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We started our walk by taking a track off Pt Addis road, the vegetation dominated by magnificent Austral Grass -trees, masses of Sandhill Saw-sedges and stunted Messmate Stringybarks. These species typify the low fertility of soils of a Heathy Woodland which is a common ecological vegetation class in our region.

 

 

Heathy Woodland

Examination of the Sandhill Saw-sedge, revealed some useful identification features

• A fan shaped arrangement of the leaves at the base of the plant

• Flower heads on stems (culms) which are taller than the leaves

• The edge of the flower stems may be rough

saswsedgeSandhill Saw-sedge Lepidosperma sieberi 

The use of a hand lens enabled us to see the very small leaves at the nodes of the stems of both the Small Sheoak, and the Drooping Sheoak. The presence of cones indicated a female plant, discussion revealed the fact that both Sheoak species can be single sexed, the Small Sheoak also having the possibility of separate male and female flowers on the one plant.

smallsheoakSmall Sheoak Allocasuarina misera

A plant which is much admired in this area is the Propeller Plant, with its tiny flowers surrounded by 3 or sometimes 2 white floral leaves.

Propeller Plant   Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum

A compulsory stop along this walk is the lookout that provides stunning views of beautiful Addiscot Beach.

addiscotbeachAddiscot Beach Lookout

There are some good specimens of Cranberry Heath conveniently located along the track, this was an opportune moment to share the recent name change. Astroloma humifusum is now Styphelia humifusa.

Cranberry Heath Styphelia humifusa 

The use of Hop Goodenia leaves by the Wadawurrung people, as a remedy for teething babies, provided interest.

Hop Goodenia Goodenia ovata

Examples of Common Correa were flowering alongside the track together with the last of the summer flowering Ixodia. Common Heath was starting to flower, the image below also including Slender Velvet – bush which is not as common as many of our heathland plants.

Common Heath Epacris impressa and Slender Velvet – bush Lasiopetalum baueri 

Common Correa Correa reflexa

Ixodia Ixodia achillaeoides subsp. alata

 This walk features many large Austral Grass – trees, we examined one noting the burnt trunk and using the approximate rule of 1cm of growth per year, calculated the fire may have occurred on Ash Wednesday 1983.

australgrasstreeAustral Grass – tree Xanthorrhoea australis

Gail Slykhuis

 

 

Nature Ramble – Pt Addis Koorie Walk 10.05.21

We started our walk by taking a track off Pt Addis road, the vegetation dominated by magnificent Austral Grass -trees, masses of Sandhill Saw-sedges and stunted Messmate Stringybarks. These species typify the low fertility of soils of a Heathy Woodland which is a common ecological vegetation class in our region. 

Heathy Woodland

Examination of the Sandhill Saw-sedge, revealed some useful identification features

·       A fan shaped arrangement of the leaves at the base of the plant

·       Flower heads on stems (culms) which are taller than the leaves

·       The edge of the flower stems may be rough

Sandhill Saw-sedge   Lepidosperma sieberi

The use of a hand lens enabled us to see the very small leaves at the nodes of the stems of both the Small Sheoak, and the Drooping Sheoak. The presence of cones indicated a female plant, discussion revealed the fact that both Sheoak species can be single sexed, the Small Sheoak also having the possibility of separate male and female flowers on the one plant.

Small Sheoak   Allocasuarina misera

A plant which is much admired in this area is the Propeller Plant, with its tiny flowers surrounded by 3 or sometimes 2 white floral leaves.

Propeller Plant   Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum

A compulsory stop along this walk is the lookout that provides stunning views of beautiful Addiscot Beach.

Addiscot Beach Lookout

There are some good specimens of Cranberry Heath conveniently located along the track, this was an opportune moment to share the recent name change. Astroloma humifusum is now Styphelia humifusa.  

Cranberry Heath   Styphelia humifusa

The use of Hop Goodenia leaves by the Wadawurrung people, as a remedy for teething babies, provided interest. 

Hop Goodenia   Goodenia ovata

Examples of Common Correa were flowering alongside the track together with the last of the summer flowering Ixodia. Common Heath was starting to flower, the image below also including Slender Velvet – bush which is not as common as many of our heathland plants.

Common Correa   Correa reflexa 

Ixodia   Ixodia achillaeoides subsp. alata

Common Heath   Epacris impressa and Slender Velvet – bush  Lasiopetalum baueri 

This walk features many large Austral Grass – trees, we examined one noting the burnt trunk and using the approximate rule of 1cm of growth per year, calculated the fire may have occurred on Ash Wednesday 1983.

Austral Grass – tree   Xanthorrhoea australis

Gail Slykhuis