Anogramma leptophylla

Anogramma leptophylla at Bluff River Gorge


The Annual Fern Anogramma Pdf  as it is commonly called is a species of dry habitats in Tasmania and is currently classified as vulnerable under Tasmanian Threatened Species Legislation.This species is found on dolerite and sandstone commonly at the top of gorges,it is quite probable that it has been overlooked as an immature fern of other species
This fern appears after a good period of rainfall then disappears when the environment drys out.This photo is taken at Bluff River Gorge where we found a new site for this vulnerable species.
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This species in cultivation has proved hard to keep growing as it needs a period of drying out,although in Britain people grow it quite successfully in terrariums.

Telopea truncata

Telopea truncata at Hartz Mountain National Park




Telopea truncata or Tasmanian Waratah is one of my favourite plants in the Tasmanian bush,the most common flower colour is red but there are other colours such as yellow ,white and pink Telopea flower colours.
The Tasmanian Waratah is a slow growing plant of the sub alpine zone but can be found at lower altitudes on the Tasmanian Peninsula. It can also be found in drier areas such as Platform Peak in the south east,Snow Hill in the Eastern Tiers and even a record from Brown Mountain in the South East.

Round leafed form of Telopea truncata found at Cape Pillar



Seed follicles forming on Telopea truncata at Cape Pillar



















In cultivation you need a cool and protected site and the soil must be very well drained  but moist ,as they will die in waterlogged soil.Waratahs benefit from fertilising with Blood and Bone or any fertiliser low in phosphorous at least once a year in spring.

Telopea truncata in cultivation on our block collcted from Snug Tiers.

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Telopea truncata growing on Snug Tiers

Waratahs are easy to propagate from fresh seed(less than 6 months old),but you will loose allot of them because of damping off Damping off, you could spray them with a fungicide such as Banol PDF or better still you could make sure the seedling mix is not  kept to damp and has plenty of air movement around the punnets which will help control this disease.

Waratahs benefit from pruning off the old flower heads(if you don;t want to collect the seed) to promote a bushy plant that will have more flowers on it.

Cape Pillar Walk



View from Cape Pillar to Tasman Island

The Cape Pillar walk is a spectacular walk to some of the largest sea cliffs on the Tasmanian Peninsula,with some very interesting form of plants sculptured by the extreme conditions..
We started of late in the day so we only made it to Bare Knoll as darkness fell,we were glad it was a protected site as we could hear the wind howling overhead.
                                                                            
















Our campsite at Bare Knoll

  
The next day we set of in fine conditions for the Cape,taking in all the beautiful views of the coastline and spectacular plants such as the Allocassuarina crassa Allocassuarina Crassa PDF and prostrate form of Banksia marginata.  















Allocassuarina crassa prostrate form

 We filled up our water bottles at Lunch time creek the last reliable water source,although the water had a distinctly salty taste to it!   At Lunch time creek we started to see some very round leaved forms of Telopea truncata Telopea truncata PDF and patches of rainforest. 



















Round leaved form of Telopea truncata

  After a couple of hours walking we arrived at Perdition Ponds ,a series of shallow ponds right near the sea.

We spent over an hour observing all the beautiful forms of plants growing at the Cape in natures garden.



Perdition Ponds



After a quick lunch we headed out to the end of the Cape for spectacular views of Tasman Island ,we realised however that we din,t have enough day light left to make it to the end of the Cape and back to the campsite before dark as we had spent allot of time botanising.                       

View from Cape Pillar to Tasman Island

After 2 days on the Cape we awoke to a very wet and windy day and decided we would leave climbing Mount Fortescue to another day because of the conditions.
                                                              

Lake Rhona walking trip

The walk to Lake Rhona is a long day walk  from the Florentine State forest or as we decided for this trip we would take 2 days to reach the Lake, camping the first night at the historic settlement of Gordonvale.

Gordonvale was the home of Ernie Bond who farmed this area from the middle 1930's to the late 1950's. Very little is left of the settlement,a rusty plow,saw,rhododendron bushes,a walnut tree , rubbish piles hidden in the scrub and the peak of what was the roof of his house.





Walking up the Rasselas valley





I had heard that there were still some of his raspberry plants growing hidden in the scrub but after an

exhaustive search was unable to find them,presumably they died out years ago.

                                
              

Anne can see where we need to go.

 

The second day we were up bright and early for the 4 to 5 hours it would take to get to Lake Rhona.

The Vale of Rasselas was very and was as dry as I had seen it 17 years ago when I last did this walk.

We arrived at the foot of the Denison Ranges on a quite warm day for the long walk up the ridge to the lake.



Nat relaxing on the way up to Lake Rhona

 
















After the long climb we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the spectacular Lake Rhona and Reed's Peak.



First view of Lake Rhona and Reed's Peak


Next morning we awoke to a bright and sunny morning so we all headed down to the beach for breakfast.

 

Nat having breakfast on the beautiful beach at Lake Rhona

 















We set up camp right behind the beach for 3 nights at beautiful Lake Rhona,the next day we climbed up onto the Denison Ranges and climbed Reeds Peak and did the circuit back to Lake Rhona.



View south west from the Denison Range



We arrived back just at the sun was setting over Reeds Peak.

 


Evening light at Lake Rhona



The next day we explored around Lake Rhona taking lots of photographs.

  















 

Eucryphia milligani flowering above the lake



















Eucryphia milligani  a subalpine version of the rainforest species (Eucryphia lucida) was flowering in profusion behind our campsite and it gave the area a beautiful sweet scent.                                                   
                                                                     




Leaving Lake Rhona













After 3 lovely days at Lake Rhona we left on a wet and miserable morning with wonderful memories of a special place.

Cyphanthera tasmanica

Cyphanthera tasmanica flower

Cyphanthera tasmanica Cyphanthera tasmanica PDF is an endemic rare shrub of Tasmania's East Coast and is found in coastal areas as well as the hinterland,it can be a riparian species or more commonly is found on rocky hill sides. Cyphanthera tasmanica is a member of the Solanaceae family and was a species that I spent a number of years searching for on Tasmania's East Coast in the late 1990s too 2006. I finally found a population with a group of friends at Bluff River Gorge in 2006. Tasmanian Ray Flower as it is commonly called is a short lived species, possibly living up to 12 years and seems to need fire to stimulate germination of its seed.

In cultivation this species can be fickle as it needs very well drained acid soil and will often die without any apparent reason. Propagation from seed isn't easy as it seems to need fire RTBG-Cyphanthera tasmanica to break the seed dormancy.Propagation from semi hardwood cuttings taken after flowering is relatively easy, under mist and bottom heat,but it is important that you choose material from healthy plants.

This species if tip pruned regularly forms a compact bush that can eventually grow to 3 metres by 3 metres and would make a beautiful addition to any native garden.