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The Clematis Spring 2012 Issue No 93

Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C

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BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. A0006074C

List of Office Bearers for 2012

President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614

patricia.mcpherson@bigpond.com

Vice President: Andrew Bould ph. (03 51566494

abould01@bigpond.net.au

Secretary: Fran Bright ph. (03) 5152 2008

franjohnbright@bigpond.com

Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541

Correspondence to: The Secretary,

P.O. Box 563,

BAIRNSDALE 3875

Web Site: www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au 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: happycats@eastvic.net

All articles for SummerClematis 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.

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.

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RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN.

2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind.

3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until

following car has also turned.

4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car.

Other members will return to find you.

5. The Car Pooling Cost Calculator is used to assist drivers and car pool

passengers to share fuel costs.

Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this

newsletter rests with the author of the article.

SUBSCRIPTION FEES

Single membership $30

Family membership $45

Mid-year fee (new members only) $15

LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dot Prout Phone: 5153 1303

• Books are generally borrowed for one month - however you can write on

the sign-out sheet if you wish to have it longer.

• 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

recommendation for the Clematis. This information could be from our li-

brary books or from other books that you believe our library could look at

purchasing.

CONTENTS:

PROGAM - September to December 2012 5-6

Thank You - from Fran Bright 6

Fungi Excursions 7-13

Landcare Photo Competition 14-15

Fairy Dell Bushwalk 16

Sarsfield—Wiseleigh 17

Dead Horse Creek 21-23

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CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email address’s for meetings and field trips.

Andrew Bould 51 566494 abould01@bigpond.net.au

Fran Bright 5152 2008 franjohnbright@bigpond.com

Pat McPherson 5152 2614 patricia.mcpherson@bigpond.com

Margaret Regan 5156 2541

Pauline Stewart 5152 1606 happycats@eastvic.net

James Turner 5155 1258 m.0427 290838 jameslynn@tvsched.com

Jen Wilkinson 51401258 wilkinson@gobushmail.com

Noel Williamson 5152 1737 nwilliamson7@hotmail.com

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS

Easy Flat, good firm track.

Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition

Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition

Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in

places

Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non

existent at times

Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km.

Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program.

Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District Field

Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet.

The Clematis is printed and supported by

Dept. of Sustainability and Environment,

Bairnsdale.

Front Cover:

Fairy Dell near Bruthen

Photo by Andrew Bould

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PROGRAM - SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2012

It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field trip to

notify them of your intention to participate.

The co-ordinator can then notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to

adverse weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

Committee meetings and general meetings will now resume after the winter

break

SEPTEMBER

Frid 21st General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre.

Speaker: Lucas Bluff (DSE Bairnsdale) - PhD project on

‘New Caledonian Crows’.

Sun 23rd Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club for a

trip to the Freestone Creek area.

Contact: James Turner

Sat 29th Annual Metallic Sun Orchid count at Blond Bay.

Contact: James Turner

Sun 30th. Bushwalk, meet at the Bridge Club at 9.00am for a trip to

Lanky Tom Creek area off Engineers Rd.

Contact: Noel Williamson

OCTOBER

Thurs 11th Committee meeting, 4.00pm at Pauline Stewart’s home.

Frid 19th. General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre.

Speakers: David Wakefield (Strath Creek) & Ron Litjens

(Flowerdale) - ‘Focus on Fauna’ -post fire surveys after the

2009 Black Saturday bushfires. Ron has a particular focus on

Powerful Owls.

21,22,23rd Camp-out, meet at 9.00am on the 21st at the Bridge Club for a trip

to the Crooked River area. This excursion will involve new

country and will not be surveyed.

Contact: James Turner for excursion and accommodation

details

Sun 28th Bushwalk, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club for a trip to

German Gully off the Deptford Rd.

Contact: Noel Williamson

NOVEMBER

Thurs 8th Planning meeting followed by a committee meeting at 4.00pm at Margaret Regan’s home.

Frid 16th General meeting, 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre.

Speaker: Faye Bedford (DSE Bairnsdale) - Current work on

‘Sea Eagles in the local area’. →

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Sun 18th. Monthly excursion, meet at 9.00am at the Bridge Club or

9.45am at the Red Knob at the Buchan turn-off for a trip

along the Tulloch Ard Road.

