I’ve often posted photographs of birds or the plants around the dam, featuring the thick clump of Tall Spike-rush in the background, so I thought it was high time to put this plant in the foreground. It seems that Tall Spike-rush is a former name and the current name is Tall Spike-sedge. I’ve included both names … Continue reading Tall Spike-Rush / Tall Spike-sedge (Eleocharis sphacelata)
Tag: Plants
Austral Brooklime (Gratiola peruviana)
Investigating the species of plants which are naturally re-vegetating the dam bank, I was pleased to discover that the most plentiful plant is a native species: Austral Brooklime. The seeds of this plant are apparently long-lived and can remain dormant in soil until the right conditions occur. The flowers are tiny – approximately 3mm to … Continue reading Austral Brooklime (Gratiola peruviana)
Natural Re-vegetation Around the Dam
Recently, I wrote about the falling water level in the Dam. I’ve noticed many small plants growing close to the new perimeter of the water. These have all grown naturally from seed dispersed in the air or deposited when birds and mammals go to the dam for a drink. I thought it might be interesting to … Continue reading Natural Re-vegetation Around the Dam
Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia)
I’ve been walking past a patch of plants with clumps of long, flat, green leaves for the entire time we’ve lived on our property, and only in the last couple of weeks did I realise these Spiny-headed Mat-Rush plants had beautiful white flower spikes hidden away. From the research I have done, it seems they … Continue reading Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia)
Yellow Rush-lily (Tricoryne elatior)
This year the Spring has been so dry that flowers seem to be behaving in unseasonal ways, including the Yellow Rush-lily which last Summer flowered in February. Having noted that, I have only found one small group of plants, so perhaps they are growing in a micro-climate that suits them and the others will flower … Continue reading Yellow Rush-lily (Tricoryne elatior)
Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendula)
For many years I have wanted to have a red flowering eucalypt, so when I spotted what appeared to be red flowers on the ground, I got excited – only to work out that I have a red flowering Mistletoe. The Mistletoe is a parasitic plant which attaches to eucalypts and sometimes acacia trees. The … Continue reading Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendula)
Heath Teatree (Leptospermum myrsinoides)
I took these Teatree photographs in September of 2013 and they have been sitting in my ‘To Identify’ folder since then. The appearance of Teatree flowers again this Spring has prompted me to sit down and try to work out which species of Teatree we have here. Looking at the different flowering periods and differences … Continue reading Heath Teatree (Leptospermum myrsinoides)
Clover Glycine (Glycine latrobeana)
Looking through the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) publication “Advisory List of Rare or Threatened Plants in Victoria 2014” I noticed a couple of listings under Glycine, including Clover Glycine. As it is a native pea species and one of my projects this Spring is to identify as many of the pea … Continue reading Clover Glycine (Glycine latrobeana)
Rabbit Ears (Thelymitra antennifera)
I haven’t had time to identify any further Sun Orchids species I photographed over the past week, but as I already know Rabbit Ears, and it is a Sun Orchid, I thought I would share a photograph of one. I took this photograph on 19 October with a Macro lens. Rabbit Ears orchids are named for the … Continue reading Rabbit Ears (Thelymitra antennifera)
Grassland Sun Orchid (Thelymitra basaltica)
For the second time this week, I am researching an endangered species of Sun Orchid which does not appear in my field guide – this time it’s the Grassland Sun Orchid. I can only find a couple of photographs to match it against on Retired Aussies and on EcoLink, both of which have only … Continue reading Grassland Sun Orchid (Thelymitra basaltica)
Short Sun Orchid (Thelymitra exigua)
The centre of this Short Sun Orchid almost seems to have teeth shown in a gasp of horror! It makes me smile because it is both beautiful and humorous in a charming way. I like the way the colour in the lobes fades toward the centre of the flower. I would like to tell you more … Continue reading Short Sun Orchid (Thelymitra exigua)
Slender Sun Orchid (Thelymitra pauciflora)
