NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 19663, 16 September 1927, Page 3

NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

SATURDAY’S OUTiHG J.iisL Saturday nbuiil, thirty members of tho -Naturalists’ Field Club attended the outing held at 'William’s Creek, which is some distance beyond Sullivan’s Dam. Following on a, previous indoor lecture, the study of lichens in their natural habitats was taken up, 1)r J. K. iJolloway being the leader. The locality proved admirably suited to (lie study. The bush still retains all the beauty of irs natural state, a largo clear stream splashes over and round boulders. The rocks, hanks, and tree trunks are clothed with musses, filmy ferns, and lichens, and with the recent rains everything was fresh and green. Immediately alter entering the turnstiles several species of tcrrcstial lichens were gathered. There were Cladouia coccifera, (another species of which tho reindeer of the Arctic regions feed on), liaoinyces, with its pretty pink fructifications and stcreoeaiiton, which resembles coral. In fhe bush and from the tree trunks Sticta latifrous and 8. siiiuosa were gathered, also Pseudocyphyllaria erocata, the fronds of which, on the upper .surface, are like, beaten copper; also P. coronaia, which is a mealy yellow .underneath, P. atirala, with brown margins and a black gelatinous lichen (Leploguim). The mosses and filmy ferns also received considerable attention, and altogether a very interesting afternoon was .spent.. INDOOR tM FETING.

A I. tho indoor immliug, holrl on Monday ovcuiug, the address was given by Mr W. Martin, U.Sc. As everyone is familiar with weeds of some sort, the subject, ‘ .Recognition and (llassifieittion of Weeds.’ was a very jiopnlar one. .Mr Martin stated that it was hard to define a weed accurately or definitely, but the term may ho applied to any plant growing where it is not wanted. There wore, of 'course, certain characteristics which distinguished them from other plants. One of I lie ehiclesfc was their wonderful power of reproduction. Many of them produce large quantities of seed which shows a, high percentage of germination, f’atheu and dock were taken as examples. A single plant of the former had been proved to produce •Ti.OOO seeds, and flic latter 2,000 seeds. Others, again (example, chickwccd), matured rapidly, and produced several crops in one season. These were known as ephemera Is. Over oft) species of weeds have become established in Now Zealand, many of them having heen introduced ns imparities in grass and clover seeds, and also in the ballast of old sailing ships. •irfr Martin was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, and the members then spent an interesting time examining and discussing the weed specimens which Mr Martin had brought in.