issue no. 104 winter 2015 executive 2015... · issue no. 104 winter 2015. amanita punctata photo by...
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Executive 2015
President
Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614
Vice President
Lindsay Simmons (03)5156 4771
Secretary (under the Act)
Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614
Treasurer
Margaret Regan (03)5156 2541
Ordinary members and
Coordinators
Clerical Duties/Club Enquiries
Fran Bright (03)5152 2008
Botanic Group
James Turner (03)5155 1258
Bushwalking Group
Noel Williamson (03)5152 1737
Newsletter Editor/ Website
Manager
Pauline Stewart (03)5152 1606
Librarian
Dianne Laws (03)5152 1768
Issue No. 104 Winter 2015
Amanita punctata Photo by Andrew Bould
SUBSCRIPTION FEES 2014/15
Single membership $30
Family membership $45
Mid-year fee (new members only) $15
www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au
MEETINGS
General meetings take place at:
The Noweyung Centre,
84 Goold Street, Bairnsdale
as per program at 7.30pm sharp
Committee meetings take place at:
members homes as per
program at 4.00pm
THE CLEMATIS Responsibility for the accuracy of information
and opinions expressed in this newsletter
rests with the author of the article.
All articles for the spring Clematis must be
sent to the Newsletter Editor by September 1st 2015.
Issue The Clematis99 Pa Page 2
RULES TO OBSERVE DURING 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.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS
Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km.
Easy: Flat, good firm track. Moderately easy: Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition. Mod: 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.
Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program.
CORRESPONDENCE TO: The Secretary, P.O. Box 563, Bairnsdale 3875
The Clematis is printed and supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1. To further the awareness and study of all branches of
natural history within the East Gippsland community
through field excursions, regular surveys, specialist
guest speakers and publications.
2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the
preservation and protection of indigenous flora,
fauna, habitat and important geological features.
3. To promote the formation and preservation of
National and State Parks and Reserves.
4. To collaborate with other groups and agencies with
similar environmental interest.
FIELD TRIPS
It is your responsibility to contact the coordinator of each
field trip to notify them of intention to participate.
The coordinator will notify you if the trip has to be
cancelled due to adverse weather conditions or other
unforeseen circumstances.
Please take note of safety procedures in your
Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc.
‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet.
This can be downloaded from our web site.
LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dianne Laws
• 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 library books or from other books that you
believe our library could look at purchasing.
CONTENTS:
Programme July to December 2015 3 Colquhuon Forest 10-13 Across Mountains & Plain 18
President’s Report 4 Luminescent Ghost Fungus 14-15 Lonely Bay Bushwalk 19
Suggan Buggan 5-7 Fungi Images 16
Bengworden 8-10 Wingless Soldier Fly 17
Page 3 Issue 104
PROGRAMME July to December 2015
JULY Sunday 19th Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club,to Kenny Forest. Leader: James Turner. Sunday 26th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club to Moormurng Forest. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy AUGUST Sunday 23rd Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club or 9.20am at Bruthen, to Alpine Rd. north of Bruthen and environs. Leader: James Turner Sunday 30th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club, to the Buchan Reserve. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Moderate Committee meetings and general meetings now recommence after the winter break SEPTEMBER
Thursday 10th Committee meeting 4.00pm Pat McPherson’s home.
Friday 18th General meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Simon Robertson from East Gippsland ‘Water Aquifer Storage & Recovery Project’
Sunday 20th Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club or 9.45am at Nowa Nowa, to the Orbost area and Bonang Road.
Leader: James Turner.
Date to be announced Metallic Sun Orchid survey at Blond Bay.
Sunday 27th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club, to the Bush Family Reserve at Meerlieu. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy
OCTOBER
Thursday 8th Committee meeting 4.00pm Noel Williamson’s home.
Friday 16th Annual General Meeting 7.30pm TBA
17,18,19th Spring camp-out to Mallacoota 10.00am Nowa Nowa or Melaleuca units in the evening. . Contact James Turner for details.
Sunday 25th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club, to The Sisters, north of the old Mitchell River weir. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Moderate
NOVEMBER
Thursday 12th Committee meeting 4.00pm Fran Bright’s home.
Friday 20th General meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Greg Fyffe ‘Geckoes of Central Australia’
Sunday 22nd Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club to the Dargo Road area. Leader: James Turner.
Sunday 29th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club to Blond Bay. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy
DECEMBER
Thursday 10th Committee meeting 4.00pm Pauline Stewart’s home.
CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email addresses for meetings and field trips.
James Turner 5155 1258 m.0427 290838 [email protected]
Noel Williamson 5152 1737 [email protected]
The Clematis Page 4
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Winter is here, right on the dot. For the Field Nats, this means that our meetings are in recess until September but the bush walks
and excursions are on going….the cold does not weary us!
For your winter reading I would like to record the evolution of the B&DFNC logo. When the Club was formed in 1960 Clematis
glycinoides was adopted as its ‘emblem’ and recorded in the Constitution. Lynne Turner, a member and a talented artist drew a
large spray of Clematis which became the image we put on our letter head and Clematis newsletter.
In 2013, the Club was asked by the Eagle Point Landcare Coastcare Group to support a funding application for a bat house at
Eagle Point and when it was built we were asked to put our logo on the new structure. As our Club didn’t have a logo as such,
Andrew Bould (another talented member) incorporated the Clematis emblem and the name of the Club into a circular badge to
facilitate this request.
