The Clematis

Winter 2011 Issue No 88

BAIRNSDALE

POSTAGE

Victoria

3875 PAID

Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District

Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C 20 1 BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. BUSHWALK TO OLD MAN HILL - MAY 2011 A0006074C List of Office Bearers for 2011 Eight members took to the hills along the Old Man Hill track at Sarsfield for the May bushwalk. It was a very pleasant, cool, but sunny day, just President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614 [email protected] ideal for walking. The terrain had long steep sections but with much Vice President: James Turner ph. (03) 5155 1258 [email protected] huffing and puffing by some of us we enjoyed the climbs. We had a Secretary: Fran Bright ph. (03) 5152 2008 [email protected] pleasant lunch stop overlooking a spectacular horse-shoe bend of the Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541 Nicholson River. Bird song was plentiful and we heard many lyre-birds Correspondence to: singing through their repertoire as we walked along through their territo- The Secretary, ries. P.O. Box 563, Many thanks to our leader, Noel, for taking us out for a lovely day in the BAIRNSDALE 3875 bush. 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, 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: [email protected]

All articles for Spring Clematis must be in by September 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. From left, Lindsay Simmons, Camilla Manvell, Noel Williamson, Pauline 2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the preservation & protection of Stewart, George Stewart, Jenny Hootzard, Gayle Hughes with Denise McLarty indigenous flora and fauna and habitat and important geological features. taking the photo. 3. To promote the formation and preservation of National and State Parks photo by Denise McLarty and Reserves.

2 19 (Pyrrosia rupestris). Rock felt-fern has small simple fleshy fronds of two RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: kinds; one is fertile, long and narrow, and the barren fronds are short and 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN. round. These fronds have a thick coating of star-shaped hairs which pro- 2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind. tect the fern from water loss when growing in such an exposed position. 3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until The fronds also have special water storage tissue. A third fern species was following car has also turned. Sickle fern (Pellaea falcata). This fern has erect pinnate fronds, with the 4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car. spores produced in sori borne along the margins on the undersurface of the Other members will return to find you. pinnae. Another plant we don’t usually see was Rock Isotome (Isotoma 5. The Car Pooling Cost Calculator is used to assist drivers and car pool axillaris). This is a small erect perennial with deeply dissected leaves and passengers to share fuel costs. blue trumpet-shaped flowers with five equal lobes on the corolla tube. The pretty Isotomes have a milky sap which may be toxic to stock and can SUBSCRIPTION FEES irritate the skin of humans. A saltbush in the family Chenopodiaceae was Saloop (Einadia hastata). This is a small shrub whose stems lie along the Family membership $30 ground, with obtuse fleshy leaves and small red succulent fruits. Two ra- Single membership $20 ther beautiful, not usually small, trees were growing out from among the Mid-year fee (new members only) $10 rocks. They were probably small because of the difficult environment. They were Mountain Grey Gum (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) which can grow to 60m, and has clusters of about 7 fruits on flattened peduncles Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this (stalks); and River Peppermint (E. elata) which had clusters of up to 30 newsletter rests with the author of the article. very pretty flowers. A very large Superb Lyrebird’s nest had been con- structed on a ledge part way up the cliff, creating a safe nest away from LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dot Prout Phone: 5153 1303 many predators, as long as the chicks were careful, and didn’t fall before • Books are generally borrowed for one month - however you can write on they could fly. I guess that’s also true for most birds which nest in trees. the sign-out sheet if you wish to have it longer. A Grey Shrike-thrush was heard calling. • 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 Thank you once again, James, for a great day, particularly Rocky Knob, recommendation for the Clematis. This information could be from our li- which I haven’t visited before and much enjoyed. brary books or from other books that you believe our library could look at ☺ purchasing.