Contact: James Turner

23,24,25,26th Camp-out, meet at 9.00am on the 23rd at Bruthen for

the Omeo Camp Park. Included will be day trips to

Cobungra, The Knocker and Buenba Creek. Will involve

some moderate walking.

Not to be missed. People will need to book their own

accommodation.

Contact: James Turner

No scheduled bushwalk.

DECEMBER

No scheduled committee meeting.

Frid 14th Annual General Meeting followed by the Christmas break-up,

at 7.30pm at the Noweyung Centre. Please bring a plate.

THANK YOU

I’d like to thank everyone in the club for all the support & encouragement re-

ceived over the past 3 months since I suffered a bad fall in June. The result was

severe damage to my right hand which required surgery. I could not drive or

look after my husband. John was placed in care which was a most emotional

decision to have to make.

Without the encouragement & help of you all, I could not have managed this

traumatic episode in my life.

The assistance received has been amazing. I’ve been ferried to appointments,

driven to Eastwood Aged Care, taken shopping, had gardening help, buttons

sewn on, & cheer-up phone calls. I’ve been taken out socially for lunches, din-

ner, & one breakfast with Nepalese coffee! Wonderful stuff! I’ve also had help

buying my new camera & lenses at Hooper’s in Lakes. So I have no excuse now

for not continuing with my photography!

My hand has nearly healed – another 3 weeks they say. Can hardly wait to be

back in action!

Through this experience I learnt two important lessons –

1. I don’t bounce when hitting bitumen

2. Field Nats people are really special

Thanks everyone.

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FUNGI EXCURSIONS - 19 & 20 May 2012 by Margaret Regan

We were fortunate to have Geoff Lay come to our May meeting to talk to

us about fungi. Geoff is a volunteer working at the Herbarium at the Mel-

bourne Royal Botanic Gardens on the Fungimap project. Fungimap is a

mapping scheme for a set of 100 target species of Australian macrofungi.

The target species cover many different groups of macrofungi, including

gilled fungi, pored fungi, earthstars, jellies, corals, stalked puffballs and

stinkhorns. They include fungi from many environments in Australia

from the arid to rainforests. Most of the species are common, but some

are rare.

As of 2005, more than 20,000 records had been received. The most com-

monly recorded species is Rooting Shank (Oudemansiella radicata). We

saw this species on both days of excursions. The distribution patterns

shown up by this mapping are very important in informing our knowledge

and decision-making in conservation. The data establishes a baseline for

distribution against which to detect future changes due to climate change,

pollution, habitat destruction or other threats to species.

You can become involved in Fungimap by contacting:

The Fungimap Coordinator

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Private Bag 2000

South Yarra Vic 3141

e-mail: fungimap@rbg.vic.gov.au

website: http://fungimap.rbg.vic.gov.au

# Species included in Fungimap

Saturday 19 May

The first excursion was to Fairy Dell, out from Wiseleigh on the Bairns-

dale – Bruthen Road. Our first search was around the picnic area, then

later we took the walking track up to the rainforest area. This rainforest is

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classified as East Gippsland Foothills Warm Temperate Rainforest by Bill

Peel. The forest overstorey included Mountain Grey Gum (Eucalyptus

cypellocarpa), Red Box (E. polyanthemos), Gippsland Peppermint (E.

croajingolensis) and White Stringybark (E. globoidea). Later in the rain-

forest we were beneath Lillypilly (Syzygium smithii). An unusual plant in

the drier forest was Prickly Parrot-pea (Dillwynia juniperina) in bud.

With many eyes searching, fungi were quickly discovered. Of course the

structures we were searching for are only the fruiting bodies of the fungi.

The fruiting bodies produce millions of spores by which the fungi dissem-

inate themselves. Below the ground or in the wood being digested is a

network of fine white threads called the mycelium.

The first noted was the beautiful # Rooting Shank (Oudesmansiella radi-

cata). This tall (to 200mm) gilled fungus has a smooth brown slimy cap,

pure white gills and a stem which grades from grey-brown to white at the

top with no ring. Below ground the stem widens into a false root, hence

the name.