During the process of publishing our Orchids of East Gippsland - A Field Guide in 2014 it became apparent that we needed to
upgrade the Club profile. To this end, Jennifer Wilkinson (yet another talented member) proposed that we update our logo by
including words that clearly capture the purpose of BDFNC and best describe our focus and what we do. Jennifer’s final product
achieves this whilst retaining and enlarging the lower section of Lyn Turner’s original Clematis drawing and incorporating the
Club name – all in glorious colour.
Our logo is now on our letterhead, Clematis Newsletter and can be used as footers and headers for emails. It brings a fresh and
striking image of and to the Club.
Congratulations to our talented members who have contributed to this evolutionary process over the years. You are stars.
Pat McPherson
President
Page 5 Issue 104
SUGGAN BUGGAN - 22 March 2015
By Margaret Regan
After a speedy start on a beautiful day, we had a long trip through Buchan, Murrindal, Butchers Ridge and Gelantipy to
our first stop at Mt Hamilton, Wulgulmerang. Lots of birds were seen along the drive.
Buchan: Straw-necked Ibis, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Red Wattlebird,
Rufous Whistler, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Currawong, Grey Fantail, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow,
Common Blackbird, Common Starling and House Sparrow.
Murrindal: Wonga Pigeon, Brown Falcon, Eastern Rosella, Superb Lyrebird and White-winged Chough.
Morning tea at Gelantipy: Wedge-tailed Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-faced
and White-eared Honeyeater, Willie Wagtail, Little Raven, Jacky Winter, Silvereye and Welcome Swallow.
Mt Hamilton is just inside the Alpine National Park and is over 1000m above sea level. On previous excursions there
had been a number of different orchids at this site, particularly greenhoods. The locality was very dry, and so finds were
fewer. The hillside is very rocky and the rocks were heavily encrusted with lichens and very dried out mosses.
We did see some beautiful specimens of Scarlet Greenhood (Pterostylis coccina) which is more rusty brown than scarlet.
Scarlet Greenhood is confined to this small area in Victoria. There was also the rare Antelope Greenhood (P. laxa) whose
brown flowers have very long swept back lateral sepals with tips that are recurved; Long-tongue Summer Greenhood (P.
aestiva) with a brown labellum; and a just finished specimen of Tiny Midge-orchid (Corunastylis nuda). Probably the most
noticeable plant was a lovely blue-green tussock which was probably Blue Snow Grass (Poa phillipsiana). A broom-like
shrub with minute leaves was Pale-fruit Ballart (Exocarpus strictus). The pale pinkish stalk of the ripe fruit of the Pale-fruit
Ballart swells and becomes juicy like a berry. This makes it attractive to birds that eat the swollen stalk and carry away
the fruit. The stalk of the fruit of the Cherry Ballart (E.cupressiformis) is red when the fruit is ripe. The only Common
Heath (Epacris impressa) was white-flowered. The small purple pea creeper Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina) was seen
climbing over other plants. There was one patch of the bright green cushion plant Twin-flower Knawel (Scleranthus
biflorus). This tufted perennial herb forms low compact mounds, and in this species the flowers are borne in pairs on the
flowering stalk. There were a few tiny and also a few medium-sized bluebells (Wahlenbergia spp.). There were two ferns.
Lichen species Photo by Andrew Bould
The Clematis Page 6
In the open was the hardy Rock fern (Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia) with triangular fronds to maybe 20cm; and in very
sheltered crevices, tiny prostrate Necklace fern (Asplenium flabellifolium) with small fan-shaped pinnae and sori with
sporangia arranged along the veins. Some lucky?? Field Nats spotted a snake, which on a later photo check, appears to
have been an Eastern Brown. These dangerously venomous snakes are extremely swift, alert, nervous and quick to
retaliate if provoked!! An Imperial Jezebel butterfly was also seen. The Imperial Jezebel or Imperial White has wings
which are white and black above and white, black, red and yellow below. The adults feed on the nectar of many native
plants, but the larvae specialise in eating mistletoe leaves. The caterpillars pupate in a communal web.
Birds seen here were: White-throated Treecreeper, Spotted and Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, White-eared and
White-naped Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail and Australian and Little
Raven.
After lunch we took the fairly narrow hair-raising road to Suggan Buggan. There are spectacular views of rocky
outcrops across the valley to the east. The geology is composed of rhyolite, a pinkish fine-grained igneous rock of
volcanic origin, which has a similar chemical composition to granite. The origins of the word ‘rhyolite’ are Greek, with
‘rhyo’ meaning ‘a stream’ and ‘lite’ being ‘a stone’. This makes sense as rhyolite is a lava derived from the melting of
the continental crust, and thus was once a molten stream that cooled to become rock or stone. The largest rocky outcrop
is called Hanging Rock. It is possible that Suggan Buggan’s name came from the Aboriginal expression ‘bukkan
bukkan’ which was a term used to describe bags made from grass. We were enchanted by the Diamond Firetails visiting
a tiny beach on the edge of the Suggan Buggan River, where they bathed and drank.
We also visited the restored tiny Suggan Buggan schoolhouse. The two-roomed timber schoolhouse was built in 1865
by Edward O’Rourke, whose family were the first permanent settlers in the area. A man called Ballantyne was tutor for
the thirteen O’Rourke children. The smaller of the two rooms was Ballantyne’s accommodation.
