Past Events

Interesting Local Lichens

Our speaker Lars Ludwig, will talk about his PhD research, focusing on the reproductive ecology of the rare but eye-catching subalpine lichen Icmadophila splachnirima. He will also present some interesting lichenological discoveries from the Dunedin area. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

Field Trip to Catlins

Mohua Park is a 14 hectare private forest reserve owned by Fergus and Mary Sutherland. Eight hectares are varied native forest—mature podocarp, mature silver beech and secondary growth podocarp. Some of the special features of the native forest include the many matai, lowland ribbonwoods, kaikomako and small-leafed milkwoods. The native forest area is protected by a QE II open space covenant and is especially rich in bird life as a result of continuously maintained predator control. There are also three hectares of planted forest—the bulk of which is radiata pine, as well as a recently established deciduous woodland. The native forest on the property was preserved as a steading around the hill-top homestead of Tawanui's sawmill owner and manager: J. R. Wilson. The old homestead was built in the 1920's, and has a well established garden and lawn. Fergus and Mary have built four tourist accommodation eco cottages on the property and they also use it as a base for their Catlins eco tours. More information about Mohua Park, including a video, can be seen on their website: www.catlinsmohuapark.co.nz Location: 744 Catlins Valley Road, Tawanui—sign-posted off the Southern Scenic Routes 10 km south of Owaka. Meet 8.30 am at the Botany Dept Car Park, 464 Great King St. Distance 127 km. For a plant list, map of tracks and more information see the BSO website.(coming soon)

Talks by Botany Department Students

First a talk on bryophytes and community structure entitled It's the little things that matter by Kelley Frogley, winner of the Tom Moss Competition, followed by talks from Botany Department Colloquium winners showcasing some of the latest research by our most capable young botanists. A stimulating and varied evening is in store so please come and support the speakers. Drawings from the Audrey Eagle Botanical Drawing Competition will be on display and the winners will be announced. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

Molteno's Regenerating Bush, Opoho

Tess and Anthony Molteno will host the BSO on a visit to their property at 236 Signal Hill Road, Opoho. Tess and Anthony have owned the property for the past 25 years. The property was originally a dairy farm and later a nursery but had been neglected for the 30 years or so before they bought it. At the time they fenced off a 2–3 Ha stand of kanuka on the west in the hope of regenerating the native bush. Since then that area has been little disturbed and they thought members of the Botanical Society might like to explore it, and any other part of the property that might interest them. Meet at the Dept of Botany car park 464 Great King St at 9.00 am.

Deadline for entries for the BSO Audrey Eagle Botanical Drawing Competition

See here for more information

Banks' Florilegium at the Hocken Library

Banks' Florilegium is a collection of copperplate engravings of plants collected by Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander while they accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyage around the world between 1768 and 1771. They collected plants in Madeira, Brazil, Tierra del Fuego, the Society Islands, New Zealand, Australia and Java. See here for more information. Meet at the foyer of the Hocken Library at 5:30 p.m.

Field Trip to Alexandra

We will travel to Alexandra and visit the DoC Springvale and Chapman Road Reserves to see native spring annuals and some rare dryland plants. The tiny buttercup relatives Ceratocephala pungens and Myosurus minimus subsp. novae-zelandiae will be flowering. Other plants that are likely to be present on these dry saline sites are Myosotis brevis, Lepidium kirkii, Atriplex buchananii, Raoulia beauverdii and Ryditosperma merum. Leaders David Lyttle and John Barkla.

Thyme travels across Central Otago: Above- and Below-ground ecological studies of a space invader

Jacqui Nielsen, PhD candidate. A Botany Department seminar. Union St Lecture Theatre, Cnr Union St West & Great King St.

Field trip to Brighton and/or Bruce Rocks

Dr Wendy Nelson, this year's Baylis lecturer, has kindly agreed to lead a field trip to look at marine algae. Both sites are on the same coast though it is possible we will only do one as the intertidal window is narrow. This is a good opportunity for members to do something a bit different and learn from an international specialist in the field. It will be worth getting up early for. To catch the outgoing tide we need to meet at the Botany Dept car park, 464 Great King St. at the earlier time of 7.30 am (sharp). Gumboots and wet weather gear essential. Wet weather alternative Sunday 19th August.

11^th Annual Geoff Baylis Lecture. Relationships of marine algae in New Zealand: new discoveries provide more pieces for the puzzle

Speaker Dr Wendy Nelson NIWA. Recent collections from sites throughout the New Zealand archipelago, including samples from deep waters in northern and eastern New Zealand (up to 110 m depth), intensive collections from the Bounty and Antipodes Islands, and algae associated with northern rhodolith beds as well as soft sediment habitats, have resulted in the recognition of many new taxa. These provide new perspectives on the relationships of the New Zealand flora—and raise some more challenging questions! Talk to be held in Burns 2 Lecture Theatre, University of Otago. Drinks and nibbles will be available from 5:00 pm in the Castle Lecture Theatre Concourse.

Tapeworms in elasmobranch fishes: providing insights into marine ecosystems

Dr Haseeb Randhawa, Senior Teaching Fellow, Ecology Program. A Botany Department seminar. Union St Lecture Theatre, Cnr Union St West & Great King St.

What Makes a Good Neighbour? Drivers of facilitation in alpine cushion plant communities

Britt Cranston, PhD candidate. A Botany Department seminar. Union St Lecture Theatre, Cnr Union St West & Great King St.

Field Trip to the Lyttle Properties, Otago Peninsula.

David and Belinda Lyttle will host the BSO on a visit to their native plant nursery on Centre Road. There will be an opportunity to visit some native forest remnants on the adjoining farm owned by Donald Lyttle. This particular remnant is representative of the local flora and contains some uncommon species including Brachyglottis sciadophila, Coprosma rubra, Clematis foetida and Raukaua edgerleyi. The adjacent pasture contains a number of interesting herbaceous natives including the bidibid Acaena microphylla var. pauciglochidiata, Celmisia gracilenta, and Raoulia glabra. A good winter outing with a chance to come in out of the cold and enjoy some hot soup at lunchtime. Meet 9.00 am at the Botany Dept Car Park, 464 Great King St.

Effects of secondary woody succession in dry eastern South Island on indigenous plants and animals

Speaker Susan Walker, Landcare Research, Dunedin. Mixed indigenous and exotic communities dominated by shrubs and small trees, at different stages of recovery from fire, now cover about one fifth of land that has not been intensively developed within eastern South Island 'dryland' environments. The benefits and drawbacks of this increasing 'woodiness' for indigenous plant and animals have been debated, but there have been few studies of its ecological effects. Susan will describe some insights from recent research in dry Central Otago. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

Field trip to Quarantine Island

A trip led by Bill Wilson. Cost $10.00 for boat leaving from Back Beach, Port Chalmers at 9:30 AM. Depart from the Botany Dept car park at 9:00 AM or meet at 9:30 at Port Chalmers. Return boat trip booked for 3 PM. Date subject to weather Rain day 24th June.