On Monday 13th June, Queen’s Birthday weekend, a group of us met for a Nature Ramble in the Great Otway National Park.

Group

The Common Heath, Epacris impressa, was flowering beautifully, in pale to dark pinks and even an odd white one.

Common Heath

The Sweet Wattle, Acacia suaveolens, our first local wattle to bloom, was standing out amongst the dark foliage of the surrounding vegetation.

Sweet Wattle and Common Heath

We passed through a damp, protected area where the Maidenhair Fern was growing in profusion.

Maidenhair Fern

However the highlight of the walk was to see a colony of Striped Greenhoods, Pterostylis striata.

Striped Greenhood

This orchid is uncommon in the area and only grows in a few scattered areas, flowering in June.

Along the way we noticed a small bush with tiny white flowers with touches of pink. This is Prickly Cryptandra, Cryptandra tomentosa, with tubular flowers, starting white but becoming pink with age. The small stiff leaves are quite prickly.

Prickly Cryptandra

There were plenty of fungi about; this tiny yellow one really took our eye. It is one of the many Mycena (Pixie’s Parasols) - Omphalina umbellifera.

Pixie’s Parasols

 Christine Morrissey