Menai Wildflower Group

Newsletter of Menai Wildflower Group February 2011

activities coordinators would love to hear from you. Dont forget to schedule in the APS-NSW get together in the central west late in August. Details of accommodation and workshops should be available soon. At last our Doryanthes excelsa logo has been prepared for action, so we can now use it on our stationery, banners and the like. What do you think of it? See you soon, Pam Pitkeathly

President's Report
We certainly had a great 2010 in the Menai/Sutherland regions! The regional gettogether was a success, with lots of our members and visitors involved in bush walks, garden visits, plant sales, lunching and munching, as we so often do in our group. Everyone deserved a break and we all proceeded to enjoy the holidays. The devastation of the flooding rains in Queensland has had an even greater impact because we were all celebrating the end of drought years throughout Australia and were thinking that our country cousins would have a good season - at last. As I write, the heavy rains are also causing concern in northern Victoria and Tasmania. Its only two years since we enjoyed the well-designed garden of an APS member on the banks of the Wimmera, marvelling over how he had made provision in the layout for the occasion flood. Our hearts go out to those who have lost so much, including their much-loved gardens. Is there a way APS members can help here? No doubt individuals are involved already, but perhaps we can assist in the re-establishment phases? No doubt you are all getting back into gardening mode. On the river bank, the annual grevillea haircut has taken place; at least, for the ones we can reach! Gr. arenaria needed the pole pruner and a tall assistant, but the hybrid on the driveway will be another matter. Each year I think it will be its last, but so far it still grows taller. Your committee will be meeting to plan the activities for 2011. Do let us know if there is a particular interest or project that you believe would appeal to our members. Some guest speakers are scheduled already, but our

Coming Events
9 Feb Menai Wildflower Group Meeting Guest Speaker- Lloyd Hedges Desert Plant Survey 11 Feb Working Bee at IRFS 9a.m. 9 Mar Menai Wildflower Group Meeting Guest Speaker- Sydney Water rep Sydney Water

Contents
President's Report ..........................................1 Coming Events ...............................................1 From the Treasurer ........................................2 Special Interest ...............................................2 Cryptostylis hunteriana ..................................2 Georges River NP walk at Sandy Pt ..............2 Tip Nursery News ...........................................3 Group Meetings ..............................................4

Newsletter of Menai Wildflower Group February 2011 release and so trick them into carrying their pollen to another orchid. C. hunteriana is also leafless and depends on fungi to provide it with food - the fungi in turn are feeding off decaying organic matter. The word for this is saprophytic. Some describe it as a symbiotic relationship but what the fungus gets in return is unknown so parasitic may well be a more accurate term. So, if you want to be anthropomorphic about it, while the other tongue orchids are con-men and fraudsters C. hunteriana is a parasitic conman and fraudster. Andy did not find any last year but now he has found another. It is only a tiny plant, about 15 cm high and very near the previous discovery. As it has no leaves and does not flower every year this is a very cryptic species. Margaret Bradhurst has heard about their being seen at Kuringai and Campbelltown but these discoveries in the Royal NP are the first she has seen.

From the Treasurer

Your membership card shows when renewal is due. When paying your renewal fees it would be a great help if you could obtain your renewal forms from the centre of your Native Plants booklet and have them filled in for me on the night. Many thanks in anticipation. Brian Wye

Special Interest
Deadline for contributions to next newsletter will be Wednesday 30 Mar 11. Any items suitable for inclusion in the newsletter may be sent to the Editor (Post to Secretary or e-mail fergsrus@ihug.com.au) before the deadline. Working Bees at IRFS start at 9am and include weeding, mulching and lunching. The Groups Website Home Page can be easily accessed by doing a Google search using the phrase Menai Wildflower Group and selecting what should be the first option offered. ANSTO guided tours We have an opportunity to take part in ANSTOs community activities this year. Rod Dowler, from their Discovery Centre, will be given a spot at the committee meeting on 2 February to explain what he has in mind. They are organising a bush walk on Saturday 19 March, where some of our members may enjoy being involved in some way. More information should be available for our next monthly meeting.