CONTENTS

Program June to December 5-6 President’ Report 7 Nature Notes 8 A Country of Mistletoes 9-10 Sale Wetlands 11-15 Buchan Area 16-18 Bushwalk to Old Man Hill 19

18 3 CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email address’s for meetings the labellum of the flower being rhomboidal or widest at the furthest point, and field trips. and the labellum is fixed and doesn’t move. The Tall Wasp-orchid grows Pat McPherson 5152 2614 [email protected] to 15cm with a single greenish to purplish flower and the labellum is cov- Margaret Regan 5156 2541 ered with a dense mat of shiny black calli. Fran Bright 5152 2008 [email protected] Pauline Stewart 5152 1606 [email protected] On to the confluence of the Buchan and Snowy Rivers, which should be a James Turner 5155 1258 [email protected] lovely location, but the effect is somewhat diminished by the presence of Noel Williamson 5152 1737 [email protected] lots of weeds. Some of the debris left by a previous flood along the Snowy was wedged in branches 5m up the trees. We were lucky enough DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS to see an Azure Kingfisher fly up into a tree from amongst the reeds along Easy Flat, good firm track. the Buchan – it was obviously his fishing territory! We also heard a Gold- Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition en Whistler. Along the rivers’ edges were Kanooka (Tristaniopsis lauri- Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition na) which is common along near-coastal streams east of the Avon River; Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in and River Bottlebrush (Callistemon sieberi) in flower. The brushes of places Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non flowers of the River Bottlebrush varied in colour from yellow to deep existent at times pink. Some of the weeds unfortunately seen were the grass Kikuyu Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km. (Pennisetum clandestinum), a native of Africa and incredibly vigorous in Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program. southern Australia; the daisies Tall Fleabane (Conyza albida) and Flat- weed (Hypochoeris radicata); and Californian Poppy (Eschscholzia cali- Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District Field fornica) which has finely divided leaves and orange flowers. We found a Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet. gorgeous beetle, coloured iridescent deep blue and terracotta, which may have been one of the jewel beetles. Beetles are distinguished from other insects by having their forewings hardened to form protective covers not used in flight. An unusual native plant was the delicate climber Star Cu-

The Clematis is printed and supported by cumber (Sicyos australis) which is near-coastal in East Gippsland. It has Dept. of Sustainability and Environment, leaves like the garden cucumber, white to pale greenish flowers and fruits Bairnsdale. covered with barbed spines!!

Our last stop was to climb Rocky Knob, a rather spectacular arrangement of huge granite rocks giving a wonderful view over the surrounding coun- try. We understand one of the cliff faces is used by abseilers. On the wet- ter surfaces was hanging Streaked Rock-orchid (Dockrillia striolata). Streaked Rock-orchid was formerly in the genus Dendrobium. It is con- fined in Victoria to East Gippsland, growing on rock on cliffs along river gorges and isolated rocky peaks, as in this instance. It has wiry stems with Front Cover: aerial roots and rounded, slightly curved leaves, the plants often forming Tall Wasp-Orchid (Chiloglottis trilabra) dense mats. The small upside-down brown-green flowers have a white See page 16 labellum with a frilled edge. Two ferns growing alongside the orchid were Kangaroo fern (?? Microsorium pustulatum) and Rock felt-fern Photo by Fran Bright

