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Flora and Fauna of Eastwood COMMON MILK VINE (Marsdenia rostrata) Photo by Pauline Stewart This robust, twining vine can be identified by its dark-green, opposite leaves, on long leaf stalks. A milky-white sap comes out if a leaf is broken off which is why, it is commonly called Milk Vine. The Common Milk Vine has dark green ovate or oblong leaves which usually have a short, pointed tip. The small, fragrant, yellowish flowers are borne in clusters in the forks of the leaves in spring and summer. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood COMMON REED (Phragmites australis) This common reed can be found in most parts of the world where it can form extensive stands (known as reed beds), which may be as much as 1 square kilometre or more in extent. Where conditions are suitable it can spread at 5 metres or more per year by horizontal runners, which put down roots at regular intervals. It can grow in damp ground, in standing water up to 1 metre or so deep, or even as a floating mat. The erect stems grow to 2–6 metres tall, with the tallest plants growing in areas with hot summers and fertile growing conditions. The leaves are long for a grass, 20–50 cm and 2–3 cm broad. The flowers are produced in late summer in a dense, dark purple panicle, about 20–50 cm long. Later the numerous long, narrow, sharp pointed spikelets appear greyer due to the growth of long, silky hairs. It is common in alkaline habitats, and it also tolerates brackish water and so is often found at the upper edges of estuaries and on other wetlands. In Eastwood, Phragmites can be seen in the morass area where Granite Creek enters the Backwater (Clifton Creek). Flora and Fauna of Eastwood BLACKFELLOW’S HEMP (Commersonia Fraseri) Blackfellow’s Hemp is a tall shrub or small tree 3 to 7 m. The large ovate leaves usually have holes in them and irregularly toothed margins which alternate on brownish furry branchlets. The underside of the leaf is whitish and covered in a fine fur. Flowering takes place between September and November. It has small white flowers in showy clusters along brownish furry stalks. C. fraseri can be found on slopes or near rivers in East Gippsland and the plants can be seen along Granite Creek at Eastwood. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood BLUE BOX (Eucalyptus bauerana) Eucalyptus bauerana is a moderate size tree which is found scattered throughout the coastal regions of eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales, with a few occurrences in northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. Generally it grows on moderately deep, moist soils, and is usually conspicuous because of its dense, round crown of blue-grey, ovate leaves. This species is related to the Red Box (E. polyanthemos). It differs from Red Box in having conic fruits with a very short stalk. It is also consistently rough-barked to the small branches, whereas red box is often smooth-barked. These two closely related species are readily distinguished by appearance and habitat. Mature Blue Box trees may be seen along Granite Creek in Eastwood. Ref: Stan Kelly ‘Eucalypts’ and Leon Costermans ‘Native Trees and shrubs of South-eastern Australia’. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood CRIMSON BOTTLEBRUSH (Callistemon Citrinus) The Crimson Bottlebrush is a rigid, medium shrub reaching about 2x2 m with an entangled growth habit. Leaves are alternate, flat, stiff and green on both sides. Young leaves are silky and darken with age. The crimson flowers famously resemble a brush for cleaning the inside of bottles. The brilliant flowers of Callistemon citrinus can be seen along Granite Creek, the wetlands, and parklands of Eastwood from October to December and often in autumn. This species has been responsible for many of the cultivars that are seen in gardens. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood EASTERN BITTER-BUSH (Adriana glabrata) Female Male The Eastern Bitter-bush is a 1 – 2m shrub with large dark-green, irregularly toothed and often tri-lobed leaves. It flowers between November and January. The sexes are on different plants: the male has spikes 5-25cm long and the female has 3 free, red styles. Adriana Glabrata belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Flowers in this family are always unisexual, the sexes being on the same or different plants. Individual flowers are often small and insignificant. This plant is growing luxuriantly along Tulaba’s Track at Granite Creek. Ref: Leon Costermans ‘Native Trees and Shrubs of South-eastern Australia’ Flora and Fauna of Eastwood ELDERBERRY PANAX (Polyscias sambucifolia) The Elderberry Panax is a very variable shrub or small tree from 1-6m. It can be found in moist gullies and sheltered slopes. The leaves have an extreme range of variations: they can be pinnate (the primary segments of a leaf) or bipinnate or the margins entire or toothed (the photo shows an entire margin). The leaves form pairs and terminate with one. The Elderberry Panax has small, yellow-green flowers from November to January followed by a cluster of opalescent berries. This plant can be seen along Tulaba’s walking track at Eastwood. Peregrine Falcons can occasionally be seen hunting over the Eastwood area. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood GIPPSLAND HEMP BUSH (Gynatrix macrophylla) This beautiful, soft-leaved tall shrub of 2-4 m. has elongated heart-shaped leaves with crenulated margins. The clusters of small white flowers are loosely arranged on hanging clusters during August to October. The Gippsland Hemp Bush is a rare plant mostly occurring in eastern Victoria and closely related to Gynatrix pulchella (Hemp-bush) found from western Victoria to the Blue Mountains. Specimens of this plant can be observed along Tulaba’s Track at Eastwood. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood GOLDEN TIP (Goodia lotifolia) Photo by Pauline Stewart Golden Tip is a 1-4m high shrub with distinguishing three-leaf clover-like foliage. Fairly common and widespread liking disturbed ground for germination. The showy, bright yellow pea-flowers with a dark blotch in the centre are produced in spring from September to November. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood KANOOKA (Tristaniposis laurina) The forest tree Tristaniopsis laurina, commonly known as the Kanooka or Water Gum, belongs to the Myrtaceae family, and is related to the eucalypts. The species grows from 5 m to 15 m in height. It occurs naturally on moist, well-drained sites along the east coast of Australia, from the Brisbane River in Queensland, through coastal New South Wales to the Gippsland region of Victoria. It is commonly found growing along creek banks and in rainforest openings in light shade to full sunlight. An attractive and compact shade tree in cultivation, T. laurina has a smooth bark when young, becoming scaly as the tree matures. The leaves are 5-12 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, glossy dark green above with a paler under-side, and are alternately placed along the stems. The flowers are cream to orange-yellow in colour, being produced in short clusters in January and early February. The individual flowers are about 10 mm in diameter with five small, rounded petals and stamens united in five groups. The seed capsules are woody, globular in shape and 6-8 mm in diameter. Kanooka seedlings have been planted in and beside Granite Creek in Eastwood in 2013. Ref: notes & map from the Australian National Botanical Gardens Flora and Fauna of Eastwood MANNA GUM (Eucalyptus viminalis) The Manna gum can grow in many different environments so its size and habit can be very variable depending on its location. It can be very tall, 20 to 50m near mountain streams with smooth white trunks. The upper bark peels away in long ribbons which collect in the branches and on the ground. It can also be a medium size tree with a large, open, spreading crown and dark, rough bark on the trunk, larger limbs and smooth bark on the smaller branches. The Manna gum is said to hybridise with more than 20 other Eucalypts. This large old Manna gum is growing in loamy clay and stands on the side of McAuleys Road at Eastwood. It has an impressive girth of six and a half metres. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood MUSK DAISY-BUSH (Olearia argophylla) Musk Daisy-bush in bud Photo by Pauline Stewart The Musk Daisy-bush is a tall shrub or small tree usually growing on the edges of rainforest in south-eastern Victoria, Tasmania and eastern New South Wales. It can be distinguished by its large dark green, semi-gloss, slightly toothed leaves approx. 6 x 3cm and the silvery-white underside which has raised veins. The crushed leaves have a distinct musk smell. In spring, the bush is covered with large clusters of small daisy flowers which are creamy-white with yellow centres. The Musk Daisy-bush is establishing along Granite Creek. