Updated: Jul 24
åIt’s on again- the season turns
Out on Border Track today 13th July 2023 to check on orchid cages and re-emergence of plants, I found a very early Long-leaf Early Nancy (Wurmbea latifolia).
This is an ordinary Early Nancy- female plant- note the purple band.
Below is the very early Early Nancy- Wurmbea latifolia (today) with female flowers- no purple band.
Also flowering was Clematis microphylla.
Like Wurmbea, this species has separate male and female plants so the 3 that I know of out here in the National Park are either too far apart to pollinate or are all of the same sex . I have never found either seed or new plants- a case for a bit of a replant to boost the chances.
Near the last of the orchid cages was a small colony of Pterostylis robusta, protected from the busy mouths of the wallabies by fallen branches.
Large Striped Greenhood,
On 7th July my Golden Wattle was flowering-this is about the earliest I have recorded.
That’s all from Carapooee West and the Kara Kara National Park north end
Anne.
- Jan 9, 2024
Some sightings here at Carapooee West over December 2023 and the start of the New Year
Old palm trees have their use- female Mistletoebird collecting the fluff from stem for her nest- several visits but I only managed one photo.
The male was escorting her and dangling off the end of the fronds, scolding me for being too close.
Clear winged fly of some sort on cactus flower Dec 2023- any entomologists about?
And on our main dam- we have always had Australasian (Little) Grebes on the dams but the only place they seem to breed is up on the wetland. However, this year, because the dam has been full to overflowing for months- here we are, just the one baby though, making heavy weather of the wake from its parents.
- Dec 1, 2019
Saturday morning saw me out in the Hard Hills east of St Arnaud to try and get a photo or two of the Bristly Greenhood that had spiked up in the Club's big enclosure on L Bray's Rd.
Coming round the corner past the transfer station I was pulled up by the sight of what I first thought was a large wattle in full bloom.
Aha" I thought- a new species although I couldn't place this plant at all in the local wattle list.
The bush was full of bees having a grand time and after taking as close a look as I dared, realised that this was a melaleuca, in fact it was Mallee Broombush Melaleuca uncinata in full fig.
There were only 4 or 5 bushes on the roadside and on reflection I realised that I had rarely seen this species in the Hard Hills although it is on the list for the area.
Has anyone else seen this species in the Hard Hills other than just east of the transfer station?
This is a valuable plant for insects in particular and is a beautiful sight at this time of year.
Along with its cousin, Totem Poles Melalueuca decussata, it provides food for a number of insects, cover for small birds and would be a good addition to any windbreak planting or just in the garden as is decussata.
Totem Pole Flowers
After this small interruption, I went on to our site to find one Bristly Greenhood completely dessicated and the other, vanished!
This is P. setifera in slightly better times 9 years ago.
It is very similar to P despectans(Lowly Greenhood) but without the absurdly long sepal tips.
The trip was worthwhile, as most bush trips are, even if you don't find what you went out for!