Back along the road we stopped at Goodwin Creek Bushland Reserve. Here we found Fisch’s Greenhood (Pterostylis
fischii), whose upright slender flower is finely striped in green and white. There was also the small spreading shrub
Heathy Bush-pea (Pultenaea procumbens) with yellow and brown flowers, and ovate strongly recurved leaves with sharp
points; Prickly Broom-heath (Monotoca scoparia), whose white tubular flowers rarely have internal hairs, unlike the beard-
heaths; and a fairly prostrate pink-bells Tetratheca bauerifolia with no hairs on the flowering stalk.
A slight diversion of about one km up the Seldom Seen Road in Gelantipy State Forest took us to a very gravelly area
with pink rocks. Here we saw Mountain Banksia (Banksia canei) which was flowering and being visited by Eastern
Spinebills. Mountain Banksia is a dense spreading shrub to 2.5m, whose leaves are shiny green above, white net-veined
underneath and the margins usually have irregular spines. The flowers are pale yellow with grey-tipped styles. As the
cones age, the flowers fall away leaving a naked spike. The specific name honours Victorian nurseryman Bill Cane, who
Suggun Buggan schoolhouse Photo by Fran Bright
Page 7 Issue 104
was the first person to realize that this might be a new species. The type specimen, against which all others are judged,
was collected at Wulgulmerang. There were some plants of finished Tiny Greenhood (Pterostylis parviflora). Other plants
were the low shrub Matted Parrot-pea (Dillwynia prostrata) with wide yellow and red flowers; and another rare species
known only from this area and Briagalong in Victoria, Kybean Wattle (Acacia kybeanensis). Kybean Wattle is a dense
rounded grey-green shrub to 2.5m, with bluish flat phyllodes with one vein and a gland on the upper margin of the
phyllodes. It has bright golden yellow globular balls of flowers in Sept – Oct. Interestingly, further up the Seldom Seen
Road is the rare Kybean Mallee-ash (Eucalyptus kybeanensis). Both of these plants were first described from the Kybeyan
area of the NSW southern Great Dividing Range near Nimmitabel. To Dianne’s delight there was a very large (c.
20cm) chestnut brown polypore with a chestnut stalk and a pale porous surface beneath. Was it the Giant Bolete
(Phlebopus marginatus) which can grow to one metre across and weigh up to 29kg? It is probably Australia’s largest
terrestrial fungus.
On the way back we made a slight diversion east along the road to McKillops Bridge to view the bird life on a large
dam.
Birds here were: Australian Shoveler, Australian Wood Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Grey Teal, Pacific Black-duck, Hoary-
headed Grebe, White-faced Heron, Nankeen Kestrel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, and Australasian Pipit.
Highlights of the birds were:
1. A very late calling pair of Rufous Whistlers at Buchan.
2. A Brown Falcon at Murrindal.
3. A Wedge-tailed Eagle at Gelantipy.
4. A suite of dry country birds at Suggan Buggan (great birding spot) including Hooded Robin, Diamond Firetail,
Fuscous Honeyeater and Turquoise Parrot.
5. The variety of ducks on the large dam at Wulgulmerang, including Australian Shoveler and Pink-eared Duck.
Plant list:
(Acacia kybeanensis) Kybean Wattle,(Asplenium flabellifolium) Necklace fern, (Banksia canei) Mountain Banksia,
(Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia) Rock fern, (Corunastylis nuda) Tiny Midge-orchid, (Dillwynia prostrata) Matted Parrot-pea,
(Epacris impressa) Common Heath, (Exocarpus strictus) Pale-fruit Ballart, (Glycine clandestina) Twining Glycine,
(Monotoca scoparia) Prickly Broom-heath, (Poa phillipsiana) Blue Snow Grass, (Pterostylis aestiva) Long-tongue Summer
Greenhood, (P. coccina) Scarlet Greenhood, (P. fischii) Fisch’s Greenhood, (P. laxa) Antelope Greenhood, (P. parviflora)
Tiny Greenhood, (Pultenaea procumbens) Heathy Bush-pea, (Scleranthus biflorus) Twin-flower Knawel, (Tetratheca
bauerifolia) pink-bells, (Wahlenbergia spp.) bluebells
Thank you John for such a lovely day, and to Len, Jacquie and John for bird sightings.
Diamond Firetail
Photo by John Saxton
The Clematis Page 8
BENGWORDEN – 19 April 2015
By Margaret Regan
Our April excursion was planned for Bruthen to Ensay North, but when James reconnoitred, he discovered that some of the
area we were to visit had been control burnt, and the orchids he wanted to see were not flowering. He had been asked if he
could help the Bengworden Landcare group with some plant identification at the Bengworden Flora Reserve, so we were
kindly invited to join them for the day. This Landcare group led by Jenny Robertson, is composed of primary producers
from the Bengworden, Meerlieu, Hollands Landing and Goon Nure areas. Despite the days before and after being rainy,
we were very fortunate to have a dry day.
The Bengworden Flora Reserve contains Gippsland Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis subsp. mediana) Grassy Woodland and
Associated Native Grassland. The area is included in the Gippsland Plains Conservation Management Network which
brings together managers of native vegetation across private and public land. The Bengworden Flora Reserve is managed
by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. We were therefore joined also by Andy Booth from the
Gippsland Plains CMN and Belinda Rossack from DELWP. Some spraying for weeds is about to be undertaken, with
African Love-grass (Eragrostis curvula) being one problem. Greening Australia will then be reintroducing some forbs and
wildflowers.