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood NECKLESS FERN (Asplenium flabellifolium) Photo by Pauline Stewart This attractive small fern occurs in all states of Australia. Its natural habitats are in open forest or rainforest. It is usually on the ground, but sometimes epiphytic. The Necklace fern is often seen in rock crevices, caves, on fallen logs and tree trunks, beside streams or near cliffs or waterfalls. The 10 to 20 cm long fronds are in long strands and usually with a long frondless tail with 5 to 20 pairs of pinnae (leaflets), The Necklace fern is now being established in the rainforest beside Tulaba’s Track. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE (Lythrum salicaria) Purple Loosestrife, (Lythrum salicaria) is native not only to Australia but widespread in Europe, Asia and North America. The plant has beautiful, clustered light-purple, terminal flowers. Reaching over 2 meters high the species favours wet situations such as swampy ground and the water's edge, but will persist in dried-out land and is long lived. In Australia it grows in the eastern states and Tasmania, often occurring in drifts. Lythrum salicaria is an easy garden plant, thriving in any soil and generally healthy. It is a beautiful subject for late summer colour in a border, shrubbery, large pond or slow-moving water. Unlike many perennials which grow bare in the centre with age, this plant forms a bushy and well-shaped clump. The tall stems are strong, branching freely, and they tend to curve inwards in a self-supporting manner. Lateral buds develop while the main spikes are flowering and these continue the season till near the end of March. The soft, light green foliage often turns red in aging towards autumn. Top growth dies down for winter. Propagation is by root division or seed, and self-sown seedlings often appear in open ground. If desired, cuttings may be taken from non-flowering laterals in midsummer and struck outdoors in shade. This species is not grown commercially in Australia as often as might be expected, though in other countries named garden varieties have been grown for years. These range from white to pink and deep purple, and include double flowers. Short flower spikes last well as a cut flower in water. Purple Loosestrife can be seen in flower between January and March at Tulaba’s Lake in the Eastwood reserve. Based on text by ANBG staff (1972) Flora and Fauna of Eastwood RED PASSION-FLOWER (Passiflora cinnabarina) Passiflora cinnabarina, the Red Passion Flower can be found in Southeastern Australia and can get to 35 feet tall on a slim vine. Like most members of the genus, Passiflora cinnabarina is a tendril climber - it develops filament-like structures from its stems which attach themselves to branches of other plants, thus providing support. P.cinnabarina is a vigorous climber with tri-lobed leaves which are dark green in colour and up to 100 mm long. The red flowers are seen mainly in spring to summer. The flowers are about 50 mm in diameter and are followed by ovoid, greyish-green fruits about 30 mm in diameter containing greyish pulp and numerous black seeds. The pulp is edible but not especially palatable. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood STINKHORN (Clathrus archeri) Stinkhorn fungus has bizarre forms accompanied by strong, unpleasant odours. The fruiting bodies develop in egg-like sacs that are ruptured by the spore-bearing receptacle as it rapidly expands at maturity. The spore-bearing gleba is a foul-smelling brown slime that is eagerly consumed by blowflies and other insects. Spores are distributed after passing through the insects. Clathrus archeri has fruiting bodies to 160mm measured across the 4 to 8 expanded arms that radiate from a short hollow basal tube. This fungus has appeared in the moist, mid-summer of 2015 in wood-chip mulch along Tulaba’s Track in Eastwood. It is forming close groups or appearing alone with the dark brown slime on the arms attracting swarms of blowflies. The whole mass appears in the morning and has decayed by the end of the day to be replaced the following day with new fungi. Ref: A Field Guide to Australian Fungi, by Bruce Fuhrer Flora and Fauna of Eastwood STINKWOOD (Zieria arborescens) Photo by Pauline Stewart This Zieria is a sturdy shrub usually 2-5m high, commonly found in eastern Australia. It gives off a strong unpleasant odour when handled, hence its common name of Stinkwood. The leaves are compound, featuring three leaflets between 5 and 9cm long. A mass of small pinkish/white flowers are produced in August to December making a stunning display. