CHARLES DARWIN RESERVE (WHITE WELLS STATION) WESTERN AUSTRALIA FIELD HERBARIUM Volunteers of the Bushland Plant Survey Project Wildflower Society of Western Australia (Inc.) PO Box 519 Floreat WA 6014 for Bush Heritage Australia July 2010 This project was supported by the Wildflower Society of Western Australia Support was also provided by the WA Department of Environment and Conservation NOTE: This Field Herbarium is to remain the property of Bush Heritage, in so long as the Reserve is managed sympathetically with the bushland, and the owners are able to care for the Herbarium so it does not deteriorate. In the event these criteria cannot be met the Field Herbarium is to be handed over to the Geraldton Regional Herbarium. For further information contact the WA Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983 Phone (08) 9334 0500. Charles Darwin Reserve (White Wells Station), Western Australia – Field Herbarium CONTENTS 1 BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................... 1 Map 1 Wildflower Society of WA survey sites at Charles Darwin Reserve - August 2008 .......................... 2 Map 2 Wildflower Society of WA survey sites at Charles Darwin Reserve – October 2008 ........................ 3 2 FLORA ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 3 THE FIELD HERBARIUM ........................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Organisation of the Field Herbarium...................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Vouchered Specimens............................................................................................................................. 4 3.3 Use of the Field Herbarium .................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 How to Care for Your Herbarium........................................................................................................... 5 4 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................... 5 APPENDIX 1: Native and weedy vascular plants found by the Wildflower Society on Charles Darwin Reserve, with reference to life forms, growth forms and conservation status .......................... 6 A report for Bush Heritage Australia Wildflower Society of Western Australia (Inc.) Charles Darwin Reserve (White Wells Station), Western Australia – Field Herbarium 1 BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Over two weekends in 2008, volunteers from the Wildflower Society of Western Australia (WSWA) Bushland Plant Survey Group visited the Bush Heritage Australia property Charles Darwin Reserve (previously known as White Wells Station). The purpose of the visits was to survey several areas of the Reserve, in order to provide a species list and field herbarium to complement existing floristic and vegetation information for the Reserve. Three previsits conducted during the year prior to the main surveys also contributed to the results. It was decided to conduct two surveys, one early in spring and one later, so that plants and habitats that flower at different times would be sampled. For example, granite areas flower early but are finished by the time the sandplain comes into flower. The first main survey was held on 22nd -25th August 2008, and was hosted by locum managers Len and Valerie Warren. Twenty-six participants established twenty-one 20 m x 20 m quadrats (A1-A6, B1-B5, C1-C5, D1-D5; see Map 1), both north and south of the homestead. Data was recorded by groups of volunteers led by a botanist or experienced volunteer. The second survey was held on 10 th – 13 th October 2008, and was hosted by managers Kurt and Andrea Tschirner. Twenty-three participants established a further thirteen 20 m x 20 m quadrats (W1-W4, X1-X5, Y1-Y4; see Map 2), revisited some of the August quadrats and made several opportunistic collections, including around the homestead. The purpose of the revisits was to collect further material of any plants that were not yet in flower in August (eg. grasses). Opportunistic collections were conducted to collect good flowering material for herbarium specimens, especially of plants that might not have been recorded in quadrats. The season for the surveys was good with sufficient rains for spectacular shows of flowers (including annuals) in most areas, especially the granites. Thank you to the recent managers of the Reserve, Kurt and Andrea Tschirner (and Geri and baby Maia) without whose whole-hearted support the surveys could not have taken place. The help and enthusiasm of the Wildflower Society volunteers and botanists and Friends of Charles Darwin