Other Gilled Fungi were:

an Agaricus sp. with a fawn cap, brown gills and a ring on the stem (the

edible mushroom is in this genus);

an Amanita sp. with a grey cap, white gills and a ring on the stem;

a Clitocybe sp. had a fawn dimpled cap with white gills that adhere down

the stem (decurrent);

a Coprinus sp. with a cap to 3cm with black spores;

# Little Ping-pong Bat (Dictyopanus pusillus) has tiny cream caps with

large pores beneath which are attached to the wood they are digesting by a

lateral stem. They were found in the rainforest;

a Laccaria sp. with pink gills;

Lactarius eucalypti with a brown velvet cap and stalk, and pale gills

which exude a white liquid when damaged. ‘Lact’ is Latin for ‘milk’;

a Lepiota which had its brown spores showing on the ring around the

stalk;

# Velvet Parachute (Marasmius elegans) has an orange to red-brown vel-

vet cap, pale gills and a distinctive two-toned (white to red-brown) tough

polished stem;

Melanophyllum haematospermum has a tiny fawn conical cap (to 20mm)

with the veil remains hanging from the margin. The gills are scarlet when

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young and then turn brown, while the spores change from dark green to

brown;

Mycena clarkeana, a gorgeous fungus with mauve conical translucent stri-

ate caps to 40mm with a crinkled margin and like most of the Mycenas,

growing in a cluster and with white spores;

the delicate Mycena cystidiosa, probably the tallest Mycena, has a brown

slender stem up to 200mm and a striated conical fawn cap. We saw the

abundant threads of white hyphae forming the mycelium around the bases

of the fruiting bodies;

# Ruby Bonnet (Mycena viscidocruenta) is a tiny species with a slimy

blood-red translucent-striate cap, paler gills and a slimy blood-red stem.

‘Viscid’ in English means ‘sticky’ and ‘cruent’ is Latin for ‘blood’;

a tiny black Mycena sp. where as in all Mycena spp. the gills are free from

the stem;

# Yellow Navel or Yellow Belly Button (Omphalina chromacea) is a

small yellow species with a dimple or navel in the cap which has a wavy

margin. The yellow gills run partly down the yellow stem. It grows in

association with a green alga. Lichens are also a relationship between a

fungus and an alga;

a Panellus sp. with creamy-white gills and white spores;

Orange Mosscap (Rickenella fibula) which has a tiny orange cap (to

10mm) and grows amongst moss;

Russula clelandii – Russula spp. have chunky-looking fruiting bodies with

colourful caps, white gills and white stems which break like chalk.

Coral Fungi:

Clavaria sp. which had orange single clubs. All Clavaria spp. have white

spores.

Earth Stars:

The fruiting bodies of these fungi have a double layer of tissue. The thick

outer layer splits to reveal the thin-walled sac containing the spores which

escape through a pore at the top.

We saw Saucered Earth Star (Geastrum triplex) whose outer layer is

spread star-like around the inner spore sac.

Spine or Tooth Fungi:

# Golden Splash Tooth (Mycoacia subceracea) – this tooth fungus looks

like a splash of gold paint on the lower surface of fallen bits of wood.

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With a hand lens, tiny teeth bearing spores can be seen. It has white

spores.

Woody Pore-fungi & Bracket-fungi:

Coltricia cinnamomea has brown caps to 30mm with a satiny sheen

caused by shining radial surface hairs;

# Beefsteak (English name) or Oxtongue (French name) Fungus (Fistulina

hepatica) is a bracket that looks like a tongue or piece of raw liver. The

cap is up to 25cm, pink to brown and slimy, with bright pink pores below.

It apparently tastes like shoe leather!

Postia sp. was so closely adhered that it looked like white paint on a stick

– the spores are produced in pores rather than on the surface of gills;

another Postia sp. had a chocolate brown top with a fawn margin and jag-

ged pores in the white undersurface;

Dog’s Vomit (Ryvardenia cretacea) is a thick creamy-brown bracket to

200x120mm which can be found on living and dead trees in wet forest.

Leathery Shelf-fungi:

Rosette Fungus (Podoscypha petalodes) grows on buried wood, and the

brown leathery structures look like pencil shavings;

on a log was Stereum illudens, a bracket whose hairy upper surface has

brown concentric zones and the lower fertile surface is a smooth purple-

brown with a pale margin;

on the same log was Rainbow Fungus (Trametes versicolor) whose upper

surface is smooth, but also has concentric rings of various browns and the

lower surface is cream with tiny pores.