The overstorey for much of the Reserve is the aforementioned Forest Red Gum. Forest Red Gum has bark which is grey
with coloured patches which shed in flakes leaving a smooth surface; the buds are in clusters of 5-12 with long conical caps.
Other trees were White Stringybark (Eucalyptus globoidea) and Red Box (E. polyanthemos subsp. longior). This subspecies of
Red Box has bark which is completely box-type and the adult leaves are larger, to 14 x 3cm. Smaller trees were the two
wattles Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) which can grow very large in higher rainfall areas; and Lightwood (A. implexa).
Possibly the common names come from the colour of the timber. The adult leaves of the Lightwood are longer and
slimmer than those of Blackwood. There is little medium shrub layer, as this is Grassy Woodland, although the larger shrub
Burgan (Kunzea ericoides) may becoming a weed here, as it does in many other areas. One shrub of the prickly Hedge Wattle
(Acacia paradoxa) was noticed. This shrub has fine thorns on the branches and wavy-edged small phyllodes. Being autumn,
not many plants were flowering. Much of the grassy layer was grasses, such as Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra) and
spear-grasses (Austrostipa spp.) Another common component of this layer was Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia),
which forms a dense tussock of strappy leaves with central male or female inflorescences where the flower clusters have
spiny bracts. The plants are either male or female. One Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) was noticed. The trunk of
the Small Grass-tree is underground, so only a tuft of long thin tough leaves is seen, when the plant is not flowering. On an
earlier visit to Moormurng Reserve, swathes of this grass-tree were blooming, which was a lovely sight. Some of the small
plants flowering were Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum) with very prickly leaves and upright tubular bright red
blooms; and a bluebell (Wahlenbergia sp.). Two daisies were small yellow Wiry Buttons (Leptorhynchos tenuifolius), a
perennial with wiry branching stems, slender leaves with woolly undersides and flower heads with only regular disc florets;
and taller (to 1m) yellow Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum semipapposum) with many grey green leaves and flower
heads clustered at the top of the stems. In the potato family Solanaceae was very small shrub Forest Nightshade (Solanum
prinophyllum). The most noticeable feature of this plant is the hideous spines on the lobed leaves and the stems. Bearing a
few bright red berries was the small Nodding Saltbush (Einardia nutans), a sprawling perennial with lance-shaped leaves. A
tiny yellow starry lily was Golden Weatherglass (Hypoxis hygrometrica) with long slender basal leaves with long silky hairs
and a single flower. A plant of damp places was Centella (Centella cordifolia), a creeping perennial which roots at the
nodes. It has heart-shaped smooth leaves and tiny purple flowers when in bloom. There was also one fern, Narrow rock-
fern (Cheilanthes sieberi). It has narrow fronds and red-brown shiny stems.
Only two tiny orchid species were found. One was Parson’s Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus). Parson’s Bands is named for the
two prominent lateral sepals which are held down in front, like the preaching bands worn by some clergy years ago.
Parson’s Bands grow to 25cm tall with up to 5 white to pinkish flowers. The labellum is greenish with red spots. A rarer
orchid was finished Dark Midge-orchid (Corunastylis rufa) which grows to 30cm with up to 35 dark reddish brown minute
flowers.
There were also a few fungi. The first was a tiny orange jelly fungus like little upright fingers decomposing a small dead
branch. This was called Pretty Johns by one of the fungi lovers. It was possibly from the genus Calocera. Another was a
Page 9 Issue 104
simple puffball. When young these are covered with a layer of soft spines, but this falls off as the puffball matures, leaving
a round papery ball filled with brown spores which escape through an apical pore. One is always tempted to “puff” them.
It looked like the genus Lycoperdon. A large beautiful gilled fungal fruiting body was Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota
clelandii). This cream fungus grows to 200mm with a cap to 120mm across. The cap is covered with brown scales,
darkening at the centre. The gills are cream too and there is a ring or annulus around the stem. A large dead log was
covered with pale green crustose lichen, well plumped up by the rains.
Quite a few Wombat burrows were noticed. Out in the open grassland, we were fortunate to see a very large mob of
Eastern Grey Kangaroo, with about 50 individuals. Some slight disturbance was caused by a fast-disappearing, and
therefore unidentified, snake!! Birds seen or heard were Golden Whistler, White-throated Treecreeper, Crimson Rosella
and Noisy Miner (definitely heard!!). We saw ant nests with the surrounding lip built up above the ground. Was this for
rain past or rain to come?? A number of butterflies seen were Common Brown. Butterflies are quite difficult to identify, as
they rarely sit still, and when they do, they hold their wings upright together, and the major markings seem to be on the
upper surface of the wings. The major colour on the wings of the Common Brown is mustard brown with dark brown
markings and an eyespot on each of the four wings. These butterflies prefer grassy woodland and dry eucalypt forest with
a grassy understorey. The larval plants are native and introduced grasses.
Lunch was in the very comfortable Bengworden Hall away from the cold wind. After lunch we were introduced to Andy
Booth’s latest “boys’ toy’; a very sophisticated stalked extendible camera with a remote control used for looking into
nestboxes high in trees. Then Chris Lamin told us about her fish survey carried out in Deighton Creek in 2014. Deighton
Creek consists of a string of small billabongs and when rainfall permits it runs into Toms Creek. The surveyed area runs
alongside the Bengworden Flora Reserve and into adjacent private property. In recent years several groups have worked
with local farmers to fence some of the creek and begin weed control and erosion works. The Bengworden Landcare
group has been involved is restoring the surrounding habitats of both Forge and Deighton Creeks with numerous plantings
of indigenous vegetation.
