V is for VERTICORDIA

Verticordia, a genus of the Myrtaceae family, are woody shrubs with small and exquisite flowers.  They are mostly found in southwest Western Australia, with several outlier species in northern regions.  They are highly diverse in form, occupy a variety of habitat, and may be abundant or rare populations.  Their profuse and striking display of intricate flowers have been harvested for floristy and admired as a wildflower. These are three of the northern species.  This is Vertcordia chrysantha in the Kalbarri National Park  592 km (368 miles) north of Perth:

The genus is best known for its flowers, often described in superlatives, which form massed displays in woodlands and heaths.  These shrubs have appealed to amateur collectors and botanists, and were appreciated by the people of Australia prior to European settlement.  The fringed or feathered
Verticordia nobilis which grows from Perth northwards to Geraldton:

The fringed appearances of the flowers is often enhanced by vivid and contrasting colours:  this has given a common name to the genus, the FEATHERFLOWERS.  The variety displayed within the species, and between species in the genera is highly diverse.  This is Verticordia nobilis found north of Perth and stretching northwards to Geraldton:

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and Verticordia coolooma which grows on the Geraldton Sandplains:

Now, isn't that strange?  I seem to have shown only yellow ones above.  Perhaps I should find some of other colours as well and share them with you.  They are all so very beautiful.  I could just imagine a garden full of them couldn't you?

This is another lovely sketch of Verticordia nitens done in 1861:

My first mother-in-law loved Verticordia and if she and her husband had been on a day out north of Perth she would often come home with a bunch of these yellow flowers she had picked in the bush and those flowers would keep for months in a large vase in her lounge room even after they had dried out.

P.S. Just to prove my memory is quite good after all.  After I had finished this post I began to realise that we had always called these flowers by a different name.  I have now realised we called it MORRISON.  To make sure I googled it and sure enough I was right.  It would be 50 years since I was in the lounge room mentioned above so a big sigh of relief knowing my memory was still working quite well.