Grassland Speices Geelong Landcare Network Orchids Daisies Daisies Lillies GeelongVictorian Landcare Volcanic Network Plain The native grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain provide habitat for a diverse range of animals and eg. orchids, lilies, daisies, peas and grasses. This guide introduces some of the main groups of species and will help the user recognise and understand the diversity of our native grasslands. Many species shown are found in grasslands of other bioregions such as the Dundas Tablelands. Grassland Species GRASSLAND VALUES AND USES The native grasslands are amongst the most threatened ecosystems in Victoria. They are important for: conservation of flora and fauna; conserving genetic resources for future use eg for medicines, plants resistant to disease and drought, food crops; Geelong Landcare Network reducing land degradation, particularly erosion and salinity; providing low input drought-resistant pasture; providing habitat for predators of agricultural pests; summer growing; reduced fire hazard (shorter than species such as phalaris so have much lower fuel loads); providing material for horticulture and for low maintenance, low water use landscaping; providing important educational and research Grassland Species Grassland Species Small Golden Moths Parson's Bands Swamp Everlasting Derrinallum Billy-buttons Common Everlasting Button Wrinklewort Blue Grass-lily Blue Stars Chocolate Lily opportunities and understanding our history and cultural heritage. Diuris sp. aff chryseopsis Eriochilus cucullatus Xerochrysum palustre Craspedia sp.2. Chrysocephalum apiculatum s.l. leptorhynchoides Caesia calliantha Chamaescilla corymbosa var. Arthropodium strictum GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT Evf – 20cm – KW 20cm – SC Vvf – 1m – LF e – 30cm – JH 30cm – KW Eef – 30cm – ES 50cm – RZ corymbosa 15cm – PM 60cm – RZ Diverse native grassland remnants are now largely restricted to small isolated remnants on small public land blocks including road and rail reserves and cemeteries and occasionally within uncultivated lightly grazed and often rocky private land. All remnants are subjected to a variety of threats.

Generally native grasslands should be rested and allowed to flower and set seed over spring and summer. Biomass reduction, eg. burning or grazing, in mid to late summer, keeps the inter-tussock spaces open, which is where the wildflowers live. Applying the historical management regime helps prevent further loss of species.

The moss layer in native grasslands plays a vital role in preventing weed invasion, even during summer when it forms a crust. Avoid soil disturbance (eg. by stock or vehicles) that breaks this protective crust, particularly when soil conditions are wet.

HOW CAN YOU HELP Geelong Landcare Network If you own or live next to remnant grassland, your help is needed. Please don't Geelong Landcare Network Common Onion-orchid Orford Leek Orchid Hoary Sunray Lemon Beauty-heads Milky Beauty-heads Scaly Buttons Twining Fringe-lily Black-anther Flax-lily Common Early Nancy change your existing management. The fact these grassy remnants remain means Microtis unifolia Prasophyllum sp. aff. frenchii A Leucochrysum albicans subsp. albi- Calocephalus citreus Calocephalus lacteus Leptorhynchos squamatus Thysanotus patersonii Dianella revoluta Wurmbea dioica you’re doing the right thing. Please avoid overgrazing, applying fertiliser or herbicides, 15cm – RZ e – 40cm – RZ cans var. tricolor Ee – 45cm – RZ 50cm – JH 40cm – JH 40cm – RZ 20cm – RZ 70cm – PM 10cm – PM ploughing, removing rocks or planting introduced species. Protect roadside grassland remnants and seek permission before doing any works (inc. ploughing and spraying).

CONSERVATION STATUS: (AUST,vic) (beneath photos on last line of text) Cc – Critically Endangered, Ee - Endangered, Vv - Vulnerable, Rr - Rare, Kk - insufficiently known, f - FFG listed

BIODIVERSITY AND GRASSLAND WEB SITES: Search ESAI, ORL, Sustainable Farming Systems for Steep Hills www.dpi.vic.gov.au SWIFFT-SW Integrated Flora Fauna Team http://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=SWIFFT Land for Wildlife www.dse.vic.gov.au/notes/ Ballarat Environment Network (BEN) www.ben.org.au

Greening Australia www.greeningaustralia.org.au Dundas Tablelands Tablelands Dundas Trust for Nature www.tfn.org.au World Wide Fund Australia www.wwf.org.au Basalt Rustyhood Scented Sun-orchid Pale Swamp Everlasting Cotton Fireweed Showy Common Sneeze weed Yellow star Milkmaid Pale Vanilla Lily Friends of Grasslands www.geocities.com/friendsofgrasslands Pterostylis basaltica Thelymitra megcalyptra aff. rutidolepis Senecio quadridentatus Podolepis jaceoides Centipeda cunninghamii Hypoxis glabella s.l. Burchardia umbellata Arthropodium milleflorum FURTHER REFERENCES: Eef – 35cm – YI 30cm – RZ v – 40cm – YI 1m – JH 30cm – RZ 30cm – YI 20cm – YI 30cm – PM 1m – RZ Eddy, D Managing Native Grassland Lunt, Barlow, Ross Plains Wandering Mariott, N Grassland Plants of South-Eastern Australia

Gibbs, J&R Grass Identification Manual - for everyone Victorian Volcanic Plain Volcanic Victorian ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Photographs donated by: Reto Zollinger: RZ / Karen Wales: KW / Yvonne Ingeme: YI / Paul McKenna: PM / Andrew Pritchard: AP / Jo Heard: JH / Dave Munro: DM / Elspeth Swan: ES / Liz Fenton: LF / Steve Clark: SC / Peter Robertson: PR / Fabian Douglas: FD / Melinda Thompson: MT / Roger Thomas: RT / Rod Bird: RB / Jenny Sedgewick: JS / Ian McCann (DSE): IM

Thankyou to Leigh Catchment Group for allowing the use of their brochure format. Bioregions Bioregions Cover Photograph by Reto Zollinger: Featherhead, Ptilotus macrocephalus, 60cm; Scoliid Wasp, Campsomeris sp.; small Ant, Iridomyrmex sp. Purple Diuris Leprechaun Greenhood Star Cudweed Swamp Daisy Plains Yam Daisy Smooth Solenogyne Yellow Rush-lily Bulbine Lily Arching Flax Lily Diuris punctata var. punctata Pterostylis sp.aff. mutica Euchiton involucratus s.s. Brachyscome cardiocarpa Microseris sp.1 Solenogyne dominii Tricoryne elatior Bulbine bulbosa Dianella sp. aff longifolia Designed by: Colourfield Creative www.colourfield.com.au 2007 vf – 50cm – RZ e – 13cm – AP 50cm – JH 50cm – RZ v - 60cm - YI 2cm – RZ 40cm – RZ 30cm – PM Kv – 1.3m – RZ