Deighton Creek is close to the Bengworden Hall, so we went to see whether a bait trap placed earlier had been successful.
These traps are put in place for a maximum of 4 hours to ensure the specimens trapped would not die due to reduced
oxygen, as can be the case in small shallow pools of water, especially when large numbers of fish are held. During the
2014 survey two native fish species were found, the Southern Pygmy Perch and the Dwarf Flathead Gudgeon, with both
adults and juveniles of both species seen. A positive outcome of the survey was that no introduced fish were found. A
similar survey of nearby Forge Creek found Eastern Gambusia or Mosquito fish, a noxious species introduced to Australia
in 1925. It comes from the Americas and can grow to 6cm. It was introduced as a biological control agent for mosquitoes,
but is no better at that than native fish. However it is an extremely aggressive predator, competing with native fish, eating
their eggs and young.
The site we visited is called the Road Verge and it is a billabong of substantial size with heavy shade. It lacks any visible
aquatic plant life and has a stagnant appearance. During the 2014 survey a total of 95 healthy Southern Pygmy Perch were
captured.
Bingo! The trap had captured 4 native Southern Pygmy Perch. They were placed in a viewing chamber between two
pieces of Perspex, so we were able to see them close up, before they were returned to the creek. These little fish are usually
about 65mm long with a small mouth and large eyes. The fins of the males are coloured orange in breeding season, and
both the fish we viewed appeared to be males. They are usually found in slow moving water with overhead cover. They
are carnivorous and eat small crustaceans and insect larvae. They are ideal fish for mosquito control in dams and ponds.
Plant list:
(Acacia implexa) Lightwood, (A. melanoxylon) Blackwood, (A. paradoxa) Hedge Wattle, (Astroloma humifusum) Cranberry
Heath, (Austrostipa spp.) spear-grasses, (Centella cordifolia) Centella, (Cheilanthes sieberi) Narrow rock-fern, (Chrysocephalum
semipapposum) Clustered Everlasting, (Corunastylis rufa) Dark Midge-orchid, (Einardia nutans) Nodding Saltbush, (Eriochilus
cucullatus) Parson’s Bands, (Eucalyptus globoidea) White Stringybark, (E. polyanthemos subsp. longior) Red Box, (E. tereticornis
subsp. mediana) Gippsland Red Gum
The Clematis Page 10
(Hypoxis hygrometrica) Golden Weatherglass, (Kunzea ericoides) Burgan, (Leptorhynchos tenuifolius) Wiry Buttons, (Lomandra
longifolia) Spiny-headed Mat-rush, (Solanum prinophyllum) Forest Nightshade, (Themeda triandra) Kangaroo Grass,
(Wahlenbergia sp.) bluebell, (Xanthorrhoea minor) Small Grass-tree
Thank you very much for an enjoyable day to James and our hosts, the Bengworden Landcare group, Andy Booth,
Belinda Rossack and Chris Lamin.
COLQUHUON FOREST - 17 May 2015
By Margaret Regan
On a beautiful day in autumn, a goodly number of Field Nats met at the corner of Bruce Road and the Princes Highway.
It was a great day for fungi, and too many to describe were found. The photographers were in their element, and many
spent much of the day on their tummies. Our first stop was just a short way north up Bruce Road, still opposite the Lakes
Entrance sewage farm. Some of the overhead trees were Blue Box (Eucalyptus bauerana) which has fine grey box-type
bark, greyish ovate leaves and buds in clusters of 3-7; and Gippsland Red Ironbark (E. tricarpa) with deeply fissured dark
bark, and buds in 3s. Some of the trees were parasitised by red and yellow-flowered Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema
pendulum). The flowers are in groups of 3 on a common stalk with the central flower sessile (with no stalk of its own).
Gilled fungi on the small track we strolled along were:
One with a green cap to 5cm with yellow gills and a cream stalk was probably Green Skinhead (Dermocybe austroveneta);
the stocky purple Emporer Cortinar (Cortinarius archeri) which has a frilly ring around the stalk often covered in the rust-
brown spores;
a mid brown toadstool with a cap to 9cm with dark brown gills, and a pale stalk and pale frilly annulus or ring around the
stalk (the remains of the veil that originally covered the gills);
a white Amanita whose cap had frilly edges and fawn scales, the stalk and gills were pale and the tan frilly annulus was
near the top of the stalk (did the tan mean it was covered with spores??);
the lovely white Amanita ananiceps whose cap grows to 8cm and is covered by the remnants of the veil; these remnants can
also hang around the edge of the cap; the white gills are free;
the beautiful Rooting Shank (Xerula australis) with a shiny dark brown cap (to 8cm), a very long white stalk and white
gills;
and a minute orange gilled fruiting body whose cap was 2mm across with a stalk 2cm high growing with moss.
Green Skinhead (Dermocybe austroveneta)
Photo by Dianne Laws
Page 11 Issue 104
Woody pore-fungi:
Coltricia cinnamomea has slightly funnel-shaped caps to 5cm with concentric bands of cinnamon to orange-brown; the satiny
surface is caused by shining radial surface hairs.
