Journal Number 96
August 2005

NOTES etc

Forbes Bennett of Hastings sent photographs of orchids from the eastern Ruahines,
including Gastrodia sp., Orthoceras novae-zelandiae, and Caladenia chlorostyla.
The Orthoceras had really short floral bracts, and is certainly O. novae-zelandiae.

Nature News of 24 March carried the following story, headlined "Lyrebird threatens
Tasmania's rare orchids".

"The bird featured on the Australian 10 cent piece is becoming a pest in Tasmania's world
heritage area. The lyrebird is not native to Tasmania but it is protected and cannot be culled.
In the 1930s it was brought over from Victoria where foxes were threatening to wipe out the
species. Since then, the lyrebird has spread through Tasmania's wilderness and is changing
the character of the wet forests".

'Zoologist Michael Driessen says work is under way to protect rare plants from the lyrebird.
'We've put some enclosures up to protect a rare orchid in the south-west, which hadn't been
seen flowering for quite a long time and thought this was because of the activity of the lyrebird,'
he said. 'Since those enclosures have gone up, we have seen some flowering of those rare orchids'."

Craigie Lea Corunastylis crash: I felt sure Corunastylis are under reported, being winter
flowering, so I cajoled Pat Enright to join me in a search of the reserve at Craigie Lea (eastern
Wairarapa) in mid-April.

It seemed a perfect habitat, but we had no success. In science, negative findings should be
reported too - not just positive: otherwise you get what is called publication bias. Rivetting
stuff though, isn't it?

Helene Wild (editor of the ANOS Victoria Bulletin) wrote, "I have had the NZ Native Orchid Journal [J95] sitting on my desk for a few days now. The picture on the front cover is inspirational. I just love these little gastrodias. Congratulations to Mark Moorhouse .... and congratulations to you on another great issue".

New Zealand Native Orchid Stamps, 1990
- 15 years later is it time for a new set?

Iwitahi 2005
9-11 December
Same time & place
Book with Sue and Robbie Graham
141 SH1, Waitahanui, Taupo
07 3770469

NZNOG AGM Iwitahi 10 Dec.
Agenda in November