Future Events

Flowers of Annapurna

Speaker: Mike Small. The Annapurna Circuit is one of the great hikes of the world. More than 150 kms of trails pass from an altitude of 80m with subtropical rainforest to as high as 5500m high-alpine/ subarctic areas near the world's highest mountain pass at Thorung La. Culturally diverse, it is also a biodiversity hotspot as a result of the intersection of several floristic regions and extremes of precipitation and altitude. Floral diversity also results from numerous geological uplifts that formed the Himalaya and the monsoon after India collided with Asia 50 million years ago. This talk follows the trail and the flowers during the monsoon flowering season of 2024.

Chrystalls Beach

Join us for a mid-winter stroll along a golden sand beach. Though marram is a common feature of the fore dune, the interdune contains an interesting mix of native shrubs and trees along with a small patch of native cushion plants. There will also be a chance to check out the plants on Cooks Head (a 25m high basalt rock). Threatened plants and sea lions are likely to be spotted. This will be a relaxed botanical paced trip. Bring a wind proof coat, warm hat, lunch, and a hot drink. Meet at 9am in the Botany Dept, return time 3pm. Contact Gretchen 021 065 8497

Geoff Baylis lecture: Why we’re obsessed with Craspedia

Speakers: Ilse Breitwieser and Rob Smissen. Location: Archway lecture theatre, University of Otago.

Call them billy-buttons, drumstick flower, billy balls, sun balls in Australia or woollyheads and puatea in New Zealand or with their scientific name Craspedia (Gnaphalieae, Compositae / Asteraceae), these everlasting daisies are conspicuous members of many plant communities in New Zealand and Australia but remain an outstanding taxonomic challenge. In 1961, based on a small number of available herbarium specimens, HH Allan’s Flora of New Zealand volume 1 recorded just 6 species in New Zealand. However, the 1992 and 1993 checklists of Tony Druce, who made extensive field observations and collected numerous herbarium specimens, distinguished more than 45 undescribed entities that might or might not warrant taxonomic recognition. Morphological variation in New Zealand Craspedia is complex, making the definition and circumscription of species problematic. At least in part, this difficulty is the legacy of an extremely rapid and recent diversification of the genus in New Zealand – a scenario that produces challenges for genetic as well as morphological approaches to delimiting species. In this presentation we will review some of our research results about the taxonomy and evolution of Craspedia in New Zealand. Much work remains, but we anticipate our extensive morphological study of plants in the field, in cultivation and in the herbarium as well as our new genetic markers will help us provide an improved classification of Craspedia in New Zealand and give us better insight into how their diversity has evolved.

Field trip to the Dunedin Botanic Gardens

The plan is to meet at the botany carpark at 9am then head over to the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. We will be focusing on the native section at the top of the gardens and will have a look at the native forest area before heading to either the cafe or North East Valley for a cuppa. Contact Lydia Metcalfe 0277265556

Field trip to Mahaka Katia Scientific Reserve (Pisa Flats)

Mahaka Katia Scientific Reserve (Pisa Flats) is situated on an elevated terrace above Lake Dunstan just north of Cromwell. It is a unique example of Central Otago dryland habitat that has mostly been lost to agricultural development and residential subdivision. Pisa Flats is one of the few remaining places where populations of a number of rare, native, dryland endemic species can still be found. These include Raoulia monroi, Lepidium solandri, Convolvulus verecundus, Myosotis uniflora and Craspedia argentea. Myosotis uniflora is classified as At Risk – Naturally Uncommon and the yellow-flowered form is more or less confined to the Pisa Flats. We are timing our visit to hopefully coincide with its spring flowering. Craspedia argentea is known only from this location and is considered Threatened – Nationally Critical. If we have time, we will possibly visit the saline sites at Springvale Scientific Reserve or the Chapman Road Reserve both near Alexandra to look at Central Otago spring annuals, a suite of dryland species that includes Myosotis brevis, and the tiny buttercup relatives, Ceratocephala pungens and Myosurus minimus.

We will meet at the Botany Department carpark at 8.00 am and travel to Cromwell and then on to the Reserve. Bring lunch, warm clothing, rain gear and suitable footwear. Travel time from Dunedin to Cromwell is approximately 3 hrs. Contact David Lyttle | djl1yttle@gmail.com | 027 654 5470

Endemic plants and animals of Otago – what have we got and how do we know?

Scott Jarvie, Senior Scientist Terrestrial Ecology, Otago Regional Council.

Otago has a high diversity of plants and animals, reflecting the region’s contemporary landscapes, geological past and climatic history. Over 450 species have so far been identified as only naturally occurring in Otago, meaning they occur naturally and breed exclusively in the region. In this talk, I will provide an overview of our regionally endemic species in Otago and how this was determined, with a focus on our plants. Other projects that have contributed to our understanding of our regionally endemic species will also be touched upon, including a project assessing the extinction risk to species regionally and a project compiling type localities for species.

Rewilding in Action: the hands-on mahi, the podcast, and the thinking behind it

Speaker: Maureen Howard, BSc Hons, PhD (Psychology).

Join Maureen on her rewilding journey as she explores what rewilding looks like in our small part of Aotearoa through her podcast Rewilding in Action; as well as her thinking about what this term means – so far! Maureen will share some useful things she has learned along the way, from hands-on experience in assisted native regeneration, to the technical ins and outs of creating a podcast.

Field trip to Heyward Point Scenic Reserve

This reserve near Aramoana, is a rare example of coastal podocarp/broadleaved forest with many special features including fragrant tree daisy (Olearia fragrantissima) and climbing daisy (Brachyglottis sciadophila). With luck, lunch will be in the sun admiring the interesting shrub and herb communities on the dramatic coastal cliffs and headland. We'll do a return trip from the end of Heyward Point Road. Meet at the Botany Department carpark at 9 a.m. Leader John Barkla 027 326 7917.