Leathery shelf-fungi:
Pencil-shaving or Rosette Fungus (Polyscypha petalodes) has funnel-shaped fruiting bodies forming rosettes that are brown
with pale edges to the frills;
Small flowering plants were mauve Cut-leaf Daisy (Brachyscome multifida); mid pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa); and
a small patch of Woolly Grevillea (Grevillea lanigera) which has soft hairy leaves and red/pink/cream flowers, was in bud.
There were a small number of orchids flowering. These were Large Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus exsertus) whose heart-
shaped leaf is green above and purple below; Autumn Wasp-orchid (Chiloglottis reflexa) whose labellum has a mass of shiny
black calli; Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora) where the petals making up the hood with the dorsal sepal, are brown
and flared out; and Spurred Helmet-orchid (Corybas aconitiflorus) which has spurs on the stem below the flower, and a
hooded dorsal sepal enclosing the column and labellum.
Birds were Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail and Rainbow Lorikeet. Without our experts, Jacquie and
Len, we were a bit light on for birds on the day. Many of us aren’t that good at identifying birds by their calls, and we
can’t ask James about absolutely everything!! Large jawbones were presumed to be those of Sambar Deer, which are now
spreading all over East Gippsland and causing much destruction. (I’ve even had a male Sambar Deer in my garden trying
to destroy my precious Wollemi Pine!!) On a bit of a hillock along the track 5 or 6 bright tiny Red Velvet Mites were
wandering about. Their body length was about 5mm. They are closely related to spiders with eight legs and tiny lobster-
like claws that serve as mouthparts. They are usually found in leaf litter and prey on other mites and their eggs, and the
eggs of insects and snails. They are also closely related to ticks, and the larvae attach themselves to a variety of insects such
as gnats and grasshoppers and suck their blood. They appear to be known world-wide. The oil of a red spider mite is used
in traditional Indian medicine to treat paralysis. Due to their alleged ability to increase sexual desire, they are known in
India as “Indian Viagra”!! It should be noted that mosquitoes were very prevalent at this site!!
We then visited the quarry which was the source of the pink granite used to renovate the entrance to the Gippsland Lakes
at Lakes Entrance. The original timber pylons of the entrance were severely damaged by toredo worm. From 1910 until
the mid 1930s, the granite was moved by a tramway 13km down alongside Mississippi Creek, until the creek was wide
enough for the stone to be loaded onto barges and transported to the entrance to replace the wooden pylons. Some of the
pink granite was also used for other projects in Lakes Entrance and Melbourne. Some of the overhead trees with stunning
white trunks were Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which mostly grows near water courses. Lovely gilled fungi were a
white Amanita with a frilly-edged cap and a double frilled annulus, possibly ananiceps again; the stocky Russula lenkunya
with a deep pink cap and pure white gills and stalk; and a tiny 2cm fawn Bonnet (Mycena sp.) where the cap had a dark
central button. A Yellow Robin was seen in its usual pose hanging off the side of a tree trunk.
Further north along Bruce Road beneath Silvertop Ash (Eucalyptus sieberi) which has dark fissured bark on the lower trunk
with smooth white branches above, Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis) was just finishing flowering and a lovely patch of
Sweet Wattle (A. suaveolens) was in full bloom. Sweet Wattle has long (and thankfully not prickly) phyllodes and pale
lemon scented flowers clustered in balls. Here were more Spurred Helmet-orchid. A fungus found was probably the
chunky Rhubarb Bolete (Boletellus obscurecoccineus) which had a burgundy cap to 8cm, the pored undersurface containing
the spores was yellow and the stalk was burgundy.
We lunched at one of our favourite spots along Siberia Crossing Road; the only patch of Hairpin Banksia (Banksia
spinulosa) for many kilometres. This shrub has very narrow leaves and the cones, when mature, are covered with bright
orange flowers, each of which has a long black style. The sun was out, and both the Hairpin Banksia and the
accompanying smaller Silver Banksia (B. marginata) with truncated notched leaves, were flowering, so we were entertained
by the calls and activity of lots of honeyeaters. These included Red and Little Wattlebirds who were patrolling the area
and endeavouring to keep all the other birds away from their treat. Smaller birds were New Holland Honeyeater and
Eastern Spinebill, with Welcome Swallow swooping through the trees, and out to the open logged area across the road.
We searched and found old cones lying on the damp ground, which had been infected with the specific fungus for the
The Clematis Page 12
Hairpin Banksia. Large Banksia Cup (Banksiamyces macrocarpus) is blue and the cups grow out from between the seed
follicles. Presumably the unseen mycelium of the fungus is inside the cone recycling it, and returning some of the
nutrients to the soil. Two other interesting fungi were a golden yellow coral with very divided tips; and small orange cups
to about 10mm diameter. Unfortunately a dead Boobook Owl was also discovered, and it was believed that it was only
recently dead, as rigour mortis hadn’t set in. Small plants were the gorgeous straggling herb purple Hairy Fan-flower
(Scaevola ramosissima); a very wiry tall bluebell (Wahlenbergia sp.); Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) whose trunk is
underground; and Thatch Saw-sedge (Gahnia radula) which is a tufted perennial with a rhizome with long erect leaf blades
and a long brown inflorescence.
