Summer 2009/2010 Issue No 82
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The Clematis Summer 2009/2010 Issue No 82 BAIRNSDALE POSTAGE Victoria 3875 PAID Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C 28 1 BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. Others seemed a bit unusual for Brachyscome and it was then noticed finished A0006074C flower heads that were quite plentiful had prickles. List of Office Bearers for 2010 This must mean surely it was a Burr Daisy Calotis sp. but as far as I could see not President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614 [email protected] much like Rough Burr-daisy Calotis scabiosifolia that we are very familiar with. Vice President: James Turner ph. (03) 5155 1258 [email protected] A collection and photos were taken of the unusual daisy for further study. Secretary: Fran Bright ph. (03) 5152 2008 [email protected] On returning home and after a more through examinations were made. It would Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541 seem only one species fitted. Correspondence to: It was described in the Flora of Victoria as Calotis cuneata var. pubescens. A tax- The Secretary, on considered extinct in Victoria. Originally discovered by Baron Von Mueller in 1854 and not found since. P.O. Box 563, On checking the Census of Vascular Plants of Victoria – (Walsh & Stajsic Eighth BAIRNSDALE 3875 Edition). It was found the taxon has had a revision (Muelleria vol 16 ). It was now Web Site: www.eastgippsland.com/bdfnc 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 General meetings take place at: where upon the answer was soon received with much interest. Yes indeed the un- Noweyung Centre, 84 Goold Street Bairnsdale usual daisy was Calotis pubescens. Not identified for Victoria for 155 years. 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: [email protected] 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. Calotis cuneata var.pubescens Photo by James Turner 2 27 Along Black Snake Track on the way back the substrate was very grey RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: sand with big grass trees and Paperbark Teatrees. The only orchid was 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN. Large Duck-orchid (Caleana major). This amazing looking orchid has 2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind. flowers which resemble a duck in flight. The flower is inverted and the 3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until smooth dark labellum is shaped like a duck’s head and attached to the col- following car has also turned. umn base by a sensitive strap. This bizarre arrangement leads to the flow- 4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car. er being pollinated by the copulatory advances of male sawflies. There Other members will return to find you. was Bushy clubmoss and a lichen covered with bright orange fruiting 5. Car pool passengers should offer a donation to the driver for fuel costs. 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 SUBSCRIPTION FEES Blue Tiers in eastern Tasmania. It might be like the “reindeer li- chen” (Cladonia sp.) which forms extensive lichen pastures in the birch Family membership $30 forests of Scandinavia and the lichen woodlands of subarctic Canada Single membership $20 which are important feeding areas for reindeer and caribou. There were Mid-year fee (new members only) $10 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- Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this chids among the hundreds of plants we saw. Many thanks James!! newsletter rests with the author of the article. ☺ LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dot Prout Phone: 5153 1303 • Books are generally borrowed for one month - however you can write on CALOTIS REDISCOVERED the sign-out sheet if you wish to have it longer. by James Turner • 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 On a recent trip exploring the mountain county above Gippsland I decided anoth- recommendation for the Clematis. This information could be from our li- er visit to a remote mountain meadow a few kilometres south of Cobungra. that I brary books or from other books that you believe our library could look at had visited once before with a friend would be worthwhile. Then the season had purchasing. been very dry plus we were about 6 weeks earlier and the vegetation had not start- ed to grow much after the winter frosts. CONTENTS 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 Program January to June 2010 5-6 flowering yet were well under way. Mt. Raymond 13-16 Blond Bay Metallic Sun Orchid Count 16-17 Down along the moist flat nearer the creek were large numbers of Mountain Cann River 18-26 Golden Moths Diuris monticola. While across the Creek was quite yellow with a Calotis Rediscovered 26-27 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. 26 3 CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email address’s for meetings Handsome Flat-pea, Common Heath, Ivy Violet, Wiry Bauera, Shrubby and field trips. Velvet-bush, Royal Grevillea (Grevillea parvula) with a small leaf and Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa). Birds were Shining Bronze- Pat McPherson 5152 2614 [email protected] cuckoo, Fantail Cuckoo, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Fantail, Eastern Margaret Regan 5156 2541 Whipbird, Crescent Honeyeater, Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler and ex- Pauline Stewart 5152 1606 [email protected] citingly Cicadabird. The intrepid bush bashers failed to find the hop-bush, James Turner 5155 1258 [email protected] but did find Giant Bitter-pea (Daviesia laxiflora). The bitter-peas have Noel Williamson 5152 1737 [email protected] their leaves modified to phyllodes or reduced to scales and have triangular pods. DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS We backtracked to and down Nevilles Falls Track, and then abandoning Easy Flat, good firm track. the cars, walked down a very steep slope to the lovely Neville Falls on the Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition Thurra River. These picturesque falls really need a more descriptive Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition name. The road is replaced by a wide rock sheet (about 30m across) Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in which holds back a large dark still pool. The water then flows widely over places Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non the rock and drops about 3m to form the falls. The area surrounded by tall existent at times trees forms a large amphitheatre. Some of the plants close around the riv- Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km. er were Kanooka, Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Royal Gre- Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program. villea (Grevillea parvula), Narrow-leaf Logania (Logania albiflora), a shrub with opposite leaves and small white scented flowers in clusters in Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District Field the leaf axils; and Scrambling coral-fern (Gleichenia microphylla). There Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet. were lots of mosses and liverworts growing over the rocks at the edge of the falls. We heard a White-throated Treecreeper. 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 Nevilles Falls on the Thurra River Photo James Turner by 4 25 daisy (Lagenophora stipitata) and Shiny Buttons (Leptorhynchos nitidu- PROGRAM JANUARY TO JUNE 2010 lus). Again we saw Woolly-style Heath. There was a tiny Sundew (Drosera sp.) with a deep pink rosette of insectivorous leaves. Related to It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field club mosses was Swamp selaginella (Selaginella uliginosa). 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 At about 5.8km from the Princes Highway we again found Brachyscome adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.