Wednesday 21 March 2012

Collecting ,Pressing and Drying

I have now got to around 45 collected ferns from Nga Manu reserve and the hunt is now focussed on the remnant forest area however with the high winds of the past few days I have been unable to really access this area.
 Managed to get lost in the bush on Monday and ended up in Waikanae town...rather a long way from where I had started. Learn from my mistake and so easy to do when you are deep in trees.I had the GPS with me plus a cell phone but was unable to comprehend the machinations of the GPS! The cell phone was my rescue.
Anyway I now have almost come to the end of finding new species at the reserve and will move to the Hemi the week after next. I have stuff on with school - launching CLOAK of PROTECTION card game next week at Nga Manu plus a catch and release of Tuatara next Thursday and Friday. I will also step back into some feeding and weighing of kiwi next week.I also have to present a summary of what am up to to the guides at Nga Manu...these are the incredibly wonderful volunteers who give there time to the reserve to show people around, clean and help run the place...we are blessed indeed to have people who do this work in our communities.
Hymenophyllum spp

Azolla filucoides...the smallest fern you'll find...it is the red colour on top of a pond

the yellow hairs on the rhizome of H. flagellatum

drying cabinet at Te Papa

In the cabinet

netted scales on the rachis

pressing and drying in rare sun at home!
Am getting quicker at ID but still have to use the microscope heaps to verify plant characters and features ...getting used to what i am seeing.

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