Berry-flower

I enjoy wandering along tracks that I know well. There's always something to look out for as the seasons change - the special plants that flower when you expect them to, the birds that sing when they should, beautiful fungi appearing amongst the mulch and on wood, the joy of finding the minute caterpillars and insects and the hidden treasures that only I know about.

So I was very surprised to see a small shrub with bright pink flowers on one of 'my' tracks in the Annya forest at Milltown. Not only surprised but puzzled. I had no idea what it was. So I took photos and a specimen for my pressed plant collection and had to wait till I got home in Geelong this week to have a look at my Wild Plants of Victoria DVD. This database has fantastic filter options but I was still having trouble pinning it down, and it wasn't until I ticked the weed box that I finally got it. Erica baccans Berry-flower Heath. It's a weed, introduced from South Africa. According to one web page I looked at it's still sold as a garden plant but can become a dominant plant of the understory in bush areas. On the distribution map on the DVD it is mainly found in parts of Gippsland and not in the far west of the state at all so I think I'll have to report the sighting to DSE and Viridans.

A fairy's house in the forest

Yesterday we explored part of the Kentbruck Heath area of the Lower Glenelg National Park. (Actually we explored some of the vegetation on a narrow strip either side of Heath Road.) The bush to the west has been burnt in an ecological burn and was only just starting to regenerate but we were very excited to find a patch of morels, a Morchella species of fungi. It's the first time I've seen this species. Apparently they can be abundant after fire and edible. We were very taken by their 'fairy house' appearance.

Spring at Anglesea

The heath at Anglesea is on the verge of breaking out into its usual spectacular spring display. We've had a little more rain this year so it should be great. There were enough spots of colour to give us a taste of things to come.

My daughter in WA told me last night that they're having the best wildflower season in 12 years over there. I knew I should have booked a ticket. But right here is pretty good.

Here are some of the plants we found flowering. I'm happy to be corrected on any of the names.

Hibbertia riparia Erect Guinea-flower

Leucopogon ericoides Pink Beard-heath

Pultenaea dentata Clustered Bush-pea

Billardiera scandens Common Apple-berry

and, I had to add an orchid of course.

Cyrtostylis reniformis Gnat Orchid