Jelly Fungi:

The fruiting bodies of this group are gelatinous. They are usually found

on wood and fertile tissue covers most of the surface. Calocera species

are small, fingerlike, and simple or just branched, and we saw one light

yellow and another cream in colour;

# White Brain (Tremella fusiformis) forms translucent convoluted masses

on fallen timber up to 160mm long.

Vegetable Caterpillars:

These are highly specialized fungi that parasitise, usually insect larvae.

We found # Dark Caterpillar Cordyceps (Cordyceps gunnii). It parasitizes

moth larvae which live on the roots of Acacia species; in our area usually

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Black Wattle (A. mearnsii). The unfortunate larva ingests a spore of the

fungus, which then spreads its mycelium throughout the body of the larva

digesting as it grows. When ready a fruiting body emerges from just be-

hind the head of the now dead caterpillar (only the external skeleton is

left), and pushes up to the surface of the soil. In the Dark Caterpillar

Cordyceps these are a dark olive-green fertile club on a yellow stem.

Cup Fungi & their relatives:

Yellow Lemon Cups (Bisporella citrina) are discs to 3mm forming colo-

nies on dead wood, and dead cones of banksias and pines. It is a world-

wide species;

Cramp Ball or King Alfred’s Cakes (Daldinia concentrica) were in the

rainforest area. The fruiting structures are semispherical, brownish-

purple, dotted with tiny holes, and when cut have concentric growth rings;

Yellow Earth Buttons (Discinella terrestris) are discs to 10mm across, and

are found on the ground, often amongst moss;

Paecilomyces tenuipes

has a bright white

branched fruit body to

50mm covered with

powdery spores. This

uncommon fungus para-

sitizes beetle larvae.

Paecilomyces tenuipes

Photo by Andrew Bould

→

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Sunday 29 May

From Log Crossing in the Colquhuon Forest we walked a short way along

the old tramway. We were hoping to see some new fungi, so only the new

species seen are added to this account. We, of course, saw many speci-

mens we had seen the day before.

Gilled Fungi:

a Clitocybe sp. being digested by another white fungus;

Collybia eucalyptorum has cream-fawn broadly convex dry caps to 25mm

with cream gills and brown stems;

an Entoloma sp. with a black cap;

an Inocybe sp., all of which have hairy caps with a pimple, and this spe-

cies had brown spores;

a Macrolepiota sp. – these are large (caps to 200mm), tall (to 200mm) ele-

gant pale fruiting bodies with brown scales and a central dark pimple on

the caps, and a ring near the top of the stalk;

# Nargan’s Bonnet (Mycena nargan) which has a dark cap with tiny white

scales on the cap and stem. This fungus features on the cover of Bruce

Fuhrer’s book (see references). It was named by Tom May and Bruce

Fuhrer because in the gloom the scales glisten like the eyes of the Nargan

(an Aboriginal cave-dwelling spirit). Hence, no doubt, the naming of the

cave “the Den of Nargan” near the Mitchell River;

a small Pholiota sp. with brown caps and spores and brown scaly stems.

There were many of these specimens massed along a log;

Pluteus lutescens, a fragile species with a buff flat cap, and pale buff gills

which become pink with the mature pink spores;

a Psilocybe sp. where the young cap rims are connected to the stem by a

cobweb like veil. These are “magic mushrooms”!!

a Russula sp. which had a creamy lemon cap, white gills and no ring on

the stem.

Puffballs:

a Scleroderma sp. which is round and the skin splits and peels back to re-

lease the spores.

Woody Pore-fungi & Bracket-fungi:

a Fomes sp. – this genus has large fruit bodies forming brackets on living

or dead trees causing heart-rot in the living trees.

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Cup Fungi & their relatives:

Cheilymenia coprophilia has tiny discs with fine whiskers around the mar-

gin which grow on dung.

We moved on to Lake Tyers to the Cherry Tree Rainforest walk. This is

an East Gippsland Coastal Warm Temperate Rainforest which grows on

exposed limestone.

Gilled Fungi:

a Hebeloma sp. with a creamy–brown cap, pink gills free from the stem

which has no ring;

a Hygrocybe sp. with a 2cm orange cap and looked as if it were carved

from wax. There are many species of this genus in many different col-

ours. The spore prints are always white.

