The Clematis Spring 2005 Issue No 65 BAIRNSDALE POSTAGE Victoria 3875 PAID Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C 20 1 BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. es are very narrow and roughened with tiny spines. The fertile fronds are A0006074C much longer, less divided and bear ‘combs’ which have pairs of pinnate List of Office Bearers for 2005 segments bearing sporangia in two rows. President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614 Secretary: Wendy Parker ph. (03) 5152 2615 Further along Six Mile Track we looked at the rare Nowa Nowa Grevillea Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541 (Grevillea celata) which was just coming into flower. The area is its only occurrence in the whole wide world. It grows on red siliceous or pale gra- Correspondence to: nitic sands. It is a shrub to 1.8m which produces root suckers and has el- The Secretary, liptic leaves to 44mm long with a hairy lower surface. Its flowers are red P.O. Box 563, or pink, shading to white or yellow. The white Common Heath was very BAIRNSDALE 3875 tall. There were many plants of Leafy Purple-flag (Patersonia glabrata), Web Site: www.eastgippsland.com/bdfnc so the area would look very pretty in spring. The last fungus we observed was the brilliant crimson woody pored bracket Pycnosporus coccinea, a General meetings take place at: common wood-destroyer. Native and introduced, soft and hard woods are Noweyung Centre, 84 Goold Street Bairnsdale attacked by this recycler. Many thanks again, James. 3rd. Friday of the month at 7.30pm sharp. No meeting June, July, August ☺ Committee meetings take place: Thursday of the previous week before the 3rd. Friday of the month at members homes except June, July, August when held on field excursions if required. Group Co-ordinators: Botanic Group: James Turner Ph. (03) 5155 1258 Fauna Survey Group: Jenny Edwards Ph. (03) 5157 5556 G.L.O.G. Lynn Turner Ph. (03) 5155 1258 Bushwalking Group: Noel Williamson Ph. (03) 5152 1737 Newsletter Editor: Pauline Stewart Ph. (03) 5152 2135 80 Bengworden Rd. Bairnsdale.3875 email: [email protected] All articles for Summer Clematis must be in by December 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. 2 19 Along Siberia Crossing Road (what an amazing name!) was the only patch RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: of Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa) in the whole forest. The whole 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN. patch was burnt maybe ten years ago, but seeds were released from the Members may proceed on the planned trip AT OWN RISK. cones and germinated and new shrubs grew. They are now very healthy 2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind. and proliferating and were covered in fresh cones. We searched for the 3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until cup fungus (Banksiamyces macrocarpa) which appears to specifically following car has also turned. grow on the old discarded cones of the Hairpin Banksia. There were very 4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car. few cones on the ground, but we found one with the fungal fruiting bodies Other members will return to find you. quite shrivelled, so we were probably several months too late. Some-one spotted a pale yellow coral fungus pushing up from beneath the leaf litter. SUBSCRIPTION FEES A branch of the Mundic Creek crosses Siberia Crossing Track again mak- ing a damper environment with Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Family membership $25 Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) and huge handsome plants of Single membership $15 Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei). Ferns were Common ground-fern Mid-year fee (new members only) $ 7.50 (Calochlaena dubia) and Scrambling Coral-fern (Gleichenia microphylla). One small decaying branch was covered with a suite of fungi - some very beautiful small Thelephores (leather fungi) which were a purplish brown, Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this paler beneath with a white rim below. There was a small dark brown newsletter rests with the author of the article. toadstool with a very long white stalk. A very unusual fungus was an As- comycete or cup fungus with little (3mm) white capsules each of which has a bladder inside which bursts through to discharge the spores. These were coated with a green alga. Just away from the creek a White Punk bracket fungus was attached high on a gum. Here was also a Narrow-leaf CONTENTS Geebung (Persoonia linearis) which is a tall shrub to 5m with deep red loose papery bark; and the Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) with