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.