Woody Pore-fungi & Bracket-fungi:

Fomitopsis lilacinogilva has brackets to 160 x 80mm with upper surface in

shades of brown with a rounded pink margin and the lower pore surface

lilac. This species is found on many species of dead wood including struc-

tural timbers and causes a brown cubical rot;

a Hexagonia sp. which is a bracket attached laterally and the lower surface

has hexagonal pores containing the spores;

Rigidoporus laetus is a thick bracket to 100 x 70mm with concentric

brown velvety rings above and pores below.

Cup Fungi & their relatives:

Lachnum virgineum has tiny (2mm) white goblet-shaped discs covered

with short white hairs. They grow on the stems of dead treefern fronds.

References:

Fuhrer, Bruce (2005): A Field Guide to Australian Fungi. Bloomings

Books, Melbourne.

Grey, Pat & Grey, Ed (2009): Fungi Down Under: the Fungimap Guide to

Australian Fungi. Royal Botanic Gardens & Field Naturalists’ Club of

Victoria. ☺

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EAST GIPPSLAND LANDCARE NETWORK AMATEUR

PHOTO COMPETITION

Topic – “Native Flora Within The East Gippsland Region”

by Fran Bright

This competition attracted over 200 entries. All the images were

displayed at “The Stables” in Service Street, Bairnsdale from 4th –

10th June, 2012.

Prize winners were announced at the official opening on Friday,

8th June 2012. The images were quite impressive, the only disap-

pointment being that no Secondary School entries were received.

Congratulations to John Drinkwater, our B&DFN member, who

was awarded First Prize in the Open Section (over 18 years), for

his imaginative image of a “Flying Duck Orchid” – Caleana major

& also to member Fran Bright, who won Third Prize in Open Sec-

tion with the lily “Milkmaids” – Burchardia umbellata. Well done!

The Primary school entries were really outstanding with unusual

camera angles & creative use of subjects. It is a pleasure to see our

youngsters appreciating nature’s treasures . The little girl who

won First Prize was thrilled with her award – a camera.

East Gippsland Landcare Network are to be congratulated for this

very successful competition & exhibition.

Photographs next page:

Top: John Drinkwater’s ‘Flying Duck Orchid’

Below: Fran Bright’s ‘ Milkmaids’

☺

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FAIRY DELL - JUNE BUSHWALK by Pauline Stewart

The Bushwalking group headed off to the Fairy Dell area near Bruthen for their

June walk. The calm sometimes sunny winter weather was perfect for the 10 km

steeply undulating bush roads. At one vantage point a good view looking south

towards the lakes was admired. The walk was originally planned as 6 km but we

covered distance quickly and decided on the Fairy Dell Jeep Track which

snaked steeply uphill beside the Fairy Dell reserve to add a few more kilometers

to the days tally. It was good to see small creeks with water flowing and bab-

bling as there have been so many years of drought it has been a long time since

this has been seen and heard. On reaching the summit above the reserve a brand

new road sign showed us the way back downhill to the reserve along a different

track although our leader signaled an even longer detour (he was outvoted).

We stopped and found a log to rest on to have our well earned lunch on the way

back down.

The Fairy Dell itself when we eventually walking into it was in a sad state with

obvious storm damage which had brought down large trees and opened up exten-

sive areas in the Lillipilli and fern rainforest. On the uphill climb back along

Deep Creek Road we were entranced by the songs and mimicry of many Lyre-

birds. As we left the territory of one songster we went straight into another then

another all the way along. We arrived back at the cars mid afternoon and thanked

Noel for leading us on such a lovely day out in the bush. ☺

This way? No! that way. Photo by Pauline Stewart

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SARSFIELD – WISELEIGH - 17 June 2012 by Margaret Regan

# Fungimap species

Our first sojourn was at the corner of Eleven Mile Road and Fiddlers

Boundary Track. Today was a day for orchids and fungi, as very few oth-

er plants were flowering. Orchids here were Nodding Greenhood

(Pterostylis nutans), Trim Greenhood (P. concinna), the very attractive

Cobra Greenhood (P. grandiflora), the very difficult-to-see Fringed Hel-

met-orchid (Corybas fimbriatus), Autumn Wasp-orchid (Chiloglottis re-

flexa) which was just finished and Large Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus ex-

sertus). The burgundy Fringed Helmet-orchid flower sits on a very short

stalk on a single heart-shaped ground-hugging green leaf. The dorsal se-

pal hoods over the almost circular labellum which has deeply fringed mar-

gins.