a Program - September to December 2005 5-6 tall fresh inflorescence of many flowers. Deptford - extract from “The Gap”1985 6 Mt. Sugarloaf 7-10 At the corner of Old Mill Road and Six Mile Road was the Silver Banksia Melwood to Bullumwaal 10-12 (Banksia marginata). The Pink Beard-heath (Leucopogon ericoides) were Additional information - Water Plants 12 covered in pink buds. Two wattles (both very prickly) were Juniper Wat- Additional information - Bally Hooley 13 tle (Acacia ulicifolia) and the worst of the two, Spreading Wattle (A. gen- I saw a fairy - I DID! 13-14 istifolia). Both these wattles have their leaves modified to form sharp Oh my God! 15-16 spines. Those of the Juniper Wattle are up to 15mm long with the Spread- Colquhuon Forest 17-19 ing Wattle spines up to 50mm!! Wynne’s very sharp eyes discovered Peli- cans or Small Helmet Orchids (Corybas unguiculatus). Just as the rain started and without time to examine properly a Rough comb-fern (Schizaea asperula) was seen. These primitive ferns are not easily recog- nised as ferns; Their sterile fronds are forked several times and the branch- 18 3 CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS for meetings and field trips. COLQUHUON FOREST - 17 July 2005 Pat McPherson 5152 2614 by Margaret Regan Wendy Parker 5152 2615 Margaret Regan 5156 2541 A short way down Scriveners Road from Forestech TAFE College we Pauline Stewart 5152 2135 Mobile: 0419 522 137 found some plants of the Tall Greenhood (Pterostylis melagramma). As Jeremy Stewart 5153 0216 Mobile: 0419 384 240 well as a rosette of leaves this greenhood has leaves up the stem. The James Turner 5155 1258 flower stem can be up to 90cm high and bears from one to fifteen green Nina Wilkinson 5153 0216 and white flowers. As there had been around 80mm of rain nearby the Noel Williamson 5152 1737 preceding weekend there were some fungi around. There was a yellow and a white Amanita with caps about 8cm across; a Russula mariae which is a beautiful stocky gilled fungus with a pink cap and stem and white DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS gills; and a tiny orange gilled fungus which grows associated with moss. Easy Flat, good firm track. A little further along the road were Nodding Greenhoods (P. nutans) and Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition the tiny upright neat green striped Trim Greenhoods (P. concinna). We Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition turned onto Armstrongs Track where the Common Correa (Correa re- Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in flexa) was flowering. Amongst the shrubs with normal coloured red and places green tubular flowers was one where the flowers were cream. There was Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non also pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa). The Track crosses Missis- existent at times sipi Creek and the walking track beside the creek. The vegetation along Walks vary in distance from 6 to 12 km. the creek was damper and several ferns grew here along with more fungi Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the and mosses, liverworts and lichens which were lush after the rains. The program. overstorey was Blue Box (Eucalyptus bauerana). Bootlace Bush (Pimelea axiflora) showed its tiny white clusters of flowers all along the stem in the Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District axils of the leaves as the specific name suggests. Ferns were Maidenhair Field Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ (Adiantum); the tiny prostrate Necklace fern (Asplenium flabellifolium); booklet. Sickle Fern (Pellaea falcata); and Common rasp-fern (Doodia media) so- called for its harsh fronds. Quite a number of specimens of the Veined Helmet Orchid (Corybas diemenicus) were seen along the track. To find these tiny plants requires very sharp eyes. Attached to a log which it would be assisting to break down was a yellowy brown leather fungus showing concentric circles of growth. Another similar log sported a pale yellow pored bracket fungus. Other fungi were an Earth-star and an or- Please note this program could be subject to change. ange coral with very pointed branches. The Earth-stars appear as half- It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field buried small puffballs. When ripe the outer coat splits in a star-like pat- trip to notify them of your intention to participate. The co- tern revealing the soft inner spore sac with an apical mouth. A Superb ordinator can then notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to Lyrebird courting mound constructed of soil was just off the track.