At the corner of Lambournes Break and Rail Crossing Road, the vegetation on one side was recovering from past logging,
and although there were no trees, there were lots of smaller plants. Here white, deep pink and red Common Heath were
growing. Again we saw Hairy Fan-flower, but also two member of the family Apiaceae which includes parsley and carrot.
The family is defined by the umbrella-shaped inflorescence. The two species were small white to pink Shrubby Platysace
(Platysace lanceolata) with clusters of tiny flowers at the ends of the branches; and Woolly Xanthosia (Xanthosia pilosa) with
trifoliate hairy leaves and inflorescences with a few greenish flowers. An Eastern Spinebill was busily calling.
Down into a gully along Lambournes Break, we stopped at Stony Creek which runs down to Toorloo Arm, part of Lake
Tyers. A Superb Lyrebird was calling loudly all the time we were there, but not obviously copying the calls of other birds.
In this moister environment the tall shrub Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) which has large leaves with prominent
veins and rusty star-shaped hairs on their lower surfaces, was growing. Another shrub was Lance Beard-heath (Leucopogon
lanceolatus) which has spikes of white tubular flowers with hairy throats. Hanging down the banks of the roadside was
Common Maidenhair (Adiantum aethiopicum). Of course these damp roadside cuttings were great for mosses, liverworts,
lichens and fungi. Again we saw the Pencil Shaving Fungus. Other gilled fruiting bodies were a very young unopened
one, probably Amanita umbrinella, which has grey-brown caps with large cream scales, and a pale stem and veil covering
the gills until it matures; and a group of tan funnel-shaped fungi with long gills and short stalks. There was a patch of
fawn, mostly single, coral fungi, and on a rotting branch some tiny orange discs with simple margins.
Sweet Wattle (Acacia suaveolens) Photo by Dianne Laws
Page 13 Issue 104
Plant list
(Acacia suaveolens) Sweet Wattle, (A. terminalis) Sunshine Wattle, (Acianthus exsertus) Large Mosquito-orchid, (Adiantum
aethiopicum) Common Maidenhair, (Amyema pendulum) Drooping Mistletoe, (Banksia marginata) Silver Banksia, (B.
spinulosa) Hairpin Banksia, (Brachyscome multifida) Cut-leaf Daisy, (Chiloglottis reflexa) Autumn Wasp-orchid, (Corybas
aconitiflorus) Spurred Helmet-orchid, (Epacris impressa) Common Heath, (Eucalyptus bauerana) Blue Box, (E. sieberi)
Silvertop Ash, (E. tricarpa) Gippsland Red Ironbark, (E. viminalis) Manna Gum, (Gahnia radula) Thatch Saw-sedge,
(Grevillea lanigera) Woolly Grevillea, (Leucopogon lanceolatus) Lance Beard-heath, (Platysace lanceolata) Shrubby Platysace,
(Pomaderris aspera) Hazel Pomaderris, (Pterostylis grandiflora) Cobra Greenhood, (Scaevola ramosissima) Hairy Fan-flower,
(Wahlenbergia sp.) bluebell, (Xanthorrhoea minor) Small Grass-tree, (Xanthosia pilosa) Woolly Xanthosia
Fungi list:
Amanita ananiceps, A. umbrinella, (Banksiamyces macrocarpus) Large Banksia Cup, (Boletellus obscurecoccineus) Rhubarb Bolete,
Coltricia cinnamomea, (Cortinarius archeri) Emporer Cortinar, (Dermocybe austroveneta) Green Skinhead, (Mycena sp.) bonnet
(Polyscypha petalodes) Pencil-shaving or Rosette Fungus, Russula lenkunya, (Xerula australis) Rooting Shank
Major reference for fungi: Fuhrer, Bruce (2005). “A Field Guide to Australian Fungi.” Blooming Books P/L, Melb,
Aust.
What a lovely day, thank you James.
Emporer cortinar (Cortinarius archeri) Photo by Andrew Bould
The Clematis Page 14
LUMINESCENT GHOST FUNGI
By Andrew Bould
Recently, there has been a fantastic display of the luminescent Ghost Fungi, Omphalotus nidiformis growing around the
base and up the trunk of a dead saw banksia on Raymond Island.
The fungus forms caps up to 25cm across, is slightly funnel shaped with brown, grey or purple central regions on the cap
and white gills.
It is fairly common on Raymond Island and throughout East Gippsland preferring a damp habitat and is often on dead
trees including wattles, boobialla and banksia and living trees, especially eucalypts, and is very poisonous.
It is estimated that there are more than 90 species world wide of fungi that glow in the dark and the luminescence is
considered to be an attractant to insects to the fungi that having visited the fungi, move away to another site spreading
the fungi spores.
The glowing, known as bioluminescence results from a chemical reaction releasing light occurring when an enzyme,
called a luciferase catalyses a molecule called luciferin.
To the natural eye, ghost fungus appears to be emitting yellow-white light, but when captured by the camera is a green-
white light making a great but challenging subject to photograph.
Not only was a long time exposure required, we had to work early mornings (2am to 6am) around the approaching full
moon with minimal darkness between moonset and twilight when the luminescence stops.
Photographing the Luminescent Fungi
For those interested in photography, I used my Olympus E5 camera with a 12-60mm (24-120mm equivalent), f2.8-4
wide angle lens & lens hood, Auto white balance, ISO 200 with time exposure set on Bulb and mounted on a tripod. It
was certainly a case of practice to get an image as I had never used Bulb setting on the camera before and contacted
Olympus for some further technical details that I couldn’t locate in the user manual.