4 17 BUCHAN AREA - 17 April 2011 PROGRAM JUNE TO DECEMBER 2011

It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field trip A healthy contingent of Field Nats drove out of Buchan and up to Balley to notify them of your intention to participate. The co-ordinator can then notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to Hooley Road. Here we were searching for a special greenhood orchid adverse weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. which had been discovered by James several years earlier. This was Pter- ostylis aff. crypta. It has a very upright solitary flower with an erect JUNE Sun. 19 Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to Mitchell River greenish pointed labellum which touches the inside of the hood. There were many plants of this rare greenhood – more than have been seen for National Park. Contact: James Turner 10 years. This may be its only site in the world! Other greenhoods were Sun. 26th. Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to Blonde Bay. Fisch’s Greenhood (P. fischii), whose erect flowers are a tawny colour Contact: Noel Williamson and the labellum is short, broad and blunt; Large Autumn Greenhood (P. Rated: Easy revoluta) which has a single large green and white striped arching- JULY forward flower with a long pointed hood; and Hill Greenhood (P. aff. al- Sun. 17th. Monthly excursion, meet 9.00am at the Bridge Club, 9.30am at Dead veata), this hill form of the Coastal Greenhood (P. alveata) having a short Horse Creek Rd. to Kenny Forest and the Dead Horse Creek area. dark labellum and a protruding sinus. There was also the Large Mosquito Contact: James Turner Orchid (Acianthus exsertus) with its heart-shaped leaf and several tiny Sun. 24th. Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club, 9.30am at Bruthen to the flowers; and Parson’s Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus), named for the broad Nowa Nowa area. Rated: Easy white lateral sepals which look like the bands from a parson’s collar. An- Contact: Noel Williamson other plant was Variable Sword-sedge (Lepidosperma laterale) which grows to 1m, with shiny dark green flattened (often arching) leaves and AUGUST long brown spikes at the ends of the stems. Invertebrate life also drew our Sun. 21st. Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to Bullumwaal area for a wattle trip. attention. Poor Fran was unfortunate to encounter jumping ants in a rather Contact: James Turner painful manner, and quickly warned the rest of us. We also kept noticing Sun. 28th. Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to Moormurng Forest. tiny bright red velvety mites. These are in the same group (called Arach- Rated: Easy nida) that includes spiders, scorpions and ticks. Mites have four pairs of Contact: Noel Williamson legs, no wings, one body section and clawed jaws. There were not many General meetings and Committee meetings recommence in September of these mites, but their colour made them very obvious. There was a cor- al fungus, probably in the Ramaria genus with pale orange clubby ends on SEPTEMBER cream stalks. Thurs. 8th. Committee meeting, 4.00pm at Margaret Regan’s home. Frid. 16th. General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre Speaker: Faye Bedford “Seabirds and biodiversity”. A little further along the road, at the top of the ridge, was a rocky area Sun. 18th. Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club, 9.45am at which we assumed had been mined for gold at some stage, judging by the Nowa Nowa to the Tostaree fire area to inspect the regeneration of plants. mullock heaps about. Some of the minerals recognized in the rocks were Contact: James Turner quartz (crystalline silica) which is the commonest of all minerals; jasper (a Sun. 25th. Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to the Old Mitchell River red or reddish brown impure form of silica) and regarded as a semipre- Weir. Rated: Moderate (may be some off -track walking). cious stone; and haematite (ferric oxide, an ore of iron). Here we found a Contact: Noel Williamson few specimens of the Tall Wasp-orchid (Chiloglottis trilabra). All of the genus Chiloglottis were called bird-orchids, but the genus has been divid- → ed in two with the wasp-orchids usually having leaves with wavy margins,

16 5 OCTOBER Sat 1st. Special excursion. Metallic Sun Orchid count at Blonde Bay, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club. Contact: James Turner Thurs, 13th. Committee meeting, 4.00pm at Pauline Stewart’s home. Frid. 21st. General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre. Speaker: John Zimmer on “Astrology”. Sun. 23rd. Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club, 9.30am at Red Knob to the Mellick Munjie area. 28,29,30,31st. Combined Camp-out and Bushwalk to Nowa Nowa. A choice of camping at the caravan park or accommodation at the motel. Camp-out Contact: James Turner The Bushwalk is to Clinton Rocks on Sun. 30th. and is rated: Moderate. Bushwalk Contact: Noel Williamson

NOVEMBER Thurs. 10th. Planning Meeting and Committee meeting, 4.00pm at Noel Williamson’s home. Frid. 18th. General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Jim Reside “Local Frogs”. Sun. 20th. Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club, 9.30am at Red Knob to the Tulloch Ard Lookout. Sun. 27th. Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club to Holey Plains. Rated: Easy Contact: Noel Williamson

DECEMBER Thurs. 8th. Committee meeting and Xmas Break-up B-B-Q, 4.00pm at Margaret and Bill Regan’s home. (BYO meat and a salad and/ or sweet to share.) Frid. 16th. Annual General Meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre. Bring along your natural history photos and a plate to share.

