DIARY OF EVENTS: 27th February - John Sheely talking about his work as curator at SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS Inc. Warrnambool Botanical Gardens Warrnambool & District Group Newsletter February 2015 No 401 3rd March - Committee Meeting at Correa reflexa ‘Grannys Grave’ Sparrows
27th March - Speaker, John Incorporation No: AOO1312OX ABN: 51672752196 Web: www.warrnambool.org/sgap Sherwood talking on his trip to the Hi members, Lake Mungo What has happened to our summer this year?? While there is still plenty of time for the weather to heat up yet, we have had very little of what we usually expect of our summer months. Still this has meant we have avoided much of the bushfires 31st March - Committee Meeting that unfortunately we have had to contend with in recent years. Also the rain has been welcomed by our long suffering gardens of course. 24th April - Neil Marriott speaking about the new WAMA Botanical Bob Artis, Mike Halls, Marilyn Berry and I travelled to Hamilton for a Fred Rogers Seminar planning committee Garden planned for Halls Gap. meeting. As we have already announced, Hamilton and Warrnambool & District Group have joined forces to present the next Fred Rogers Seminar at Hamilton in 2016 on the subject of “Terrestrial and Epiphytic Orchids”. 28th April - Committee Meeting We inspected the proposed seminar venue at Hamilton and Alexandra College, this private college is well set up to provide all the facilities we could possibly need and we very quickly decided that this is where we would run our seminar. Our planning is still at a very early stage yet but we will have to start making some decisions soon so that we can begin promoting the event. Following a meeting on site we adjourned to a restaurant for dinner and on to the HIRL Rooms where Hamilton Group hold their members night where I was the guest speaker. Put this date in your diary, Hamilton Group have invited our members to attend their members night on Wednesday 19th August where Cathy Powers, Vice President of APS Vic, and an orchid enthu- siast, will give an overview of the orchid group - their diversity and distribution. They hold their meet- ings at the HIRL Building in North Boundary Road in Hamilton at 7.30pm. We will be attending earlier for 19th August 7.30pm at HIRL at another committee meeting. Let me know if you are unsure where to go. Hamilton. Hamilton Group has in-
Our speaker this month is John Sheely, curator of the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens, if you have been anywhere near the vited us to attend their meeting gardens lately you will have noticed how well cared for and welcoming they look. Congratulations to John and his hard where Cathy Powers will be working staff. Joyce and I have just donated 3 Livistona australis palms to the WBG. speaking on diversity and distri- Hope to see you at the next meeting on Friday 27th. Cheers, Kevin bution of native orchids. The Warrnambool & District SGAP holds meetings on the 4th Friday of each month at the Mozart Hall Warrnambool at 8pm. Next Meeting: Friday 27th February from 8.00pm Speaker, John Sheely, Curator, Warrnambool Botanic Gardens, meet at the RSL from 6.00pm for a meal, optional. Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter
Just a Short Note From Cherree Densley Plant of the Month, Hakea clavata
“The Doryanthes palmeri (Spear This time last year, our guest speaker was Paul Kennedy, who spoke on his Lily) in the garden here at Killar- favourite subject, Hakeas. I remember him telling us that if you took ney had one huge flower stem last cuttings of Hakea clavata in February, they would most likely strike easy. I year and now has a large number put in about ten cuttings and got seven to strike so the theory works. I will of fat healthy seed pods which are bring them along to the next meeting for anyone wanting to try growing it. I almost ripe. Is there anyone who will also bring along some cutting material for anyone wanting to have a go would like a seed pod and have a at this. I have one growing here at home which was struck from material go at germinating them in the from the one at Swan Reserve. spring? I will harvest some if needed. It is a spectacular plant Botanical Name: Hakea clavata but needs some room of course- someone might germinate them to Common Name: Coastal Hakea sell the plants at meetings or Location: Occurs naturally in the events to make some money for coastal districts of the Eyre the group. region of WA, extending from I have also collected lovely seed of Esperance to Israelite Bay. I Kangaroo Grass from a patch in photographed it at Cape Le the garden area at Mt Clay- this Grande National Park in 2007. particular form is much taller than the usual one and I grew the plants A rather slow growing small from seed collected from somewhere in the Hamilton area by Ken shrub, rarely reaching much over Arthur quite a few years ago. I could spare a small amount of seed if anyone is interested. I intend to (as soon as the Autumn rains come) of 1—1.5m in height. Leaves are putting one seed per tube- they germinate very fast. The long tail on the hard, fleshy and thick with a seed turns like a corkscrew as soon as moisture is detected and drills sharp pointed tip. Flowers appear the seed head into the potting mix. It is fascinating to watch.” in terminal and axillary, many flowered clusters in pinkish red EDITOR: Can you bring some along to the next meeting Cherree I am to pale pink or white. Easy to keen to try some. grow in a well drained sunny location.