Fungi were more prevalent with the gilled fungi:

Russula lenkunya with a mauve-red cap (to 100mm) with white gills and

stalk; a bright white Amanita sp.; # Spectacular Rustgill (Gymnopilus

junonius), a large fungus with gold caps (to 150mm), gold stems with a

high ring, yellow to brown gills and rusty-brown spores; a tiny brown

Bonnet (Mycena sp.) with pale gills, a cap with a crinkled edge and a pale

stalk; a minute dark brown Mycena look-a-like with a very hairy cap and

stalk, and paler sparse gills; a chestnut brown Marasmius sp.; one with a

dark brown hairy cap about 2cm, dark brown stalk and fawn gills; # Root-

ing Shank (Oudemansiella radicata), a tall species with a brown cap and

white gills; a red-brown Dermocybe; and possibly Green Skinhead

(Dermocybe austroveneta) with an olive green cap and fawn gills with

part of the veil still on the stem;

A fleshy-pore fungus was a very finished Pine Cone Bolete (maybe Stro-

bilomyces sp.) whose cap was covered with dense dark scales, with pale

pores beneath instead of gills.

Woody pore-fungi included Coltricia cinnamomea. Its round cinnamon-

coloured cap is flat and covered with radial hairs giving it a shiny appear-

ance. The pore surface below is rusty-brown.

A cream coral fungus looking like a cauliflower with blunt tips was prob-

ably a Ramaria, and there was another fawn one with thick clubs with

burnt finger tips.

One of the common overhead trees was White Stringybark (Eucalyptus

globoidea). We saw both the rarer Bushy Hedgehog-grass (Echinopogon

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caespitosa) which has the spikelets spread out in the inflorescence, and the

more common Forest Hedgehog-grass (E. ovatus) with a dense inflo-

rescence. Another grass was Long-leaf Wallaby-grass (Notodanthonia

longifolia). Plants flowering were Juniper Wattle (Acacia ulicifolia) with

phyllodes (leaf stalks) reduced to needles, and flowers in balls on long

stalks borne singly; Grey Guinea-flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia); Common

Apple-berry (Billardiera scandens), a twining shrub with bell-shaped lem-

on flowers; Hairy Pink-bells (Tetratheca pilosa) with hairless long flower

stalks; a Bluebell (Wahlenbergia sp.); and Blue Bottle-daisy

(Lagenophora stipitata) which has tiny single flowers.

About 3km along Eleven Mile Road was a mid-pink Common Heath

(Epacris impressa) so-named for the four indentations (impressions) at the

base of each tubular flower. Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata) was the on-

ly other flowering plant, apart from orchids, that we saw in bloom at this

site. The orchids were this time the Spurred Helmet-orchid (Corybas aco-

nitiflorus) which has two tiny white ‘spurs’ at the base of the flower; and

both the mosquito-orchids found in Gippsland, Large Mosquito-orchid

(Acianthus exsertus) and Small Mosquito-orchid (A. pusillus). The two

mosquito-orchids are similar, but the Small Mosquito-orchid has smaller,

paler and more crowded flowers.

There were again many fungi. The gilled fungi were the very beautiful

Emporer Cortinar (Cortinarius archeri) with bright purple caps to 100mm,

purple stems with a ragged ring, often coated with the rust-brown spores; a

Macrolepiota sp. with a fungus gnat; and a Russula with a fawn cap with

brown flakes. Ringed around a living White Stringybark, on the ground

and presumably growing from roots below, were clumps of fungi with

brown caps with darker pointed pimples, free chestnut gills, and pale

stalks with no ring, but just the remnants of the veil. An unrecognizable

gilled fruiting body was being digested by another fungus, a mould, possi-

bly a Rhizopus sp. similar to a bread mould, which was mostly white my-

celium, but arising from this were white stalks with black round sacs of

spores at the top.

There was a tiny white hairy slime mould. The vegetative body of most

slime moulds moves very slowly on damp decaying wood, soil, leaves or

dung. As it moves it ingests bacteria, mould spores and other small parti-

cles. When the time is right the body of the slime mould changes and spo-

rangium producing spores is formed.

19

We also found the very pretty brown Rosette Fungus (Podoscypha pet-

alodes), one of the leathery shelf-fungi. This has multiple funnel-shaped

fluted fruiting bodies.

