164 AuDAs, Wanderings in East Gippsland. [ 



Vict. Nat. 

 Tan. 



WANDERINGS IN EAST GIPPSLAND. 

 By J. W. AuDAS, Assistant, National Heii)arium, Melbourne. 

 {Read before Ihe Field Naiuralisis' Club of Victoria, 14th Nov., 1910.; 

 Having a week's leisure in the middle of September, and 

 knowing that, owing to the favourable season, the vegetation 

 in some parts of the State would be well advanced, I decided to 

 make use of the time by revisiting East Gippsland, where the 

 beauteous vegetation of South-eastern Victoria had charmed me 

 on a former visit, some seven years previously. 



On the journey by rail from Melbourne on the 15th of that 

 month there was nothing of interest to note until we reached 

 Beaconsfield, where the signs of early spring became apparent, 

 there Craspedia Richea growing gregariously, Ranuncidus 

 lappaceus showing up well from moist spots, Microseris Forstcri 

 (the Native Yam), with its sohtary golden bloom, and the 

 ubiquitous orchid, Diiiris pediincitlata, were all to be observed 

 in the railway enclosure as we passed along. 



On nearing Drouin, the emblems of Australia — the wattles — 

 were a pretty sight. The Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbata, whose 

 blooms are at perfection about August, had certainly passed 

 its first glory, but .4. myriijolia, A. leprosa, A. melanoxylon. 

 and A. vcrticillata amply compensated, and the delightful 

 perfume from their fluffy, golden blooms, gleaming in the sun- 

 shine, wafted to the senses by every ])assing breeze, instilled 

 the desire to while away the hours among them. Anguillaria 

 {Wurmbea) dioica, sometimes known as the Harbinger of Spring, 

 a modest, white-flowering plant familiar to everyone, was 

 delivering its message of hope. The blue starry heads of 

 another liliaceous plant, Chamcescilla corymbosa, and the rich 

 yellow flowers of the Native Leek, Bulbine bidbosa, were in pro- 

 lusion. Of leguminous plants T noticed on the embankments 

 Dillwynia cinerascois, Pultciura stricta. var. Gitmiii, and the 

 two native hops, Daviesia latijolia and D. corymbosa. 



Passing over the Haunted Hills, near Moe, the common 

 heath, Epacris impressa, in three colours — pink, red, and white 

 — was blooming magnificently, although, nearer the metropolis, 

 it had passed the height of its flowering period, and was a 

 glorious sight, stretching for miles in either direction. Nature 

 had clothed the hills in brightest raiment of spring. Vying with 

 the heaths for pride of j^lace was the twiner Hardenbergia 

 {Kennedva) monophylla, locally known as Sarsaparilla, which 

 covered the young eucalyj^ts from root to topmost branch, 

 stretching from one to another and forming purple arches with 

 its flowering racemes. The Messmate, Eucalyptus obliqua, is 

 the principal timl)er tree on these hills, but does not a]-)pear to 

 reach the dimensions I liave noticed it attain in other parts 

 of our State. 