2 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter
Yellow-tail Black Cockatoos in Warrnambool. Plants For Sale Going Cheap by Kevin Sparrow
Residents of Warrnambool will have noticed a large flock of I have been growing on lots of plants some of which I want to plant out at Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos around the city recently happily chewing Swan Reserve, far to many for this purpose. Therefore I will bring some to on what ever takes their fancy. Often we wake up in the morning to the the next meeting for members to buy cheaply see list below. sound of their distinctive call and many times we have looked outside our kitchen window to see up to 12 or more birds in our Banksia integri- folia having a lovely time chewing the banksia cones to bits. They leave Eucalyptus exima dwarf. I collected a big mess for us and our neighbours to rake up, but we love them. The this seed at Nelson in 2013. A very mulch is good for the garden and I’m sure this natural pruning is doing attractive small euc. Photo right. the tree good as well. Photo: K. Sparrow Acacia leprosa “Scarlett Blaze”, I have three of these, they came up under the one at Swan Reserve. Flower color could turn out red, yellow or something in between.
Pittosporum phylliraeoides, small tree to 6m which has very attractive weeping branches and masses of yellow flowers. Photo left.
Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp petiolaris, Michael gave me the seed of this tree from the Eyre Penin- sula of SA. Has very attractive red flowers, and is sold at nurseries as E. Leucoxylon “Rosea”.
Templetonia retusa, I collected the seed from a shrub form of this very attractive red pea flowered plant. Very easy to grow. Photo right.
Kunzea baxteri, has very attractive red bottle-brush type flowers, shrub to 2m, best if kept pruned. Flowers prolifically.
Photos: K. Sparrow
3 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter
Last Months Get-together at Tower Hill by Kevin Sparrow
Fourteen members and guests met at Tower Hill last month for a get together to start off the new year for SGAP. It was a good opportunity to use up the excess steak left over from the Bunnings BBQ that had been in the freezer since then and this was eagerly consumed by everyone there. Following this we all enjoyed a walk around the boardwalk trail where we ran into some of the local wildlife. The highlight of the night was when Michael Mattner nearly got kissed by an amorous emu. Look out Michael, she still has an eye on you.
An enjoyable, relaxing evening was had by all who attended.
Photo above courtesy of Facebook. Photos left: K. Sparrow
Please submit your articles for the newsletter by the end of the second week of the month President: Bob Artis, Brown St, Allansford. 0417 321225 Vice President: John Sherwood. 26 McConnell St, Warrnambool Secretary: Marilyn Berry, Tooram Road, Allansford. 3277. Phone: 55651562 Email: [email protected] Treasurer: Mike Halls, 127 Rooneys Rd, Warrnambool 3280 Phone: 55626519 Email: [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Kevin Sparrow 35 Swan Street, Warrnambool. Phone: 55626217 Email: [email protected] Publicity Officer and Librarian: Dorothy Mattner. Public Officer: John Sherwood. Phone: 55628064 APS Reps: vacant , History Book Coordinator: Joyce Sparrow. Other Committee Members: Kerry Artis
Warrnambool & District SGAP is a District Group of the Australian Plants Society (Vic) All members are required to also be a member of APS Vic. 4 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter “Sea and Riverside Rambles by Samuel Hannaford - 1850” By Kevin Sparrow
In 1850 a young naturalist, Samuel Hannaford visited Warrnambool and subsequently wrote about his observations in a book called ‘Sea and Riverside Rambles’. I have taken the opportunity to research what the plants were that he observed and what they are called today. Since 1850, there have been many changes in scientific names as knowledge has improved, many now have completely different names, others are difficult to accurately ID from the name given. Photos by Kevin Sparrow unless otherwise noted.
