Australia So Much to See
Austrostipa species, Speargrass
There are many native grasses in our bushland, often overlooked as weeds. Austrostipa is a primarily Australian genus of plants in the grass family (Australian Stipa), commonly called Speargrass. The spear-like seeds can be seen at right. All known species are native to Australia, most of them found nowhere else.
Ref: Wikipedia
Spring
Bridgetown,
South West region, Western Australia and Austrostipa species occur throughout much of the state, excluding the northern Pilbara and
the Kimberley.
Numerous small yellow pea flowers with red centres on a tall shrub with cascading stems of flowers. Short narrow leaves. Growing along a sandy winter creekline.
October
Bridgetown, South West, Western Australia and is found along the coastal strip and a little further inland through the coastal northern Wheatbelt, Perth and South West regions.
Apatelantha lachnostachya (formerly Physopsis lachnostachya), Henwood
A low and dense bush with fluffy white bud bunched closely along
the end of the stems. Tiny yellow four petalled flowers come from each of these fluffy white bumps
Seen in November and can flower
in other months
Astartea onycis, Claw Astartea, Onyx Astartea, Onyx Star-Bush
A shrub with long weeping branches. Pale pink blooms with five
petals with serrated edges. Calyx has five elongated tips almost as long as the petals. Wide flower centre has stamens
around the edge, mostly in around five groups. Slender stems are red, with pairs of cylindrical green leaves along the stem, and held
close to it.
December and can flower through to March.
Priority 4 flora, due to the limited area is grow in.
Aotus intermedia
Yellow pea flowers with red markings and a red keel. Flowers up the stem of a slender shrub which can grow to
two metres. Thin narrow leaves have a hooked tip.
October
Bridgetown (near Manjimup shire boundary), South West region,
Western Australia. Found in the lower parts of the South West region and around Albany, favouring winter wet flats and swampy
areas.
Anthocercis anisantha subsp. anisantha, known as Spiny Ray-flower and Port Lincoln Ray-flower in South Australia where it occurs on
the Eyre Peninsula with a conservation code of Vulnerable. Not threatened in Western Australia.
A white flower with five elongated
petals and fine purple striped in the flower centre, on a shrub with small oval leaves and spines along the stems, growing up to three
metres.
August
Arthropodium dyeri, one of a group known as Vanilla Lilies. Similar to Dichopogon species.
Purple flowers loosely arranged
along a tall stem, up to 80 centimetres tall. Flowers hang downwards with six long dark purple stamens with yellow at their
base surround a longer style.
August