In drizzly weather we set off for the last walk of the year towards for the beacon from the offices at Beacon Hill. The first flowers we saw were Aeollanthus parvifolius on the rock outcrop near the track and close to this was a Desmodium dregeanum. Growing in the track was a tall Satyrium longicauda and we saw many more amongst the grass at the side of the track. Protruding above the taller grass a little further along was an Orthochilus ensatus.
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| Aeollanthus parvifolius |
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| Desmodium dregeanum |
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| Orthochilus ensatus |
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| Satyrium longicauda |
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| Satyrium longicauda |
The first of the
Alepidea peduncularis were starting to flower. Over the brow of the hill near the helicopter landing pad there were several pink-flowered
Cycnium racemosum. Amongst the rocks and on the rock sheets there were small clusters of
Delosperma carterae and we found
Dipcadi marlothii with its caramel-coloured flowers in the grassland.
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| Alepidea peduncularis |
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| Cycnium racemosum |
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| Delosperma carterae |
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| Dipcadi marlothii |
Indigofera abbottii were proudly showing off their drooping heads of crimson flowers
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| Indigofera abbottii |
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| Scouring the rock plates for succulents |
From here we dropped down into the valley and across the top of a small dam, pausing to deal with a recurrence of a clump of invasive flowering ginger (Hedychium sp.) and enjoying the abundance of flowering aquatic species: Nymphaea nouchali var caerulea and Nymphoides thunbergiana. Growing submerged on the banks was a fringe of Eleocharis acutangula, some of which were flowering. In the undergrowth at the side of the watercourse was Aristea gerrardii.
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| Nymphaea nouchali var caerulea |
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| Nymphoides thunbergiana |
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| Eleocharis acutangula |
We clambered up out of the watercourse and moved towards some rock outcrops. Here we found patches of Stenoglottis macloughlinii growing in the damp crevices on rock shelves. On the top of the rocks the endemic Brachystelma australe were plentiful, most of them in flower, under the watchful eye of a shrubby Anastrabe integerrima.
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| Brachystelma australe |
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| Stenoglottis macoughlinii |
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| Anastrabe integerrima |
In the damp patches between these rock outcrops there were many Schizochilus zeyheri. A few of the rare Chironia albiflora were tucked under vegetation in the damp grassland at the base of a rock outcrop.
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| Schizochilus zeyheri |
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| Chironia albiflora |
In the grassland above these rocks we saw
Aspalathus chortophila and once we explored the top of another outcrop we found the attractive fern,
Huperzia gnidioides growing amongst
Agapanthus campanulatus. A small, colourful frog sat on a dry branch, convinced we could not see him.
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| Aspalathus chortophila |
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| Huperzia gnidioides |
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| Agapanthus campanulatus |
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| A colourful little frog |
By this stage, having left our lunches at the vehicles because of the wet conditions, we headed back and had our lunch under one of the shelters at the Beacon Hill offices. On the way we added
Helichrysum nudifolium, H. panduratum and
Heliophila elongata to our list for the day.
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| Helichrysum nudifolium |
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| Helichrysum panduratum |
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| Heliophila elongata |
Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Gareth , Graham G, Kate G, Rachel B-W, Sarel C, Tracy T.
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