On a crisp, sunny morning nine Angair members went on a nature ramble at the Elizabeth Street Reserve, part of the Anglesea Bushland Reserve. This is an area of heathland with some woody areas.
It contains a profusion of plants of many species, all closely packed together, so that few weeds can penetrate. Some plants were starting to flower:
Erect Guinea Flower
Sweet Wattle
The Common Heath was in flower or bud in shades of pink and white.
No doubt the highlight of the morning was finding hundreds of leaves of the Fringed Hare Orchid:
then discovering some flowers!
Very close to the Hares were two Bearded Midge Orchids, another exciting find.
The Climbing Sundew was looking beautiful with droplets of dew sparkling on it’s hairs as it scrambled up the nearby plants.
There were also many Scented Sundews hugging the ground.
Following all the rain, there were many and varied Fungi, including this large Phlebopus marginatus – a bolete ( they have pores instead of gills).
This reserve should be very colourful in the coming spring.
Christine Morrissey