Fifteen members came along to join in a very interesting nature ramble in the swampy riparian woodland on the north side of the Anglesea River. The Friends of Eastern Otways have a Corangamite CMA Coastal Small Grant to help restore this area of vegetation that is classified as endangered in the Otway Plain bioregion, and Angair had offered to assist in the preparation of a plant list for the area.
Large Swamp Gums Eucalyptus ovata were the main tree canopy cover, and there were also some large Manna Gums Eucalyptus viminalis that were coming into flower. The list of plants was extensive and we were thrilled to see large stands of Sweet Hound’s-tongue Cynoglossum suaveolens in full bloom. Two special flowers in the area were Southern Tick-trefoil Desdomodium gunnii (a tiny pink pea flower – the only known site for this species in Anglesea) and The Small-leaf Glycine Glycine microphylla with a small bluish-purple pea flower (another rare plant in the district). There were also some spectacular clumps of Variable Sword-sedge Lepidosperma laterale var. majus which usually occurs in shaded, damp sites.
Angair has offered to assist the Friends with a weeding activity in the first half of the year.
Margaret MacDonald