“……… let us again wander this bright morning to the Hopkins River, where we left our readers awhile since; but an hour ago as we peeped from our chamber window the rain mizzled thickly down, and we had well nigh given up all hope of a country ramble; but this was only what the Irish peasantry call the "pride of the morning," …………...we are soon away, shaking the dewdrops off the grass, the pink flower- ing Convolvulus, and the pale blue Veronica, or Speedwell. The Hopkins River is about a mile and a-half to the eastward of the town, and the walk to it is full of interest, but as the day is young yet, we may even linger on our way. Let us visit the little spring exuding from the rock near the tunnel, and gather, "en passant," specimens of the Colobanthus billardierii, which though an uncommon plant, abounds here, and then descend towards the Pertobe Lagoon, noticing on the embankment of the hill cutting the shining-leaved Trachycaryon Klotschii”.
Left to Right: Convolvulus erubescens Derwentia derwentiana [Veronica]. Colobanthus apetalus (Photo D. Pitts), Adriana quadripartita [Trachycaryon klotschii]
5 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter “Sea and Riverside Rambles by Samuel Hannaford - 1850” Page 2
“We stay on the water's edge for a time to note the elegant little Triglochin decipiens, (Arrow-grass,) the blue Mimulus or Monkey flower, and other plants which choose such moist situations……..towards the Merri River we find Ruppia maritima, (Tassel grass,) and the Brookweed, Samolus littoralis, a small white flower ever so slightly tinted with pink on a slender rigid stem. Passing near the Jetty, where are dense beds of the beautiful spathulate-leaved blue flowered Scævola suaveolens, we wander over the low sand hummocks which are so conspicuous a feature here; keeping all the way in sight of the sea, we observe the shrubby Pimelea serpyllifolia flourishing all along their ridge, and the gay scarlet flowering Kennedya, forming a gorgeous carpet, with here and there the flesh-tinted Caladenia, with its long lance-shaped leaf. Resting awhile ……we remember that we must take the track over the hill, to obtain two plants of interest, which we saw blooming there many seasons back without at the time gathering specimens - the one is the blue, leafless, waxy-looking Lobelia gibbosa, the other (and its abundance in this spot will prevent any doubt in identifying it) the Gentiana montana, which has delicate white or straw colored, corollas, beautifully veined with blue of the palest imaginable tint.
Photos clockwise Left to Right: Triglochin striata, Mimulus repens, Scaevola calendulacea, Kennedia prostrata, Lobelia gibbosa, Caladenia latifolia, Pimelea serpyllifolia, Samolus repens.
Note: Scaevola calendulacea is now not known from Warrnambool and consid- ered very rare in Victoria, mostly found on the sand dunes west of Portland. Ruppia maritima is a wetland plant also considered rare but photo is not available. Gentiana montana is questionable, its not considered to be an Australian species.
6 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter “Sea and Riverside Rambles by Samuel Hannaford - 1850” Page 3
The summit of the hill being gained, we have a pretty peep of the river through the clusters of Casuarinæ (She-Oaks), Cherry trees, (Exocarpi,) and Boxwood (Bursaria), which are left to ornament and protect the Botanical Gardens in course of formation on the bank higher up. Breaking through a thick low scrub of Beyeria viscosa, we approach the Hopkins River, through whose mouth the stream rushes by a narrow channel into the sea,……. ……..and the sun is getting high too, so we get ferried across the river, and wander along its banks, festooned with the yellow Zygophyllum billardieri, the elegant Myrtle flowering Myoporum, and the blue Dianella, until we arrive at the house of a friend, whose hospitable door is ever open to the traveller, and here we were entertained with much kindness, and even as Isaac Walton's hostess dressed his fish after his heart, so did ours, quite in accordance with our ideas of gastronomic skill. But we must not linger here longer than is necessary, and once more buckling on our knapsacks, we are in a short time wending our way with light hearts to the precipitous cliffs, overhung with dense clusters of the red-leaved Rhagodia nutans, the sweet-smelling white flowering Alyxia buxifolia,……..
Photos clockwise Left to Right: Allocasuarina verticillata, Dianella revoluta, Zygophyllum billardieri, Alyxia buxifolia, Exocarpos cupressiformis [berry], Bursaria spinosa, Rhagodia candolleana, Beyeria leschenaultii, Myoporum insulare.
7 Society for Growing Australian Plants - Warrnambool & District Group February 2015 Newsletter