☺

Fisch’s Greenhood (Pterostylis fischii) Photo by Fran Bright

6 15 which repels water, the lower is colourless and submerged. Blue-green PRESIDENT’S REPORT algae live in a cavity at the base of each leaf and fix atmospheric nitrogen which then becomes available to the Azolla. The fern can multiply by Autumn in East Gippsland brought an abundance both of rain and sunshine and fragmentation, and it reproduces sexually by spores. In one area of open Margaret Regan’s excursion reports reflect this abundance. On a personal note, water were thousands of beetles zigzagging about beneath the surface. my sincere thanks to the Management team for carrying the load whilst I was ab- sent again for a further period of three months. I am now back on deck and can These may have been Water-boatmen or Backswimmers. On the water or pull my weight once more. at the edge were Dusky Moorhen and Purple Swamphen. Birds flying overhead were Royal Spoonbill, Pelican and Whistling Kite. A Little Autumn is the burning season in the East Gippsland bush and in the past we have Grassbird was heard amongst the reeds and a Magpie in the distance. had misgivings about the management of this process. We were pleased then to Dragonflies were flitting across the water, and one was identified as a Red accept an invitation from the Department of Sustainability (DSE) to demonstrate Baron. Back on land on the other side were some magnificent old speci- their approaches to planned burning. One involved a demonstration of the Flora mens of Red Gum with wide spreading branches sheltering Yellow-faced indicator-species assessment by a DSE staffer at our May excursion. This simple Honeyeaters. From the nearby bird-hide we saw a Black Swan with cyg- assessment estimates and records the size of change in the presence and abun- nets, White Ibis and Welcome Swallows darted about above the water har- dance of indicator species pre and post burns. From a field naturalist’s perspective vesting insects. we see the benefit of this assessment first, as a tool we could use for our own rec- ords in areas we regularly visit and which are not subject to burning and second,

over a period of time, as an indicator of prescribed over burning! We lunched beside the Swing Bridge at the junction of the Thomson and th At the end of March we joined the East Gippsland Bird Observation and Conser- Latrobe Rivers. This spectacular 19 century bridge was designed to ro- vation Group at a Landscape Mosaic Burn presentation at DSE Office. tate in the centre to allow taller ships, such as paddle steamers, to proceed to and from the Port of Sale. We were lucky enough to be there when the Our Club is currently involved in two wider community issues, first the Macleod opening was being demonstrated. The bridge, built of cast iron cylinders Morass Community Reference Group. The Club has had little involvement in this and wrought iron trusses has a central span of almost 46 metres. It was area in the past but is now exploring the possibility of contributing to the under- designed by John Grainger, the father of pianist and composer Percy standing of the ecology of this Ramsar site in an on-going way by conducting an Grainger. The bridge has been restored, and while it can still be opened annual frog survey. manually, it was operated by a generator when we saw it. Second, at the request of the Anglican Diocese of Sale we are about to carry out a flora survey of their property, The Abbey, at A’Beckett Park on Raymond Island.

From here we travelled via Rosedale into Holey Plains Park, but it was Needless to say, the Club was dismayed when cattle grazing was recently allowed getting late and we found little of interest at this time of the year. in the Alpine National Park and made a submission of protest to the Federal Min- ister the Honorable Tony Bourke. Another lovely day with great weather. Thank you James. Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to the very gifted photographers in our Club whose botanical photographs not only enhance our Newsletter but regularly scoop Information from Parknotes (Parks Victoria) and Peter Synan’s book the pool in local photographic competitions. “Swing Bridge, story of the Swing Bridge”.

