208 



Bcautzk'holc & Learmonth, 1 he Bxaduk Cares 



fVict. Ni 



L vol. v 



Nat 



3 



Tortclla dak'nui — This moss was known only from the single type 

 collection, taken at Pound Bend, Warrandyte, on shaded Silurian 

 rocks of steep cliffs along Yarra River ( E. Dakin, Nov. 19, 1951 ) ; 

 it was named by J. H. Willis in May 1955, a description with 

 illustrations appearing in J'ict. Xat. 72: 6. At Byaduk it occurs on 

 the upper surfaces of broken basaltic rocks, small heaps of which 

 have been piled near a track in the vicinity of Harman's Caves. Our 

 fruiting plants were noted 

 among many barren ones. In 

 some cases, the operculum 

 was still intact and in others 

 even the calyptra was still 

 present. 



In the January 1952 issue 

 of this journal (Tict. Xat. 

 68: 151) many new moss 

 records for Victoria were 

 listed. Xo less than eight of 

 these have been located also 

 at Byaduk. 



Hepatics and lichens are 

 also represented in good 

 numbers. Of note is the 

 hepatic H ymeno phyi u m 

 phyllantJiits, which is appar- 

 ently new to our far south- 

 west ; it occurs in great 

 masses on an eighteen-foot 

 dead Dicksonia trunk in 

 Church Cave. The lichen 

 Cladonia amaurocraca forms 

 lovely cushions on open bar- 

 riers, as it does at intervals 

 between Tyrendarra and 

 Mt. Eccles farther south ; 

 apart from these records it 

 is known in Victoria only 

 from the Cobberas Moun- 

 tains in the east of the State. 



Amongst a wealth of native flora in and around the caves are 

 many large bushes of Shiny Cassinia (C. lotigifolia ) , in full flower 

 in mid-summer. The Tree: Violet {Hymenanthera dentata), which 

 we have always found associated with volcanic barriers, grows to 

 an outstanding size on the floor of the open caves. This type of 

 country also suits Sweet Bursaria ( B. spinosa) and here as else- 

 where its flowers attract hordes of insects. Hanging in great cur- 



Descending the Fern Cave. 



