In early November 2013, we undertook another survey of Hidden Valley, this time focusing heavily on plants. For this, we invited along noted botanist-ecologist Doug Frood. Doug is a first-rate field botanist who we knew would confidently pick up many species that our amateur eyes would miss.
A key reason for the survey was to establish baseline knowledge of the vegetation this area supports now, so that changes the area undergoes in the next several years can be better assessed. We have taken lots of photos and have established photo-points, but we also needed more detailed knowledge of what’s actually growing. Plant species were identified as we walked through the western section of Site 4 and an area of private property adjacent to Site 4. Detailed 20 m x 20 m quadrat surveys were conducted at three locations in Site 4 and a general plant list was collated for the adjacent area.
Before we get into the detail, here are some photos of the day:
Chocolate Lily, Arthropodium strictum.
Much of the terrain is steep.
Big, old Long-leaf Box, Eucalyptus goniocalyx.
Tiger Orchid, Diuris sulphurea.
Tall Bluebell, Wahlenbergia gracilis.
Grey Guinea Flower, Hibbertia obtusifolia.
Blue Pincushion, Brunonia australis, not recorded at the survey points.
A basking Echidna.
Clustered Everlasting, Chrysocephalum semipapposum
Sticky everalsting, Xerochrysum viscosum
Unidentified moth.
Common Rice-flower, Pimelia humilis.
View from the top of Hidden Valley, looking SE.
Lunch in a sunny patch out of the cool wind.
Prickly Starwort, Stellaria pungens.
There was lots of serious sitting-down work to do.
Australian Buttercup, Ranunculus lappaceus.
The upper catchment of Hidden Valley, close to the Mt Disappointment State Forest, was green and still lush.
A recently emerged Common Brown Butterfly.
Understory revegetation along a drainage line in Site 4.
Slender Speedwell, Veronica gracilis.
The valley contains many ephemeral streams that feed ‘Watson’s Creek’.
Grassy woodland in Site 7.
Many of the trees stems are small, but their substantial lignotubers suggest the plant may be considerably older.
Fallen timber and logs are such an important part of woodland ecosystems.
Magenta Stork’s Bill, Pelargonium rodneyanum, not recorded at the survey points.
Heading back to the cars, SE along Hidden Valley.
In total, 86 native and 31 introduced plant species were recorded in the four site-surveys, with several additional species recorded during the walk (but not listed here). Here’s Doug’s list of plants recoded during the surveys; scientific names in alphabetical order:
| Hidden Valley Plant List – 10 Nov 2013 | |
| Native species | |
| Acacia dealbata (along creek-line) | Silver Wattle |
| Acacia gunnii | Ploughshare Wattle |
| Acacia melanoxylon | Blackwood |
| Acaena echinata | Sheep’s Burr |
| Acaena novae-zelandiae | Bidgee-widgee |
| Amyema pendula | Drooping Mistletoe |
| Anthosachne scabra | Common Wheat-grass |
| Aphanes australiana | Australian Piert |
| Arthropodium milleflorum | Pale Vanilla-lily |
| Arthropodium strictum | Chocolate Lily |
| Asperula scoparia | Prickly Woodruff |
| Austrostipa mollis | Supple Spear-grass |
| Brachyloma daphnoides | Daphne Heath |
| Burchardia umbellata | Milkmaids |
| Carex breviculmis | Common Grass-sedge |
| Carex inversa | Knob Sedge |
| Cassinia aculeata | Common Cassinia |
| Cassinia arcuata | Drooping Cassinia |
| Cassinia longifolia | Shiny Cassinia |
| Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia | Green Rock-fern |
| Cheilanthes sieberi | Narrow Rock-fern |
| Chrysocephalum semipapposum s.l. | Clustered Everlasting |
| Convolvulus angustissimus | Pink Bindweed |
| Cotula australis | Common Cotula |
| Crassula sieberiana s.l. | Sieber Crassula |
| Cymbonotus preissianus | Austral Bear’s-ear |
| Cynoglossum suaveolens | Sweet Hound’s-tongue |
| Daviesia leptophylla | Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea |