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood WOOLLY FROGMOUTH (Philydrum lanugosum) WOOLLY FROGMOUTH (Philydrum lanugosum) pronounced: fill-ee-drum lan-you-gee-nosun Woolly Frogmouth is a fleshy-leaved aquatic plant up to 2mt growing on the edges of ponds and still, shallow water. The yellow flowers with white woolly hairs are on a spike to 60cm. The flowers resemble the gaping mouth of a frog, hence its common name. They are also great frog habitat. The plants distribution is in eastern and northern Australia and its conservation status is vulnerable. Woolly Frogmouth can be seen flowering in summer on the edges of the waterhole at Granite Creek, Eastwood. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood YELLOW ELDERBERRY or NATIVE ELDERBERRY (Sambucus australasica) The yellow elderberry is a native to eastern Australia and is usually found in and on the edges of rainforest. The compound leaves have a length of between 6 to 25 cm with three to five leaflets in a narrow-elliptic shape. The leaves are glossy above, toothed and hairless and a small gland may be seen at the base of the leaflet. The shrub is up to four meters tall with scented, creamy yellow flowers from October to March and followed by yellow, round shaped fruit which are 5mm in diameter. The Yellow Elderberry can be see along Tulaba’s walking track at Eastwood Flora and Fauna of Eastwood AUSTRALIAN PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY (Yanessa cardui kershawi) Photo by George Stewart Seen in urban areas the migratory Australian Painted Lady Butterfly has pale brown underwings and a delicate pattern of orange and brown on the upper wings, with tiny blue eyespots on the hind wings. The sexes are similar in size and coloration but the males having more angular wings than females. The Australian Painted Lady feeds on native everlastings and other daisies, as well as the introduced Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula), Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium) and Lavender (Lavendula officinalis). Back in the 1800’s, the Australian Painted Lady was reported to migrate in such great numbers that they blackened the sky. Trains were unable to get traction because so many butterflies were resting on the tracks! Such mass migrations have not been reported for some time. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood EASTERN BLUE TONGUE LIZARD (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) The Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard is common throughout eastern Australia and can often be found in bushland and suburban areas where conditions are suitable. The lizard is known as ‘bluetongue’ because its tongue can range from bright to dark blue and it has a habit of displaying it prominently and hissing loudly when disturbed. The lizard is stout and slow and grows up to 30-60cm in length with brown to grey scales and a barred pattern across the body and tail. They give birth to live young from between six to 20 per litter. The young consume the egg sac immediately after birth. They resemble the adult form closely. Ref: Wikipedia Flora and Fauna of Eastwood EASTERN LONG-NECKED TURTLE (Chelodina longicollis) The Eastern long-neck's shell can grow to around 25cm in length, with its neck almost the same length. The upper shell or carapace can vary in colour from reddish-brown to almost black and is usually covered in algae; the feet have strong claws and are webbed for swimming. This is an extremely common turtle in eastern Australia; they inhabit almost any type of relatively slow moving water body from farm dams to major rivers and lakes. These turtles prey mostly on fish, tadpoles and frogs. The long neck is used like a snake to rapidly strike at passing prey. The female lays between 4-20 hard-shelled eggs during spring and early summer in an excavation in the bank of a swamp or stream. The young tortoises usually hatch after an incubation time ranging from three to eight months. Some females may produce two or three clutches in one season. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood METALLIC JEWEL BUG (Scutiphora pedicellata) Metallic Jewel Bugs can be found on leaf letter or under bark. They feed on vegetable, garden plants, trees and fruits. The bugs are metallic green in colour with orange and black patterns on the back. The underside of their body is bright red and black. This bug is in the Shield-backed bug family. Shield-backed bugs are plant suckers. They can be distinguished from other shield bugs by their scutellum (shield like structure) completely covering the whole abdomen and wings. This is why sometimes they are miss-recognized as beetle. They are easily distinguished from beetles by having sucking mouthparts and the shield on the back is continuous, not the divided wing covers with separation at the middle. These bugs can be observed in foliage in the Eastwood Reserves. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood PERON’S TREE FROG (Litoria peroni) Peron’s Tree Frog photo by Jenni Reside Peron’s tree frog is sometimes known as the maniacal cackle frog due to its high-pitched cackle. The frog when living around people’s homes tends to seek out plumbed pipes to live in to amplify its call. This usually grey frog can change its colour in less than one hour. It has mottled yellow and black thighs, armpits and groin. An uncommon characteristic of this frog are the cross-shaped pupils. The frog’s habitat is very adaptable from wetlands, forests, shrublands and open areas far from a water source to cities and towns. They can often be seen on windows or near lights at night. This frog can be heard and observed at Eastwood during spring and early summer. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood SPIDER WASP (Cryptocheilus sps) Of the Pompilidae family, Spider Wasps are solitary wasps that prey on spiders and are active during the summer months. This is a very large black wasp with orange wings and legs and a broad orange band around its abdomen. A large wasp, females can be 35 mm long. It holds its wings up when resting but flicks them when it hops and runs about on its long legs. Spider Wasps are found throughout Australia and can live in urban areas, forests, woodlands, wetlands and heathlands where they are often seen digging in soft sandy soil, dragging huntsman spiders along. The Spider Wasps you are most likely to see and hear are females preparing nest chambers for their larvae. They dig a burrow using long spines on their front legs, then search rapidly around tree trunks and on the ground for a spider. On finding a spider, which may be as large as a huntsman or wolf spider, possibly twice as heavy as itself, the wasp stings and paralyses it, and then drags or flies it back to the burrow. She then lays an egg on the spider's body and seals it in a chamber or cell at the end of the burrow. The larva hatches and feeds on the body of the spider. Spider Wasps have a potentially painful sting. However they are not aggressive and are unlikely to use their venom on humans unless extremely provoked. The best advice is to leave them alone. An ice pack may be used to relieve the pain of the sting. If there is evidence of an allergic reaction, medical attention should be sought. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood WINGLESS SOLDIER FLY Female This species of fly has wingless females and males who can fly. The larvae of a number of species in this family are found in damp soil or rotting vegetation, and while some species in this family can cause some problems in crop situations, they are considered harmless in a domestic situation. When they are in peoples’ gardens the females climb fences or walls and drop their eggs to the ground. These flies can sometimes emerge from pot plants. They emerge usually in May from the ground, especially near introduced trees and make long silk webs (up to 10m) and are airborne on warm windy days. The insect is a species of native fly from the family Stratiomyidae. This fly joined us when members were having a morning break at Granite Creek. Identification and information from: Andrew Bould (Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club) and the Melbourne Museum Discovery Centre Flora and Fauna of Eastwood BIRD LIST FOR EASTWOOD RESERVES Australian Magpie Australian Wood Duck Australian Hobby Australian Magpie Australian White Ibis Australian Wood Duck Australasian Grebe Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Black-shouldered Kite Black Swan Boobook Owl Brown Goshawk Buff-banded Rail Chestnut Teal Clamorous Reed Warbler Common Koel Crake sps Crested Pigeon Crimson Rosella Eastern Great Egret Eastern Rosella Eastern Spinebill Eurasian Coot Galah Gang-gang Cockatoo Golden-headed Cisticola Golden Whistler Grey Butcher Bird Grey Fan-tail Hardhead Duck Straw-knecked Ibis Hoary-headed Grebe Horsefield Bronze Cuckoo King Parrot Large Black Cormorant Latham’s Snipe Laughing Kookaburra Little Black Cormorant Little Pied Cormorant Little Corella Little Grassbird Masked Lapwing Magpie Lark New Holland Honeyeater Noisy Miner Pacific Black Duck Pallid Cuckoo Peregrine Falcon Pied Cormorant Pied Currawong