Reserve were vital and they all gave generously of their time (over 4,500 volunteer hours for the surveys and post-survey processing). Participants in the previsits and surveys were Logan Anderson, Anne and Alan Bellman, Arthur Blundell, Kate Brown, Ross Cockerell, Geoff Corrick, Margaret Corrick, Hazel Dempster, Janet and Barry Dufall, Helen and Keld Frederiksen, Elizabeth George, Ann Gunness, Rosemary Harper, Bronwen and Greg Keighery, Margaret and Jeff Langley, Margaret Larke, Kristina, Arie, Aidan and Ella Lemson, Vanda Longman, Nina McLaren, Diane and Gary Matthews, Brian Moyle, Dorothy Perret, Phylis Robertson, Marta Rossignoli, Tracy Scott, Nina Stick, Alice Stubber, Lorraine Todd, Margaret Tyrka, Len and Valerie Warren, Pat Wenham and Mary Yates. The work at the Western Australian Herbarium, including plant sorting and identification, compiling the field herbarium, entering data on Max, compiling species lists and mounting, labelling and scanning the specimens, was carried out by Anne Bellman, Arthur Blundell, Geoff Corrick, Hazel Dempster, Elizabeth George, Ann Gunness, Rosemary Harper, Cyril Kelly, Georgina Lambert, Margaret Larke, Kristina Lemson, Melissa and Vanda Longman, Brian Moyle, Sue Pedrick, Dorothy Perret, Phylis Robertson, Alice Stubber, Pat Wenham and Mary Yates. Plant identifications were verified at the Western Australian Herbarium with assistance from the following specialists: Russell Barrett, Rob Davis, Malcolm French, Alex George, Elizabeth George, Mike Hislop, Bruce Maslin, Barbara Rye, Kelly Shepherd, Malcolm Trudgen, Carol Wilkins and Paul Wilson. The project relied on weekly sessions at the Western Australian Herbarium, using its facilities. The support of the Herbarium is gratefully acknowledged. A big thank you to all the Herbarium staff who have been involved in various ways in our project. A report for Bush Heritage Australia Wildflower Society of Western Australia (Inc.) 1 Charles Darwin Reserve (White Wells Station), Western Australia – Field Herbarium Map 1 Wildflower Society of WA survey sites at Charles Darwin Reserve - August 2008 A report for Bush Heritage Australia Wildflower Society of Western Australia (Inc.) 2 Charles Darwin Reserve (White Wells Station), Western Australia – Field Herbarium N Wildflower Society of Western Australia Survey Sites, October 2008 Charles Darwin Reserve ä Granite Well ä ä #S W1 ä 7 Mile # Well ä W2 # # W3 # W4 W an arra Rd ä # %% %ä ä %% %ä Y1 ä Homestead Breakaway Y2 # Well Y4 Salmon X1 # Gums # # X2 # Y3 X5 X3 # # ä X4 ä Smith Brown Well Well White Dam ä #S 0 3 6 Kilometers Map 2 Wildflower Society of WA survey sites at Charles Darwin Reserve – October 2008 A report for Bush Heritage Australia Wildflower Society of Western Australia (Inc.) 3 Charles Darwin Reserve (White Wells Station), Western Australia – Field Herbarium 2 FLORA A total of 554 taxa (species, subspecies and varieties), 527 native and 27 weeds were recorded from 71 plant families (Appendix 1) during the surveys. For more information about the project and its results, see the full report (Wildflower Society of Western Australia 2010). 3 THE FIELD HERBARIUM A field herbarium is useful for a number of reasons: • it allows easy identification of many local species • it can encourage people to learn more about their local bushland • it is a lasting record of the plant species found in the survey. 3.1 Organisation of the Field Herbarium The Charles Darwin Reserve field herbarium specimens have been pressed, dried and identified, mounted on stiff A4 cards, labelled, inserted in plastic sleeves and stored in 24 A4 lever arch files. The specimens have been arranged alphabetically in plant families and within families alphabetically by genera. Grasses, rushes, sedges and sedge-like herbs have been grouped together in one file; they have similar life forms and it was considered this would make identification easier for users. The weeds have been grouped alone in another file as it is considered important to any bushland management to be able to distinguish between a native plant and an introduced plant. Because of high visitation to Charles Darwin Reserve it was felt a reference set of species growing close to the homestead would be a useful resource for the visitor’s quarters. So a collection of specimens from the area around the homestead was made. A separate little field herbarium with colour scans of specimens has been made as a useful and durable ready reference for visitors. Each specimen in the field herbarium has been scanned and is available electronically in the accompanying