Pat McPherson ☺ President ☺

14 7 NATURE NOTES White-eared Honeyeater and Superb Fairy-wren. Near the water was an- other weed, Red-ink Weed (Phytolacca octandra), which is a short-lived Observations by members over summer/autumn: perennial to 3m, with lanceolate leaves which turn red, and spikes of pur- ple-black berries with reddish juice. Native plants were Swamp Paperbark John, Pat, Julia, & Fran all noticed Blue Banded Bees in their gardens. These are (Melaleuca ericifolia) and Common Reed (Phragmites australis) with a native bee (Amegilla) & quite beautiful. The abdomen is furry, with bright iri- descent blue & black bands. Usually solitary, the bee builds a nest by herself, Large Bindweed (Calystegia sepium) climbing all over them. Large Bind- which consists of a shallow burrow in clay soil or mudbricks. The bee has what weed is a luxuriant climber with long-stalked ovate leaves and white-pink is described as a “buzz pollination technique! This is used where pollen is hidden trumpet flowers. A more delicate plant was Pale Knotweed (Persicaria inside tiny capsules. The bee grasps the flower & shivers her flight muscles lapathifolia) which is not a weed. It grows to 1.6m with peach-like leaves which vibrates the capsules & causes the pollen to be ejected. Apparently Blue and spikes of small pink flowers. Banded Bees are being trialled as pollinators for greenhouse tomato plants in Adelaide. We walked over the boardwalk which crosses this freshwater marsh. The boardwalk goes over a variety of habitats, starting from the edge of the John Saxton, while in the Wulgumerang area, was surprised to hear a Superb swamp, through deeper water, past islands and through a small reed bed. Lyrebird imitating a Peregrine Falcon as part of its birdsong repertoire. The bird Some of the emergent plants here were Water Ribbons (Triglochin pro- was in vegetation growing on steep slopes near a sheer cliff face. John also ob- served an owlet nightjar & an Australian Hobby near “The Knob”. cerum), a robust aquatic with strappy leaves to 350cm long and a stout raised spike with up to 200 small flowers; Tall Spike-rush (Eleocharis Marg. Regan was fortunate to see Yellow Bellied Gliders while on a F.O.G.L. sphacelata) with hollow stems to 2m; and Giant Rush (Juncus ingens) spotlight evening walk through forest at Burnt Bridge, Lake Tyers. These nor- which also has stems to 2m or more, but these have a central pith. The mally elusive creatures were busy licking sap from a notch made on a eucalypt stems of the Giant Rush can reach heights of 5m, and it is, apparently, the branch. The staple diet of these gliders is nectar, pollen, & eucalypt sap, but largest species of Juncus in the world. It is also the only species where the insects like cicadas are also relished. The gliders bite out small patches of bark male and female flowers are on different plants. Other plants were the on branches & trunks returning nightly to feed on the sugary exudate. Their daisy weed Trifid Burr-marigold (Bidens tripartita) which has leaves di- distinctive call is a loud, high pitched shriek. vided into 3 segments; and the native Clove-strip or Water Primrose (Ludwigia peploides subsp. montevidensis) which was plentiful near the While at Flaggy Creek recently, Robyn noticed Horse Hair Worms in the water. These worms have the peculiar habit of tying themselves into knots! They resem- bird-hide on the far side of the boardwalk. It is a prostrate perennial with ble squirming , living pieces of hair. The immature stages of these worms are floating stems and 5-petalled yellow flowers. Its seeds are a food source internal parasites of grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, & other insects. Once they for water birds. Just below the surface was a weedy Parrot’s Feather mature these worms are free living. (Non harmful to humans.) (Myriophyllum aquaticum). This plant has feathery leaves, and the scien- Robyn also saw Giant Burrowing Frogs (Heleioporus australiacus) & their bur- tific name is derived from the Greek myrios (very many), and phyllon (a rows. Sometimes they are called Eastern Owl Frogs because of their owl-like leaf). In Australia this species spreads by stem fragments, as only female hooting call. They have black spines & thorns on their fingers, arms & chests to flowers have been recorded and no fertile seed is produced. Floating on aid gripping the slippery females, while spawning. the surface of the water was Common Duck-weed (Lemna disperma) which has a tiny coloured leaf-like thallus to 3mm which reproduces by Andrew observed a Crested Pigeon strutting around the car park at David Luke’s budding; and the water fern Pacific Azolla (Azolla filiculoides). This fern – not common around here. has horizontal stems with numerous roots hanging below in the water. Compiled by Fran Bright Tiny overlapping leaves are borne alternately on the stems. Depending on the season and the degree of exposure to sunlight the leaves can be green ☺ or red. Each leaf has two lobes; the upper is green and has a beady surface