Purple Swamp Hen Rainbow Lorikeet Red-browned Finch Red Wattlebird Royal Spoonbill Rufus Whistler Sacred Kingfisher Satin Bowerbird Silvereye Great Egret Small Black Cormorant Small Pied Cormorant Straw-necked Ibis Striated Pardalotte Striated Thornbill Stubble Quail Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Superb Fairy Wren Swamp Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Welcome Swallow Whistling Kite White-faced Heron Willy Wagtail Yellow Thornbill Yellow-billed Spoonbill Yellow-faced Honeyeater Yellow-rumped Thornbill Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo INTRODUCED Black Bird Common Myna Common Starling European Gold Finch Spotted Dove Flora and Fauna of Eastwood PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) Peregrine Falcons are large 35-50 cm, powerfully built raptors (birds of prey), with a black hood, blue-black upperparts and creamy white chin, throat and underparts, which are finely barred from the breast to the tail. The long tapered wings have a straight trailing edge in flight and the tail is relatively short. The eye-ring is yellow, with the heavy bill also yellow, tipped black. The Peregrine Falcon is found across Australia. It is also found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The Peregrine Falcon is found in most habitats, from rainforests to the arid zone, and at most altitudes, from the coast to alpine areas. It requires abundant prey and secure nest sites, and prefers coastal and inland cliffs or open woodlands near water. The Peregrine Falcon feeds on small and medium-sized birds, as well as rabbits and other day-active mammals. It swoops down on its prey from above, catching or stunning it with its powerfully hooked talons, before grasping and carrying it off to a perch to pluck and eat it. It will pursue flying birds, being able to fly at speeds of up to 300 km/h, and it soars to a great height in search of prey. Pairs may hunt co-operatively, with one member, usually the male, scattering a flock of birds while the other swoops down to attack a particular individual. This co-operative behaviour is most often observed during the breeding season. The Peregrine Falcon mates for life and pairs maintain a home range of about 20 km to 30 km square throughout the year. Rather than building a nest, it lays its eggs in recesses of cliff faces, tree hollows or in the large abandoned nests of other birds. The female incubates the eggs and is fed by the male on the nest. When the young have hatched, both parents hunt to provide food. Young Peregrine Falcons disperse widely, but often return to their original home area to breed when mature. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood WHISTLING KITE (Haliastur sphenurus) Photo by John Saxton, Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc The Whistling Kite can be identified as a large brown, bird of prey gliding over wetlands, tree tops or farmland. When observed from below, the outstretched wings have dark widely fingered tips with a distinctive lighter ‘M’ shape pattern from wing tip to wing tip. The tail is long, plain and a sandy colour. The Whistling Kite will call either on the wing or perched with a rapid, sharp, penetrating, carrying call. They mainly eat carrion but will take live rabbits, hares, reptiles, birds and insects. The Whistling Kite can at times be seen soaring over the Eastwood wetlands. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus) Photo by Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc A familiar blue wren of SE Australia this tiny, brilliantly coloured bird can commonly be seen from major cities and country towns to bushland settings wherever there is sufficient close cover for them to protect themselves from predators. Quite often heard first by their vigorous trill they can then be seen dashing between shrubs usually in family groups looking for insects. The dull brown of the females and immature males are eclipsed by the brilliant iridescent blues on the head, back and breast of the males in breeding plumage. Look out for these brilliant little birds along Tulaba’s Track. Flora and Fauna of Eastwood FROG LIST FOR EASTWOOD RESERVES Peron’s Tree Frog Pobblebonk Frog Southern (Ewing’s) Tree Frog Whistling (Verreaux’s) Tree Frog Peron’s Tree Frog Pobblebonk (Banjo) Frog Spotted Marsh Frog Striped Marsh Frog Common Froglet Southern Tree Frog Litoria ewingi Litoria verreauxi Litoria peroni Limnodynastes dumerili Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Limnodynastes peroni Crinia signifer Whistling Tree Frog