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. .
Tag: Wild flowers
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
Climbing Sundew Flowers (Drosera macrantha)
I’ve posted a few photographs of the Climbing Sundew plant, including macro images of the amazing pod-like leaves, with their red, sticky hairs poised to capture insects. This week, the flowers have emerged. The swollen, hairy buds almost look like Poppy buds. The flower itself looks similar to the Scented Sundew flower, with the surprising addition … Continue reading Climbing Sundew Flowers (Drosera macrantha)
Wood-sorrel: Exotic or Native?
I’ve discovered there are two species of yellow flowering Wood-Sorrel (Oxalis) which look very similar, and are often confused. One is native to Australia, the other is an exotic (weed) originally from South Africa. Looking at the flowers of both species, I believe this could be the Australian native plant Grassland Wood-sorrel (Oxalis perennans). Can anyone … Continue reading Wood-sorrel: Exotic or Native?
Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum)
Although Cranberry Heath is already on the plant species list, I initially misidentified it, and the post is not as specific as it should be. Here are two photographs taken in June of a small Cranberry Heath plant growing alongside the dam. The red flowers are tubular, with a star-shaped opening. The Latin name reflects this … Continue reading Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum)
First Scented Sundews of the season
I’ve been watching the buds on the tiny Scented Sundew plants grow over the last week or so, and today I’ve had the good fortune to see the first flowers of the season. Consisting of five white petals and stamens tipped in a clear yellow, these flowers are the definition of simple beauty. The leaves … Continue reading First Scented Sundews of the season
First Guinea Flowers of the Season
The first Guinea Flowers of the season are beginning to open. Looking at the leaves, as well as the flowers, as far as I can tell these are the Erect Guinea Flower (Hibbertia riparia). However, according to my field guides, the Erect Guinea Flower begins flowering in September. So I will check a few other sources … Continue reading First Guinea Flowers of the Season
Common Heath (Epacris impressa)
Common Heath flower spikes have been putting on a good show over the last couple of weeks. We have white Common Heath flowers on our property, but there are both pink and red varietals too. When left alone by the Swamp Wallabies, the plants have grown somewhere between 30 cm and 60 cm high here, … Continue reading Common Heath (Epacris impressa)
Common Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora stipitata)
While not plentiful, we had a few Bottle-daisy plants in flower last Spring. The photos below were taken at the end of October and mid November. Although a native plant to this area, compared to the showy orchids, lilies, bluebells, native pea plants and goodenia, the Bottle-daisy flowers looked quite ordinary to me. They seemed quite … Continue reading Common Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora stipitata)
Is this a Helmet Orchid Bud?
I’m calling on my knowledgeable friends here. Thanks to some extremely helpful advice from Mary McAvoy (see her blog here) I was able to photograph this tiny orchid reasonably clearly. I’m not sure, but I think it may be a Helmet Orchid. Can anyone verify this? The leaves are the same size as the Small … Continue reading Is this a Helmet Orchid Bud?
Scented Sundew Leaves
Scented Sundew flowers began to appear in August, last year. As is my habit, I photographed them, identified them, and posted the photos on my blog. Prior to that, I must have walked past hundreds of Scented Sundew plants without even knowing they were there. Once identified, never forgotten – well, not easily forgotten anyway. I … Continue reading Scented Sundew Leaves
Small Mosquito-orchid or Tiny Gnat Orchid (Acianthus pusillus)
We’ve been here for two Spring seasons now. Each time, my friend BJ has told me we’re too late to see the Helmet Orchids. She was able to identify some that had finished flowering, so I know they are here. Yesterday I decided to get out my Orchid book and see when the Helmet Orchids … Continue reading Small Mosquito-orchid or Tiny Gnat Orchid (Acianthus pusillus)
Button Everlasting (Helichrysum scorpioides)
I found these Button Everlasting flowers in October and November. The plants were growing in transition zones between the grassed areas around the house and the bush. One plant was growing IN the lawn. This makes me wonder if they are naturally occurring or if they have been planted. The previous owners did plant some native species … Continue reading Button Everlasting (Helichrysum scorpioides)
Tiny Greenhood (Pterostylis parviflora)
Yesterday during a visit, a very sharp-eyed friend pointed to something that looked to me like a small blade of grass and said “Oh look! A little Greenhood.” The other Greenhoods we have had growing here seem to appear in late Winter, or early Spring, so I was a little doubtful, but took a … Continue reading Tiny Greenhood (Pterostylis parviflora)
Fruit of the Black Anthered Flax Lily
In October of last year, I posted photographs of a Dianella (the Black Anthered Flax-lily). After the flowers finish, berries form on the plant. These are strikingly beautiful and much more noticeable than the flowers.
Swamp Isotome (Isotoma fluviatilis subsp. australis)
According to the field guides I consulted, the Swamp Isotome grows seasonally in moist depressions. I didn’t really think we had any moist depressions as the soil is very sandy and doesn’t hold water for long. When I think about it, the seepage from the dam probably flows beneath the spot they were … Continue reading Swamp Isotome (Isotoma fluviatilis subsp. australis)
Slender Mint (Mentha diemenica)
In December when most plants had finished flowering, I noticed some pale purple flowers huddled in among long grass. Initially, identification eluded me, so I picked a leaf off one of the plants and crushed it in my fingers. It had a faint, but very distinct, mint scent. Still it eluded me as the flower … Continue reading Slender Mint (Mentha diemenica)
Parson’s Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus)
The first Orchids of Autumn are beginning to emerge. On my walk today I found four Parson’s Bands Orchids in different locations. All were slightly off the beaten track, but not so far that I couldn’t see them while walking on a track. All were growing beneath the shelter of a larger plant. Two of … Continue reading Parson’s Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus)
Trailing Goodenia (Goodenia lanata)
I can’t help wondering why it has taken me so long to post the Trailing Goodenia which is one of the most prolific flowering plants we have here in Spring. It is one of the first Spring flowers to appear and continues flowering right into early Summer. We also find them in most parts of … Continue reading Trailing Goodenia (Goodenia lanata)
Salmon Sun-orchid (Thelymitra rubra)
The emergence of the Salmon Sun-Orchids occurred in mid-October. It coincided with an illness, an awkward photographic position and low light, so I resolved to come back the next day and photograph them properly. Unfortunately I didn’t make it back for two or three days. By the time I got back to look for them, … Continue reading Salmon Sun-orchid (Thelymitra rubra)
Pink Eye (Tetratheca Ciliata)
The last two weeks have flown by in a whirl, and I realise I have missed last week’s plant species, so this week I will post a couple. The first is Pink Eye, a relative of the Black-Eyed Susan flower. While the flowers of the two plant species may look similar, the leaves are different. … Continue reading Pink Eye (Tetratheca Ciliata)
Fifteen Acres 