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 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.
Austral 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