A special shout-out to Earthwatch Australia for organising Bioblitz events this month at various saltmarsh and mangrove areas near Townsville, where participants encountered a fascinating range of lesser-known fauna and flora.
Thanks to Beth for spotting an unusual plant amidst a swathe of low-growing saltmarsh species (photo above) and identifying it as Limonium solanderi. This Queensland endemic was a personal “new species” for most of us.
Limonium solanderi (Plumbaginaceae) has branching inflorescences with small creamy-yellow flowers (photo above) seen in more detail in the first photo at the top of this page.
The angular stems of Limonium solanderi arise from a basal rosette of leaves (photo above). The plant is evidently well-adapted to the harsh saltmarsh environment and might be a nice addition to a coastal garden but it remains to be tested whether it would thrive in a non-saline environment.
Caution: Please don’t let anyone persuade you to grow non-native Limonium species often called “sea lavender” although not botanically related to true lavendar (Lavendula sp). Some introduced European Limonium species have become invasive weeds that are already threatening native coastal habitat in parts of South and Western Australia.