How Atlas of Living Australia helped us!  We got a tip off about a “new” plant called lemon beauty-heads (aka Calocephalus citreus). However I could not find it on my own, so the group decided to get help from Atlas of Living Australia (ALA, www.ala.org.au) a collaborative resource from CSIRO and 16 partners.

ALA informed us that the plant was “On slopes of coast reserve 300 m N of Cape Jervis lighthouse”. Imagine our surprise when we stopped not far from the top and Liz asked “is this it”? Sure was, and we have photos to prove it!

ALA shows a clickable dot on a map of Australia for every plant specimen collected by the major botanical gardens, citizen scientists and others. It also contains info about animal, insects & microbes.

Photos C. Schultz: Liz taking photos, Lemon beauty-heads

Next get together, 7 & 8  Feb 2015. Training & cake provided.

We welcome new volunteers.  Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

COASTAL TEA TREE

( Leptospermum laevigatum )

(Photos: http://anpsa.org.au/l-lae.html http://www.friendsofqueensparkbushland.org.au/wp-content/gallery/leptospermum-laevigatum/leptospermum-laevigatum-g3.jpg)

Tolerant of most soil types, and resistant to salt spray, this large, bushy shrub is grown in gardens along the coast… to about 5m tall, and with its greyish foliage, it can look quite attractive. However, although native to south-eastern coasts of Australia, in S.A. is now classed as an environmental weed. Identify it by grey-green, oval-shaped leaves (up to 30mm long) and white flowers. The 5-petalled flowers are round, with lots of little stamens around the centre (see photo above). The thin bark on older branches is quite stringy. Also, the fruits (seed capsules) of this tea tree have 6-11 compartments, distinguishing it from most other tea trees (maximum of 6). Why tea tree? Apparently early settlers used the leaves of some species as a substitute for tea leaves.

Another reason I love Cape Jervis. The birds. What a treat to have a kestrel land on our balcony railing and watch us through the glass doors for over 10 minutes. Didn’t even fly off when we slowly opened the doors to get a better photo. Probably a young one – it was so fluffy.

Have you ever seen where a kestrel roosts? If you have, you may have noticed the regurgitated “pellets” that contain indigestible stuff, such as insect bits (see photos). Kestrels are highly adaptable and eat a variety of insects, reptiles, small birds and small mammals. We have lots of pellets on our back porch (home to kestrels when we are in the city).

Photos Carolyn Schultz: Kestrel, insect bits from pellet, intact pellets

Next get together, 7 & 8  Feb 2015. Training & cake provided.

We welcome new volunteers.  Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

cjccg.com.au

SEA-LAVENDER

(Limonium companyonis)

(Photos: E. Cousins; growth habit, side view, close-up of flower, Cape Jervis)

As with January’s Plant of the Month (the Small Yellow Rush-lily), the Sea-lavender looks very dainty. It’s a real shorty, growing to shin high only. At the base of the plant, there is a flat rosette of tough dark green leaves which have bristly hairs on them. Then the branched flower spikes erupt above them, with sprays of funnel-shaped flowers. The individual flowers have 5 petals and are blue-purple, with maroon shades before opening. From November to February, you can see these flowering along the waterfront at Cape Jervis: not unexpected, since they tend to like shallow soil pockets, limestone, saline soil, and full sun. In addition, they are a common weed in overgrazed paddocks, and along roadsides. By the way, these are not really lavenders: they actually belong to the same family as plumbago!

What does success look like? We know we are making a difference when the plants survive (big tick), and an even bigger tick when the seedlings we plant flower and spread their seed allowing for natural recruitment. Nature (birds, wind and water) help us out, as long as we keep the weeds down, to prevent competition.  Examples of plants that are flowering and have set seed on site include Goodenia amplexans, Vittidinia sp, Lotus australis, Dianella, Scaevola and all of the grasses (wallaby, kangaroo, spear grass, poa).

Those passing by the plantings near the ferry terminal will notice the area has been slashed & weeded to help out the new plants.

Photos Liz Cousins, Cape Jervis (Goodenia, Lotus, Dianella)

Next get together, Sat 6 (10am-4pm)  & Sun 7 Dec (9am-12noon)

• Seed collecting & weeding.

We welcome new volunteers, even an hour or two is a big help.

Training & cake provided. Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

What does success look like? We know we are making a difference when the plants survive (big tick), and an even bigger tick when the seedlings we plant flower and spread their seed allowing for natural recruitment. Nature (birds, wind and water) help us out, as long as we keep the weeds down, to prevent competition.  Examples of plants that are flowering and have set seed on site include Goodenia amplexans, Vittidinia sp, Lotus australis, Dianella, Scaevola and all of the grasses (wallaby, kangaroo, spear grass, poa).

Those passing by the plantings near the ferry terminal will notice the area has been slashed & weeded to help out the new plants.