8 13 paralysed the fly which was now to be dinner. The Midge Orchid was A COUNTRY OF MISTLETOES also no longer going to spread its genes about! It was presumed that this by Margaret Regan was a flower spider. These spiders are usually a similar colour to the flowers they habitate. They have no web, but wait for their prey to come Some interesting facts from Peter Bernhardt (1990): “Wily Violets & Un- to the flower – they are ‘ambushers’. There were also many Leaf-Curling derground Orchids.” Allen & Unwin, Sydney, and other sources. Spiders about – it was almost impossible to avoid their webs stretched be- tween branches. These spiders spin an orb web with a curled leaf placed There are 60-odd semi-parasitic species of Australian mistletoe. Mis- in the centre for protection, mostly from birds. An interesting large semi- tletoes are in the order Santalales which also includes sandalwood circular bracket fungus with pores was seen on the trunk of a stringybark. (Santalum) and ballarts (Exocarpus). In Victoria the mistletoes are in two It showed brown concentric layers with the newest and largest being at the families. Viscaceae contains two genera, each with a single species; Joint- bottom. Birds heard were the ubiquitous Grey Fantail and Magpie. There ed Mistletoe (Korthalsella rubra) and Golden Mistletoe (Notothixos sub- were many male and female Common Brown butterflies. The females are aureus). Plants in the Viscaceae produce tiny unisexual flowers with no larger with darker marking on the upper fore-wing. petals. Both occur in East Gippsland. Jointed Mistletoe is in near-coastal

forest east of the Mitchell River and usually parasitic on Lilly-pilly On from here to Sale Common State Game Reserve. The Sale Common (Acmena smithii). Golden Mistletoe is only found in the Mallacoota area has a history of over 100 years of clearing, burning and grazing. In 1964 in Victoria and is usually parasitic on two members of the other family the Sale Common State Game Refuge was proclaimed. River Red Gum Loranthaceae, Long-flower Mistletoe (Dendrophthoe vitellina) and Creep- (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) woodlands and introduced grasslands make up ing Mistletoe (Muellerina eucalyptoides). All the members of the family about 30% of the Sale Common. The Long Waterhole, which is located Loranthaceae in Victoria are woody shrubs attached to tree branches. near the lookout, is about 7 hectares in size. This is an area of permanent They have large bisexual flowers with showy petals. deep water, which is a habitat for fish and hence a resource for birds such as cormorants and pelicans. The rest of the Common is freshwater marsh, The fossil record shows that some mistletoes have been part of the vegeta- which at times is completely dry. This type of habitat is valuable for wa- tion in Australia for the last 70 million years, before the breakup of Gond- ter birds, frogs and aquatic invertebrates. From the car park we at first wanaland. Australian mistletoes use almost all native trees and shrubs as walked through River Red Gum woodlands with beneath many introduced hosts, and exploit almost every ecological niche on the mainland, apart plants. We found both River Red Gum and Gippsland Red Gum. Some of from some alpine zones. While some Australian mistletoes can live off the introduced weeds were the daisies Flaxleaf Fleabane (Conyza bonar- many hosts, others have extremely specific preferences. The Grey Mistle- iensis), Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and Flat-weed or Cat’s-ear toe (Amyema quandang) lives exclusively on wattles. Some native mis- (Hypochoeris radicata); the aggressive invasive Kikuyu-grass from tropi- tletoes attack introduced trees. The Creeping Mistletoe parasitises oaks, cal East Africa (Pennisetum clandestinum); Cleavers (Galium aparine); plums and plane trees. Some Australian mistletoes attack other mis- the potato family Solanaceae members, Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseu- tletoes. Around St Arnaud, the Fleshy Mistletoe (A. miraculosum) attacks docapsicum) and Deadly or Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum); and only Box Mistletoe (A. miquelii). Blackberry (Rubus species). A large St Andrew’s Cross spider was sus- pended in the centre of a huge web strung between two trees. The web Most Australian mistletoes have a berry-like fruit, where the seed is sur- had a diagonal cross of thick silk through the centre. The spider hangs rounded by a leathery rind surrounding a layer of sweet flesh reinforced upside down on its web with two paired legs placed along each arm of the with a zone of sticky indigestible threads. Much of the mistletoes’ success diagonal cross, hence the name St Andrew’s Cross, as on the flag of Scot- seems to be its co-evolution with native birds, in particular the mistletoe- land. A feral bee hive was noted in one eucalypt. Birds were abundant, bird. Tasmania is the only state in Australia without mistletoebirds, and and we heard or saw Grey Fantail, Red-browed Finch, Rufous Whistler, not surprisingly, there are also no mistletoes. The mistletoebird searches