The ants’ nests around had been protected with very high granular sides –

was this something to do with excess rain???

A further 300m along the road purple Hairy Fan-flower (Scaevola ra-

mosissima) which has long hairy leaves; and mauve and white Ivy-leaved

Violet (Viola hederacea) were in flower.

The fungi noted were all gilled. We saw what we call Pizza Caps or #

Vermilion Grisette (Amanita xanthocephala) which has an orange cap (to

50mm) with patches of white veil remnants, a pale stem, with no ring and

a yellow or orange rim at the top of the volva (bulge at the base of the

stem); a pale orange Russula sp. which may have been R. flocktoniae; and

maybe Amanita grisella with a grey-brown cap and white gills, stalk and

ring.

On Old Man Hill Road were the two greenhoods, Cobra Greenhood and

Granite Greenhood (Pterostylis tunstallii) which has up to 8 flowers, each

with an ovate brown labellum with a central darker stripe. Other plants

were Prickly Broom-heath (Monotoca scoparia) which had bright green

spiky leaves and white tubular flowers; and the yellow and brown-

flowered pea Spiny Bossiaea (Bossiaea obcordata) whose smaller branch-

es terminate in spines.

Further down Old Man Hill Road were again Fringed Helmet-orchid,

Nodding and Cobra Greenhoods, finished Coastal Greenhood (P. alveata)

and Striated Greenhood (P. striata). Striated Greenhood usually has a sin-

gle dark green and white striped flower with brown tonings with the lateral

sepals fused at the base and held erect with long slender points. Near the

corner of Harvey’s Track Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis) was in

flower. Sunshine Wattle has bipinnate feathery foliage and globular flow-

er-heads in racemes. We found the very common and attractive Scarlet

Bracket fungus (Pycnoporus coccineus). These bright brackets are found

on decaying dead logs and branches.

Our last stop was just inside the forest before coming back onto farmland.

Here we noted only fungi. There was a gilled fungus with a slimy cream

cap where tiny flies were caught in the slime, free gills and a turned-down

20

margin; pinhead-size white gilled fungi with decurrent gills; a Macrolepi-

ota sp. with a large pale cap with a dark central apex and dark flakes,

mushroom-coloured gills and a pale stalk; and an orange jelly fungus.

A very short excursion distance-wise, but many treasures discovered –

thank you James! ☺

Cobra Greenhood photo by John Saxton

21

DEAD HORSE CREEK AREA - 22 July 2012

The trip started along Reformatory Road in the Colquhuon State Forest

north of the Bruthen – Nowa Nowa Road under sunny skies. We stopped

about 1km along beneath White Stringybark (Eucalyptus globoidea).

Wattles were starting to flower, and three shrubs here were Myrtle Wattle

(Acacia myrtifolia) which has thick phyllodes with prominent midribs and

marginal veins, and globular flower heads with a few large flowers; Sweet

Wattle (A. suaveolens) with narrow upright phyllodes with a prominent

midvein and creamy-yellow flower heads enclosed when young by large

scaly bracts; and Sallow Wattle (A. longifolia) whose phyllodes have sev-

eral main veins and the flower heads are in spikes. An orchid was the

ubiquitous Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nutans). Two heaths were a

red Common Heath (Epacris impressa) and Prickly or Long-flower Beard

-heath (Leucopogon juniperinus) with spiky yellow-green foliage and tub-

ular white flowers. A prostrate red pea was Running Postman (Kennedia

prostrata). Tall Sundew (Drosera peltata subsp. auriculata) had tall

stems with hemispherical leaves along the stem, and along the margins of

the leaves were the lethal sticky glandular hairs. The liquid exudate on the

hairs glistens in the sunlight like drops of dew, hence the common name.

This liquid attracts and traps and digests invertebrates to give the plant the

extra nitrogen it needs. Many stems were topped by delicate pink flowers.

Two other small plants in flower were White Marianth (Rhytidosporum

procumbens) with white starry flowers; and Shrubby Platysace (Platysace

lanceolata) with white flowers in an umbel, as in other members of the

family Apiaceae like carrot and parsley. There were chocolate brown

gilled fungi with caps to 5cm and free gills. The lovely striped brown

feathers of a demised possible Quail were found.