Photos Liz Cousins, Cape Jervis (Goodenia, Lotus, Dianella)

Next get together:

Sat 6 (10am-4pm)  & Sun 7 Dec (9am-12noon)

Seed collecting & weeding.

We welcome new volunteers, even an hour or two is a big help.

Training & cake provided. Contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481.

Up coming events—visitors & new members welcome

Saturday Oct 11

10-1.30:     Propagation by Division

• Learn to recognise local sedges & rushes.
• Lomandra, Lepidosperma & Gahnia species
• Help us pot up plants for next year

Meet at coast end Sorata St

5.00-6.30     Bring a flower/branch for identification

Cape Jervis Community Club, Ransford St (to be confirmed)

Sunday Oct 11

9.00-12.00:    Walk & Weed (weeding optional)

• Leisurely walk at Lands End to see spring wildflowers

Meet at Lands End Rd

For further information  contact Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481

You may have noticed two wire cages near the ferry terminal or the four cages opposite the old Christie homestead on Sorata St. This is our first attempt at direct seeding, with the cages protecting the seedlings from rabbits. Direct sowing of seed will have two benefits: 1.  We can revegetate more of the site with less effort and 2. we can grow more species including the pretty daisies and hard to germinate plants. We are following a method from Greening Australia (downloaded from http://www.florabank.org.au/). It includes a pre-germination step where seed are placed in a bag with a little water, air and perlite (right photo). We trialled two mixes, a “sure-set” mix of local Acacias and hardy shrubs and a “smalls” mix of grasses and daisies, including the yam daisy and paper daisies. The Acacias are already up and growing but it’s much harder to tell the others apart from the weeds. We will keep you posted. Mustn’t forget to thank Waite Conservation Reserve for donating the cages.

What a perfect day we had for our planting activities on Friday, 29 May! The sun was shining and we had lots of help. Our regular core was enhanced by 8 willing helpers from Conservation Volunteers Australia, led by Tricia Curtis. We also had drop-in help from Yankalilla Council (Corey, Warren (& partner Alison) & Peter) and Zac from Sealink. In total, about 550 seedlings were planted, including over 44 local species of trees, shrubs, grasses and ground covers. Our cakes and bikkies were a hit as always. On Saturday we planted another 50 “delicate” plants, and set up our direct seeding trials in donated wire cages. Hopefully the cages will keep the rabbits out! The seedlings were grown from locally collected seed, mostly by Carolyn & Liz, but we did get some help from John at Fleurieu Natives. Thanks to everyone who contributed to a very successful weekend. All we need now is a good rain every few weeks!!

Next Activities:  Sat 2 Aug 10-4 & Sun 3 Aug, 10-1. Tools & cake provided.

For information contact Carolyn 0423 213 481

Up coming events – note there have been a few changes .

1. Sun 3rd Nov, Goodwood, Annual Seed Sowing

2. Sun 17th Nov, Grass ID workshop at Cape Jervis [new date], sponsored by NRM

3. “Dec” working bee – changes

• Sat Nov 30, as planned, seed collecting and weeding
• Sun Dec 1, cancelled – as we will be attending ….. see #4

4. Sun Dec 1, “Fleurieu Celebrating Volunteers Event” at Basham’s Beach – all welcome

Details for each of the events are below. Hope to see you “around” or on site soon.

1. Sun 3rd Nov, Goodwood, Annual Seed Sowing

Sunday 3th Nov @ Australian Plants Society clubrooms, 21A Richards Terrace, GOODWOOD,

there will a be “back to back” seed sowing events for two groups working on revegetation at Cape Jervis, near the start of the Heysen Trail

Starting between 9.00- 9.30 with the established (and experienced) COOTS group (Conservation of Our Threatened Species) – who work on a site “just east of the Heysen Trail” near Fisheries Beach [http://www.australianplantssa.asn.au/the-society/whats-on/56-coots.html]

When they are finished, approx After morning tea (11.00 am) the new Cape Jervis Coastal Community Group, will be doing their seed sowing

(only 7- 8 trays, < 1 hrs work]

We are looking for helpers for the morning, and/or people to babysit boxes of plants from Nov till planting time (May/Jun 2013).

Come for an hour or the whole morning. Participate or just come along and watch if you are want to know more about propagating native plants.

Sausage sizzle and yummy cakes

Just show up or ring Carolyn Schultz 0423 213 481 if you would like any further information

2. Sun 17th Nov, Grass ID workshop at Cape Jervis [new date], sponsored by NRM

We are running a FREE Grasses & Sedges ID workshop to be held at Cape Jervis.

Grasses expert, Tanya Milne, will provide you with accessible information and hands-on experience showcasing the plants of Cape Jervis.

When: Sunday 17 November

Time: 10am to 4pm

Where: Cape Jervis Community Centre, Ransford Street

This is a joint project between Cape Jervis Coastal Community Group and Natural Resources Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges

Limited places! RSVP essential by 5.00pm 8 November: jodie.woof@sa.gov.au