The search went very well. Sylvia and six volunteers. At all the previous recorded sightings on the Sheephills track we found masses of seedlings, but only one or two plants that had resprouted from the parent plant. We estimated that each mature plant must have left behind in excess of a hundred viable seeds, which had been dispersed about 10-15m on either side of the parent plant – probably spread by ants. Some seed had germinated the first spring and some the second spring after the fire. A good strategy if you don’t know if there’s going to be sufficient rain for adequate growth in the first year. Many of the seedlings had already flowered and one or two had reached around 30cms in height. Altogether very reassuring, now we just have to see how many survive the pressures of competition from other species and from browsing.
We were fortunate enough to see many other species in flower on the day including but not limited to:
Caladenia iridescens Bronze Caladenia
Caladenia alpina Mountain Caladenia
Pterostylis melagramma Tall Greenhood
Bauera sessiliflora Grampians Bauera
Boronia pilosa Hairy Boronia
Euphrasia collina Purple Eyebright
Pimelea humilis Common Rice-flower
Pimelea linifolia Slender Rice-flower
Leionema bilobum Notched Phebalium
Sylvia van der Peet