12 9 out mistletoes, and then combs the plants for ripe fruits. The bird knocks SALE WETLANDS - 20 March 2011 off the rind and extracts the seed with its sweet sticky cover. When a seed is swallowed whole, it passes through the bird within an hour. The seed On our way to the Sale Wetlands we made a deviation to the Swallow La- bypasses the gizzard, so it is not macerated, and is then secreted with its goon Conservation Nature Reserve. This reserve contains two rare vege- sticky layer. The bird than presses its vent onto the branch on which it is tation classes – Plains Grassy Woodland and Damp Sands Herb-rich standing, and the sticky threads glue the seed to the branch. The sticky Woodland. We had a brief walk in the Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland. layer then dries and protects the naked embryo. When conditions are Overstorey trees we noted were Gippsland Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereti- right, the embryo germinates and produces a swollen disc-like structure cornis subsp. mediana), White Stringybark (E. globoidea), Red Box (E. which penetrates the host branch. The vascular systems of the two plants polyanthemos) and Yellow Box (E. melliodora). ‘Melli’ is Latin for are joined, and the mistletoe can rob the host plant of water and the essen- ‘honey’. Yellow Box is an excellent honey producer and the wood is a tial minerals it contains. Australian mistletoes are only semi-parasitic. pale yellow-brown. White Stringybark’s bark is fibrous, grey-brown and They have their own green leaves with chlorophyll, so they are able to covers all the branches; the leaves are wide and oblique and the nearly make their own sugars and starches by photosynthesis. sessile buds are in clusters of up to 12. Red Box has grey box bark persis- tent to the smallest branches and grey-green ovate leaves. The Boxs’ Some Australian mistletoes have leaves and branches that mimic those of fruits are stalked and in clusters of up to 7. Yellow Box has the lower their host plant. The best mimic is the Buloke Mistletoe (Amyema bark grey-brown to dark and the upper limbs pale and gum-like; the leaves linophyllum) whose long thin grayish-green leaves are difficult to distin- are small, narrow and grey-green. guish from the cladodes (photosynthetic stems) of its hosts Casuarina spe- cies. This mimicry may not be coincidental. Mistletoe leaves are food for A common shrub, but not flowering at this time was Hedge Wattle a range of predators from the Imperial White or Mistletoe butterfly to pos- (Acacia paradoxa). Some of the small herbs were yellow Branched sums. The mistletoe may remain undetected within the foliage of the host Goodenia (Goodenia paniculata) which has caramel-scented flowers; the plant. tiny yellow solitary lily Golden Weather-glass (Hypoxis hygrometrica); and Narrow rock-fern (Cheilanthes sieberiana). Golden Weather-glass The flowers of mistletoes are scent free, and coloured red and orange, and Yellow Star (H. glabella) can be confused; however the flower stalk which suggests that they are bird pollinated, as well as using birds to dis- of the Golden Weather-glass is hairy. A Fox skull was discovered with perse their seeds. Each mistletoe flower has a nectar gland at the base of the very prominent canine teeth needed by a carnivore, although the Fox is the flower. Honeyeaters are probably the main pollinators. an omnivore, eating both plant and animal. Two minute orchids were found flowering. One was Dark Midge-orchid (Corunastylis sp. aff. rufa) Recently mistletoes have enjoyed a population explosion with tree thin- and the other Small Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus pusillus). The Dark ning for timber or agriculture. Gaps in the forest have allowed more light Midge-orchid has a single erect green cylindrical leaf; the flowering stalk into the canopy, so the mistletoe leaves do not have to compete with their grows to 30cm and bears up to 35 tiny nodding dark reddish-brown flow- shading hosts for light. Fewer trees also means less perches for mistletoe ers. The Small Mosquito-orchid grows to 20cm with up to 12 small birds, so the few trees left have higher rates of infection. Too many mis- brownish upside-down flowers and a single basal heart-shaped leaf. When tletoes in a tree weaken the host, and can encourage the spread of serious one of the Midge-orchids was examined more closely, the eye was attract- diseases and wood-boring beetles. Mistletoe infestations probably con- ed by the bright yellow of a paired pollinium which was stuck on the back tribute to “dieback” seen in many areas. of the thorax of a fly sitting on one of the flowers. The pollinium is the ☺ male part of the flower and contains the bright yellow pollen. Strangely the fly was motionless, and then it was noticed that a smaller bright green spider was walking about over the fly. We assumed that the spider had

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