Only about 500m further along were more greenhoods. This time they

were Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora) with its lovely large

flowers with reddish brown tonings at the edge of the hood; Tall Green-

hood (P. melagramma) which grows to 80cm with up to 20 small flowers

each with an obvious brownish labellum with a central stripe; and a rare

greenhood where the tips of the flower parts are reddish, which is still to

be identified by the experts at the Herbarium. It is similar to both Green-

striped Greenhood (Pterostylis chlorogramma) and Emerald-lip Green-

hood (P. smaragdyna). The wattle this time was Spreading Wattle

(Acacia genistifolia) with sharp-pointed phyllodes and bright yellow balls.

22

Another shrub was Privet Pomaderris (Pomaderris ligustrina) with velvety

brown hairs covering the leaves and stems. Two smaller shrubs were

Hairy Pink-bells (Tetratheca pilosa); and yellow Hoary Guinea-flower

(Hibbertia crinita). The grey-green leaves of Hoary Guinea-flower have

silky hairs on their upper and lower surfaces, and the midvein of each leaf

extends to the tip. A daisy was Brachyscome spathulata with a tall single

blue flower head and a rosette of basal toothed leaves. A climber was

Common Apple-berry (Billardiera scandens) with hanging tubular creamy

flowers. A little farther on were Myrtle Wattle, Bushy Needlewood

(Hakea decurrens), a large shrub with pointed leaves and scented white

flowers; and the Flat-pea (Platylobium montanum subsp. prostratum), a

smaller shrub with usually opposite ovate pointed leaves and yellow flow-

ers.

We stopped at an experimental pine plantation in the hope that there might

still be some interesting fungi. There were some bright yellow single cor-

al fungi which may have been Yellow Tongue Coral (Clavaria flava), and

red single coral fungi which may have been Flame Fungus (C. miniata).

The ground layer was mostly the spongy bright green bipinnate fronds of

the moss Thuidiopsis interspersed with the leaves of the Ivy-leaved Violet

(Viola hederacea). There was a dead eucalypt, presumably with hollows,

as the tree was circled with scat, maybe from possum or glider. The Com-

mon Heath here had white flowers. There was a different species of sun-

dew with the glandular leaves forming a rosette on the ground. In one ar-

ea, in the open on the side of the road, was a swathe of beautiful white

lichen (it looked like snow). The much branching lichen body was porous.

Growing behind the lichen were plants of Bushy clubmoss (Lycopodium

deuterodensum) which look like tiny light green trees. Their aerial

branches are covered with tiny leaves and spores are borne in cones.

Near the corner of Reformatory Road and Aquarius Lane we again saw

Green-striped Greenhood. An attractive fungus was Coltricia cin-

namomea, one of the woody pore-fungi. Its circular caps have concentric

rings of browns and have a lustre caused by the shining radial surface

hairs. Near the corner of Reformatory and Watershed Roads the Common

Heath was again red, and we saw the rare and pretty Nowa Nowa Grevil-

lea (Grevillea celata). The specific name derives from the Latin ‘celat’

which means concealed. This species was described by the horticulturalist

Bill Molyneux (Austraflora). It was originally hidden within the species

23

G. alpina (Cat’s Claws) or G. chrysophaea (Golden Grevillea). The flow-

ers here had their lower two thirds red and the upper third yellow with a

yellow pollen presenter. They may be red and white, pink and white or

apricot and white. The Nowa Nowa Grevillea can reproduce by root suck-

ering, particularly after fire. It is mainly seen in the Colquhuon Forest and

is believed to have a total range of about 100km. On a dead branch was

the leathery bracket Stereum illudens with the upper hairy surface with

concentric brown rings and the lower fertile surface mushroom pink with a

white margin. Birds heard here were White-throated Treecreeper, King

Parrot and Eastern Yellow Robin.

Along Watershed Road where the track had been slashed on one side was

Hoary Guinea-flower, the lily white Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata)

and more Nowa Nowa Grevillea. There were more plants of Green-

striped Greenhood, and the leaves and buds of Brown-beaks (Lyperanthus

suaveolens) were found. A lucky someone saw a Spotted Quail-thrush.

Along Dead Horse Creek Road the lovely purple Hairy Fan-flower

(Scaevola ramosissima) was blooming.

Thank you James. ☺

Poss. Yellow Tongue Coral fungi (Clavaria flava) photo by John Saxton

24

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