C. Hunteriana

Lloyd hedges

Cryptostylis hunteriana
Two years ago Andy McCormack, Soil Conservation Officer at the Land and Property Management Authority emailed to say he had found a specimen of the rare and vulnerable Leafless Tongue Orchid (Cryptostylis hunteriana) in the Royal National Park. Tongue orchids attract tiny male wasps by imitating the pheromones female wasps

Georges River NP walk at Sandy Pt

Alan Fairley and Devlet and Erden Sizgek joined Mary and me for an exploratory walk in the Georges River NP at Sandy Point. The walk is one I have been scoping as a potential public track. This former slice of army land was handed to the NPWS about four years ago. It abuts a sandstone quarry and much of the native bush has been degraded as a result of vehicle tracks put in by the army and an electricity company

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Newsletter of Menai Wildflower Group February 2011 servicing their pylon, as well as the more feral members of the 4WD and motorbike communities doing their worst. The NPWS has been putting in stout fences made from railway line and substantial wire ropes but even these have not been totally effective. Rehabilitation work is being undertaken by NPWS in conjunction with other organisations. The problem that this NP has is that it is small, isolated and little known. It needs something to get people to visit. A walking track connecting Sandy Point up with Alfords Point fire trail would be a way of overcoming the isolation and size of the park but the problem is that the Gandangarra own the land in between. The next best thing is a loop track within the park. That is what I have been working on, and the potential Sandy Pt/Mill Creek Loop Track could develop into quite a good one. The eastern leg follows the shore line of the Georges River as close as possible so there is the interest in the river as well as the bush. The return trip is along the ridges with plenty of commanding views. Changes in geography and soil type ensure there is a great deal of variation in plant ecosystems. Near Sandy point the clay influence is evident in the abundance of Dogwood (Jacksonia scoparia), Blackthorn (Bursaria spinosa) and Acacia falcata. and also the native grass understorey that has something of the feel of the Cumberland Plains. The canopy is Blackbutt (Euc. pilularis) Grey Gum (Euc. punctata) and Narrow-leaved Apple (Angophora bakeri). Along the waters edge are river and grey mangroves backed by Swamp Oaks (Casuarina glauca). The track then visits a gem of a salt-marsh hidden amongst rampant Hopbush (Dodonaea triquetra) - a sure sign of a fire. This salt-marsh has a persistent pond set amongst the Samphire that is a favourite place for Black-winged Stilts. Around the edges of this and other salt-marshes along this track is Hop Goodenia(Goodenia ovata) as wall as four species of Paperbarks; Melaleucas lineariifolia, decora, nodosa and ericifolia.
Black-winged Stilt

This track at 6.7k has some positive things to offer and I am hoping that an additional 4 km loop into the southern areas of the park will be developed also. On the negative side I have never seen so many mosquitoes. I am sure the amount of rain we have had recently has contributed but for now I would consider it an autumn/winter proposition. Another nasty was discovered by Devlet and Mary - bulldog ants. Lloyd Hedges

Banksia nutans at the IRFB

Another of Kate Pattersons purchases from SA has flowered at the fire station over Xmas. The Banksia nutans has flowered shyly, its blossoms hanging beneath the foliage almost touching the ground where no bird or flying insect is likely to find them. Apparently the pollinator is a honey possum.

Banksia nutans

Lloyd Hedges

Tip Nursery News

I work for a lady at Bangor who passes on her old magazines to me. They are generally
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Newsletter of Menai Wildflower Group February 2011 gardening magazines but I also enjoy the country living ones and looking at recipes in gossip mags. Recently I was reading an article about plant names and the meaning of many of the botanical terms. It can be quite interesting to learn the meanings behind some plant names, though some are probably obvious to those of you who did Latin at school. The list included a few natives such as Callistemonfrom stemon(stamens) kali(beautiful) and
Secretary Treasurer Editor APS-NSW Delegate General Committee

month (except January) at the Illawong Rural Fire Service Headquarters. New members and friends are welcome.
Please address all correspondence to the Secretary, PO Box 3104 Bangor NSW 2234
President Vice President Pam Pitkeathly Lloyd Hedges Jason Cockayne Margaret Olde Brian Wye Alan Ferguson Mary Hedges Sharon Pearson Cris Breitenbach Katrina Hure Devlet Sizgek Graeme Davies 9543-0243 9543-1216 9570 - 8559 9543-2242 9543-2433 9543-8216 9543-1216 9570 - 8559

MelaleucaFrom melas(black) and leukos(white) because of the black trunks and white branches. I found some of the meanings of non-natives interesting too. Bidens or cobblers pegs or devil's pitchforks comes from bis(two) and dens(teeth) because of the two teeth on the seed. Echinops from echinos(hedgehog) and opis(to resemble) referring to the round spiny flower heads. Rosmarinus comes from ros(dew) and marinus(sea) because it grows wild near the coast. But my very favourite has to be Nasturtium named from nasus tortus( twisted nose) because of its strong scent. I think you could get away with telling someone they smell like a Nasturtium without them realising it's not a compliment! Happy gardening! Don't forget it's a great time of year to prune most types of Grevilleas back and then keep the water up to them. Cris Breitenbach

Group Meetings
Meetings of the Menai Wildflower Group are held at 7:30pm on the second Wednesday each
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