Scaevola spinescens caught people’s attention during our recent outing to remnant bush at the edge of the JCU Douglas campus. The small patch we visited has a remarkable variety of native plants still holding out amid surrounding property development. Unfortunately this little patch is under ever-increasing pressure from invasive weed species. Scaevola spinescens typically grows …
Continue reading “Plant of the month 06/2022: Scaevola spinescens“
This pretty little plant was spotted by Val during a walk on the bushy slopes of Douglas. What species had she found? At first everyone was stumped. Later, Nanette and Beth worked out the answer: Glycine pescadrensis. Glycine pescadrensis is a native plant that has been recorded infrequently across much of eastern Australia (Atlas of …
Continue reading “Plant of the month 05/2022: Glycine pescadrensis“
Hedraianthera porphyropetala was a highlight of our March outing to Emmett Creek, along with numerous other fascinating and seldom-seen plants. It was a “new species” for many of us and we found both flowers and fruits on it – how lucky can you get! Hedraianthera porphyropetala (Celastraceae) in an Australian endemic, growing as an understory …
Continue reading “Plant of the month 04/2022: Hedraianthera porphyropetala“
Ackama australiensis (Cunoniaceae), an interesting Queensland endemic, was spotted during our March outing to Paluma. Thanks to John Elliott for the following details and his fine photos. Ackama australiensis occurs from the McIlwraith Range in Cape York to south of Townsville. The range of the tree is further limited to upland rainforest above 400m in …
Continue reading “Plant of the month 03/2022: Ackama australiensis“
Text and photos by John Elliott Macropteranthes montana (Combretaceae) is officially classed as a rainforest species (RFK Code: 1087) but this unusual tree will only be found in a very limited range on skeletal soils in sparse open forest and woodland. One collection from the 1870’s describes the habitat as ‘desert’! Its range consists of …
Continue reading “Plant of the month 2/2022: Macropteranthes montana“
With brilliant red-orange flowers appearing intermittently throughout the warmer half of the year, Haemodorum coccineum (Haemodoraceae) is a fitting selection to represent multiple months. (Our web editor was too busy to do a new one each month, sorry!) Commonly called Bloodroot, due to the colour of its underground parts, this attractive local plant grows a …
Continue reading “Plant of the months 11/2021 – 1/2022: Haemodorum coccineum“