I learnt that my camera (and many other brands) was limited to a maximum 30 minute time exposure on Bulb setting
and using ISO greater than 200 created considerable ‘noise’ in the image. A 15 minute exposure was acceptable for close
up photography and 20 minutes for wide-angle photographs. Another function was to have the camera’s noise filter set
to maximum. Also, the shutter release did not have a turn on and off function and had to be held down for the duration
of the exposure which was overcome by sticking book binding tape and a small button to hold the shutter down. The
camera takes the same time to process the image as it does to take the exposure, so a 30 minute image took an hour
before having the image to observe.
My old Olympus E-300 was taken from the camera collection, recharged and used as a second camera to photograph
insects at night while awaiting the fungi exposure.
All images had to have lighting adjustments in Photoshop and any noise present removed by cloning.
The images show the daytime photograph of the fungi and the corresponding luminescence at night.
Page 15 Issue 104
The Clematis Page 16
FUNGI IMAGES
Podoscypha petlodes Photo by Fran Bright
Bolletellus obscurecoccineus Photo by Andrew Bould
The Boletes are closely related to the agarics (gilled fungi) and have a porous layer structure
instead of gills with smooth to very scaly caps. They can vary in size and some display a colour change when damaged or cut.
Boletes are often a host food source to many insect larvae and are commonly attacked by mould
fungi.
Bolletellus obscurecoccineus is easily identified by its bright red cap and stem and yellow pore
layer.
Page 17 Issue 104
Wingless Soldier Fly - female Photo by Pauline Stewart
This species of fly has wingless females and males who can fly. The larvae of a number of species in this family are found
in damp soil or rotting vegetation, and while some species in this family can cause some problems in crop situations,
they are considered harmless in a domestic situation. When they are in peoples’ gardens the females climb fences or
walls and drop their eggs to the ground. These flies can sometimes emerge from pot plants.
They emerge usually in May from the ground, especially near introduced trees and make long silk webs (up to 10m) and
are airborne on warm windy days. The insect is a species of native fly from the family Stratiomyidae.
Identification and information from: Andrew Bould and the Melbourne Museum Discovery Centre
WINGLESS SOLDIER FLY (Boreoides subulatus)
The Clematis Page 18
KEITH CHURCHILL ROGERS
There is surely no better way to perpetuate the memory of great people than by publishing an anthology of their writings.
Back in 1980 the Bairnsdale and District Field Naturalists Club put together a book called Across Mountains and Plain of
collected writings from the late Keith Churchill Rogers who was a foundation member of the club.
Keith was born at Brandy Creek, about 7km north of Warragul, Victoria on 22nd April, 1896 and died at Bairnsdale on 6th
April, 1978. Keith’s father, John Churchill Rogers purchased the old Black Mountain station property in 1902 near
Wulgulmerang and in the following year brought his family to live in this remote tableland area beyond Buchan. Keith
was educated at home until he was 12 years old. He then went to school at Cunninghame (now Lakes Entrance) and on
to Brighton Grammar School for about 15 months until enlisting in April 1916 for service in WW 1. After returning
home in 1919 he went onto the land at Wulgulmerang. He married Janet Beryl Hodge of W Tree in 1926 and had two
sons and a daughter.
In 1934 Keith built his own homestead, ‘Rockbank’, on a pleasant hillock overlooking the Little River valley near the
present junction of the Wulgulmerang-Benambra and Suggan Buggan roads. This became a haven over the years to
visiting scientists and many true lovers of this beautiful district.
With his keen inquiring mind and ample opportunity to study the natural world, Keith built up an immense knowledge
of climate, rock structures, soils, animal and plant life in north east Gippsland. His environment afforded a constant
source of wonder, interest and challenge. J.H. Willis, from his forward in Across Mountains and Plain
Across Mountains and Plain, the little book of his writings is treasured by those who have it and it is much used for
reference. Its thirty five chapters are full of natural history information, pleasantly and accurately given, and one senses
his own pleasure in all that he describes. It is summed up, I think, in what I once heard him say, looking across the
alpine flowers of Kosciusko: ‘One does thank god for the beauty of it all’. Jean Galbraith (Gippsland Heritage Journal Vol. 2.
No. 2. 1987)
Free copies of Across Mountains and Plain are still available from the club but with a charge for postage and handling.
Mountain Banksia (Banksia canei) flower and cone photographed at Seldom Seen by Fran Bright.
Bill Cane was a friend and colleague of Keith Rogers.
Page 19 Issue 104
PHOTOS WANTED for production of future East Gippsland Field Guides
The most useful photos will be:
High resolution (original images, cameras set to high quality jpeg)
Named with the file name of each image including species name (if possible
but not essential), the location, and the initials of the photographer.
Photos of wildflowers (except orchids), trees and shrubs, preferably
photos showing flowers or fruits.
Photos saved onto CD or memory stick can be given to Andrew Bould at a
General Meeting or other convenient time.
Thank you
Bushwalkers Photo by Dianne Laws
In March the bushwalking group enjoyed an outing to Lonely Bay near Lake Tyers. The 10km easy to
walk track features peaceful views of the waters of Lake Tyres. Along the track the vegetation is diverse
and ranges from open woodland to a beautiful paperbark thicket and cool and green riparian rainforest.
LONELY BAY
The Newsletter of the Bairnsdale & District
Field Naturalists Club Inc.
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