1 Flora

FLORA 1 - Millgrove Environs

Tree ferns (Family Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica)

There are fern gullies on the College property. As the name suggests, a fern gully is a plant community, which is dominated by ferns, a class that has a long history and an important place in the story of the evolution of plants. The soft tree fern is typical of the under-storey growth here.
A number of different tree ferns grow here, like the one with the tall tree-like trunks you can see in the photo. All belong to the genus Cyathea.

Millgrove's Wild Flowers

There is an abundance of unique flowers in the bush, but you have to look for them.
They're delicate little plants among the tall timber around them.

White Clematis (Family Ranuculaceae, Clematis pubescens)

Flowering in September and October, the White Clematis climbs rocks, shrubs and trees. The seeds, before being scattered by the wind, are airborne in fluffy white masses. The White Clematis is common in the forest but often flowers high in the canopy of the forests, too far up to be admired.

Wonga wonga vine (Family Bignoniaceae, Tecoma australis)

This woody climber flowers often very high in the tree canopy and therefore the flowers are often not seen. The colours of the flowers are deep cream, tinged with red in the throat. The climber flowers in October.

Love creeper (Family Polygaceae, Comesperma volubile /C. ericinum)

This creeper is one of the most delicate of our bush flowers. It is not common in this forest and flowers in October. The flowers are a delicate blue, and are produced in loose racemes.

Tea-Tree (Family Myrtaceae, Leptospermum flavescens)

Tea-trees are slender shrubs that usually grow up to 1.5 m high and have flat oval leaves. Their flowers are pale-cream or white. Tea-trees are common in this forest.

Sundew (Family Droseraceae, Drosera …………..)

The name suggests that the plant looks like having dew on it. This dew in reality is a fluid that exudes from the knob-shaped tips of hairs that cover the leaves. The sticky fluid traps and digests insects. This process supplements the plant’s supply of nitrogen, which often is lacking in the soil around it.

*Mountain Ash. (Family Myrtaceae, Eucalyptus regnans)*
This tree is Australia’s tallest tree and one of the world’s giants. Some specimens have been found to be over 115m tall. It is the giant of the high rainfall country of Victoria and Tasmania. On these slopes some have survived chain saw and fire. The small white flowers high up in the canopy bloom mainly in late summer.

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*Tree ferns (Family Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Cyathea australis* and Dicksonia antarctica)**
There are fern gullies on the College property. As the name suggests, a fern gully is a plant community, which is dominated by ferns, a class that has a long history and an important place in the story of the evolution of plants. The soft tree fern is typical of the under-storey growth here. A number of different tree ferns grow here, like the one with the tall tree-like trunks you can see in the photo. All belong to the genus Cyathea.

*Wonga wonga vine (Family Bignoniaceae, Tecoma australis)*
This woody climber flowers often very high in the tree canopy and therefore the flowers are often not seen. The colours of the flowers are deep cream, tinged with red in the throat. The climber flowers in October.

Love creeper (Family Polygaceae, Comesperma volubile /*C. ericinum)*
This creeper is one of the most delicate of our bush flowers. It is not common in this forest and flowers in October. The flowers are a delicate blue, and are produced in loose racemes.

*Tea-Tree (Family Myrtaceae, Leptospermum flavescens)*
Tea-trees are slender shrubs that usually grow up to 1.5 m high and have flat oval leaves. Their flowers are pale-cream or white. Tea-trees are common in this forest.

*Sundew (Family Droseraceae, Drosera* …………..)**
The name suggests that the plant looks like having dew on it. This dew in reality is a fluid that exudes from the knob-shaped tips of hairs that cover the leaves. The sticky fluid traps and digests insects. This process supplements the plant’s supply of nitrogen, which often is lacking in the soil around it.