata) with many flowers chewed, Wallflower Orchid (Diuris orientis),

Wax-lip (Glossodia major), Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora) in

fruit and finished Midge-orchid (Acianthus spectans). Another guinea-

flower was Grey Guinea-flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia). There was the

small Wattle Mat-rush (Lomandra filiformis) and Thyme Spurge

(Phyllanthus hirtellus), a small erect shrub with male and female white

starry flowers on different plants.

Beneath a Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendulum), the ground was lit-

tered with its red flowers. Had parrots been gathering nectar? As most

parrots (except perhaps lorikeets) don’t have long tongues to reach the

nectar at the base of the flower, they tend to nip off the petals to get at the

sweet prize. Crimson Rosella certainly demolish heaths and correas in this

way at our house. There were striped hoverflies on the Billy-buttons. On

the side of the road was a yabby tower about 20cm high. A loud Yellow-

faced Honeyeater sang.

About 200m further along just over a creek there was a Red Box

(Eucalyptus polyathemos) with heavy bark damage. There was old dam-

age, but fresh wood shavings at the base of the tree. The damage was

caused by a Yellow-bellied Glider tapping into the nutritious sap of the

15

tree on a regular basis. Sap is obtained by biting out bark on the trunk and

branches of the tree. The sugary exudate is licked each night. New exci-

sions are made went the old ones become plugged, and a well-used tree

can be heavily scarred after years of use. The wounds were attended by

small brown flies who must also have been able to access the sap. There

were many Black Sheoak whose bases were surrounded by eaten-out

cones. It seemed likely that some sort of parrot had been around - maybe

Glossy Black Cockatoos!!! The birds were Pied Currawong, Black-faced

Cuckoo-shrike, Spotted Pardalote and Dusky Woodswallow. A Red-

bellied Black Snake was carefully skirted around. A new wattle was Red

Wattle (Acacia silvestris). This wattle has feathery bipinnate foliage with

globular flower heads in racemes. Orchids again with Green-striped

Greenhood (Pterostylis chlorogramma); Tall Greenhood (P. melagramma)

whose labellum is brownish with a darker central stripe, and its lateral sep-

als are almost fused; Nodding Greenhood; Brown-beaks; and a green-

comb spider-orchid Mantis Orchid (Caladenia tentaculata) with crimson

stripes down the tepals, and the labellum has green lateral lobes with long

marginal teeth. Two daisies were Twiggy Daisy-bush (Olearia ramulosa)

with small narrow crowded leaves and flower-heads with white rays; and

yellow Shiny Buttons (Leptorhynchos linearis). Two mainly yellow (‘egg

and bacon’) peas were the tiny Creeping Bossiaea (Bossiaea prostrata)

with circular leaves; and scrambling Handsome Flat-pea (Platylobium for-

mosum) which has opposite leathery heart-shaped (cordate) leaves.

There was a very light blue Nodding Blue Lily. This also grows in New

Caledonia! A plant we rarely see except in the High Country was Purple

Eyebright (Euphrasia collina) with white to pinky mauve flowers which

have two petals forming a hood and the other three forming a trilobed low-

er lip. This small herb is a root parasite and in the same family Scrophu-

lariaceae as the snapdragon. Up onto Mt Raymond for the view and after-

noon tea, where there was another pea Austral Indigo (Indigofera austra-

lis) with mauve flowers; and Stinkwood (Zieria arborescens) whose

leaves are opposite with three leaflets, and there are sprays of 4-petalled

white flowers. The foliage and timber are both odorous. There was also

some Rock fern (Cheilanthes sp.) amongst the boulders.

A very successful day. Thank you James.