Learning how to identify the various species of Sun Orchid is not an easy task, so I am beginning with the Slender Sun Orchid because it is one that I have (I believe) successfully classified. I’m happy to be corrected by orchid enthusiasts! While Sun Orchids come in a variety of sizes and colours, the … Continue reading Slender Sun Orchid (Thelymitra pauciflora)
Spring Flowers: Milkmaid
I thought I would share this photograph of Milkmaid flowers, which I took today while photographing the Sun Orchids. Milkmaids already appear on the species list, but the Macro lens allows me to take a much clearer photograph than the previous one. It will take me a day or two to work out the different species of … Continue reading Spring Flowers: Milkmaid
Grey Parrot-pea (Dillwynia cinerascens)
Continuing my quest to work out the difference between all of the native pea plants growing in our bushland, my best guess is this one is a Grey Parrot-pea. From my reading, they have clusters of up to ten flowers, which are ‘sessile’ or appearing to be without a stem. The leaves are long … Continue reading Grey Parrot-pea (Dillwynia cinerascens)
Blue Stars with White Flowers
At the moment, Blue Stars (Chamaescilla corymbosa var. corymbosa) flowers are coming up everywhere. When the sun is out the grass around the house is dotted with blue. They also appear in the bush section of the property, but not with the same frequency. In among the blue flowers are two plants with white flowers. … Continue reading Blue Stars with White Flowers
Common Flat-pea (Platylobium obtusangulum)
Working toward my goal to identify the various Australian native pea plants we have growing here, I have identified this one as the Common Flat-pea. Yesterday it was full of flowers and unopened buds but the wind was strong, making it difficult to get a clear shot at the trembling flowers. This morning we saw a … Continue reading Common Flat-pea (Platylobium obtusangulum)
Yam Daisy (Microseris sp. 3)
There is so much in flower at the moment, I could have chosen many different native flowers to write about – but the Yam Daisy is one that should have been included in the A – Z Species list last year. When I saw it in flower again, I thought it was high time to dedicate … Continue reading Yam Daisy (Microseris sp. 3)
A Gallery of Spring Flowers
With the warmer weather, Spring flowers are beginning to pop up everywhere. This gallery of photographs contains native species which are already included on the A -Z Species List through previous posts. All of the photographs below were taken over the last two weeks. .
Orchid Colonies
Some Australian Terrestrial Orchids grow in colonies, and this year we are fortunate to have a couple of reasonably good-sized ones. After photographing the solitary Waxlip Orchid the other day, I thought I would try to find more Waxlip Orchids yesterday, but only found two more. Last year we had so many of these. I … Continue reading Orchid Colonies
Our First Spring Waxlip Orchid
It would be remiss of me to overlook the first Waxlip Orchid of Spring, which we saw yesterday afternoon. Last year, we had many Waxlip Orchids, so I hope this is just the first of many.
Smooth Parrot-Pea (Dillwynia glaberrima)
Last week I posted a photograph of an unidentified pea flower, which was subsequently identified by John as a Smooth Parrot-pea (Dillwynia glaberrima). As John mentioned in his comment, Dillwynia species of plants have a few distinguishing characteristics, and once I was alerted to these, I couldn’t resist looking up the Smooth Parrot-pea in Enid Mayfield’s … Continue reading Smooth Parrot-Pea (Dillwynia glaberrima)
Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea (Daviesia leptophylla)
This is the first Bitter-pea I’ve noticed on the property, but it has probably been growing here in other years. I think I have been so focused on Orchids and more showy flowers, it was easy to overlook these tiny pea flowers. Firstly, because they are so small, held on slender stems, and secondly because … Continue reading Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea (Daviesia leptophylla)
Pea Flowers
One of my projects this Spring is to work out how to identify the many different species of wild pea species. I have tens of photographs of pea flowers from last Spring which I’ve been unable to identify because I didn’t photograph the leaves or the calyx well enough. Both of these features are important … Continue reading Pea Flowers
Ornamental Plum Blossom
We have so many eucalypts and native plants with unobtrusive flowers, it feels fantastic when the ornamental plum tree is in full blossom. A real burst of colour which attracts both birds and insects. This week, two Red Wattle Birds have been feeding from the blossoms every day. I’ll post the bird photos tomorrow. Today I … Continue reading Ornamental Plum Blossom
Fifteen Acres 