| Dianella admixta | Black-anther Flax-lily |
| Dichelachne crinita | Long-hair Plume-grass |
| Dichondra repens | Kidney-weed |
| Diuris sulphurea | Tiger Orchid |
| Drosera auriculata | Tall Sundew |
| Eucalyptus dives | Broad-leaf Peppermint |
| Eucalyptus goniocalyx s.l. | Bundy |
| Eucalyptus macrorhyncha | Red Stringybark |
| Eucalyptus melliodora | Yellow Box |
| Euchiton sphaericus | Annual Cudweed |
| Geranium gardneri | Rough Crane’s-bill |
| Geranium potentilloides | Soft Crane’s-bill |
| Geranium sp. (material inadequate for further identification) | |
| Geranium sp. 2 | Variable Crane’s-bill |
| Gonocarpus tetragynus | Common Raspwort |
| Hardenbergia violacea | Purple Coral-pea |
| Hibbertia obtusifolia | Grey Guinea-flower |
| Hovea heterophylla | Common Hovea |
| Hydrocotyle laxiflora | Stinking Pennywort |
| Hypericum gramineum | Small St John’s Wort |
| Indigofera australis | Austral Indigo |
| Leptorhynchos squamatus | Scaly Buttons |
| Lomandra filiformis subsp. coriacea | Wattle Mat-rush |
| Lomandra filiformis subsp. filiformis | Wattle Mat-rush |
| Luzula meridionalis var. flaccida | Common Woodrush |
| Microlaena stipoides | Weeping Grass |
| Olearia phlogopappa | Dusty Daisy-bush |
| Opercularia varia | Variable Stinkweed |
| Oxalis exilis | Shady Wood-sorrel |
| Pelargonium rodneyanum | Magenta Stork’s-bill |
| Pimelea humilis | Common Rice-flower |
| Poa labillardierei | Common Tussock-grass |
| Poa sieberiana | Grey Tussock-grass |
| Poa sp. (aff. tenera) | Tussock-grass |
| Poranthera microphylla | Small Poranthera |
| Pteridium esculentum | Austral Bracken |
| Ranunculus lappaceus | Australian Buttercup |
| Rumex brownii | Slender Dock |
| Rytidosperma caespitosum | Common Wallaby-grass |
| Rytidosperma erianthum | Hill Wallaby-grass |
| Rytidosperma geniculatum | Kneed Wallaby-grass |
| Rytidosperma pilosum | Velvet Wallaby-grass |
| Rytidosperma setaceum | Bristly Wallaby-grass |
| Rytidosperma spp. | Wallaby Grass |
| Senecio bathurstianus | Dissected Fireweed |
| Senecio glomeratus | Annual Fireweed |
| Senecio hispidulus | Rough Fireweed |
| Senecio phelleus | Stony Fireweed |
| Senecio quadridentatus | Cottony Fireweed |
| Stellaria pungens | Prickly Starwort |
| Thelymitra pauciflora | Slender Sun-orchid |
| Triptilodiscus pygmaeus | Common Sunray |
| Viola hederacea | Ivy-leaf Violet |
| Wahlenbergia ?communis | ?Tufted Bluebell |
| Wahlenbergia ?communis | Tufted Bluebell |
| Wahlenbergia gracilis | Sprawling Bluebell |
| Wahlenbergia stricta | Tall Bluebell |
| Xerochrysum viscosum | Shiny Everlasting |
| Introduced species | |
| *Acetosella vulgaris | Sheep Sorrel |
| *Aira caryophyllea | Silvery Hair-grass |
| *Aira elegantissima | Delicate Hair-grass |
| *Anthoxanthum odoratum | Sweet Vernal-grass |
| *Arctotheca calendula | Cape Weed |
| *Avena barbata | Bearded Oat |
| *Briza maxima | Large Quaking-grass |
| *Bromus diandrus | Great Brome |
| *Bromus hordeaceus | Soft Brome |
| *Bromus hordeaceus | Soft Brome |
| *Centaurium tenuiflorum | Slender Centaury |
| *Cerastium comatum | Levantine Mouse-ear Chickweed |
| *Cerastium glomeratum | Sticky Mouse-ear Chickweed |
| *Cirsium vulgare | Spear Thistle |
| *Conyza sp. | Fleabane |
| *Cynosurus echinatus | Rough Dog’s-tail |
| *Erodium botrys | Big Heron’s-bill |
| *Galium divaricatum | Slender Bedstraw |
| *Hypericum perforatum | St John’s Wort |
| *Hypochoeris glabra | Smooth Cat’s-ear |
| *Hypochoeris radicata | Flatweed |
| *Petrorhagia nanteuilii | Childling Pink |
| *Sonchus asper | Rough Sow-thistle |
| *Trifolium ?glomeratum | ?Cluster Clover |
| *Trifolium arvense | Hare’s-foot Clover |
| *Trifolium campestre | Hop Clover |
| *Trifolium dubium | Suckling Clover |
| *Trifolium striatum | Knotted Clover |
| *Trifolium subterraneum | Subterranean Clover |
| *Vulpia bromoides | Squirrel-tail Fescue |
| *Vulpia myuros f. myuros | Rat’s-tail Fescue |
Strath Creek Biodiversity Project 