O is for OLEARIA spp. + one extra

Well not to be completely beaten I did actually find a few O's so here goes.  These 3 grow in very arid regions.

Olearia lacinifolia (family Asteraceae) are found in the treed inland mallee region from Mt Ragged to Lake Grace. It is generally found on gentle slopes and hollows in the deeper sandy loams.  It grows to a little over 1 metre (4') in height with an open structure.  The flowers are white or pale pink with a yellow centre and grow to 4cm (1+3/4") diameter.  The unusual and distinctive leaves are strongly toothed but not prickly, they have glandular hairs and are therefore slightly viscid and odorous, but not unpleasantly so.  Flowering is very much influenced by weather conditions and although most flowering is during winter/spring, this timing is variable with blossom comonly found outside this range during cool periods after rainfall.  A dainty little, not well known, little flower:

Olearia muelleri is widely distributed across Australia, especially in the dry mallee country of Australia.  In Western Australia it is very common in the Goldfields region and across the Nullarbor.  It is a very hardy species being able to tolerate very hot and dry conditions.  The flowers are over 2cm (to 1") diameter, a vivid white with a yellow centre. although blue/purple colours are also recorded.  Flowering takes place anytime from August to January although, in fickle and low rainfall areas, weather conditions will play a large part in the timing.   You can see from the photograph the type of harsh conditions where these plants live.  I certainly wouldn't want to live where they are.  Far too hot for me.

Olearia ramossissima is restricted in Western Australia to inland mallee regions, where they are widespread, even occurring on the Nullarbor.  This much-branched daisy bush can grow to over 1 metre (4'5") but is usually much smaller, particularly in harsh conditions.  The leaves are ideally suited to the dry inland, being less than 2mm in length and like most vegetative parts, are covered in fine woolly hairs, features highly effective in reducing moisture loss in a 30-40cm (12"-14") average annual rainfall range.  Flowers can be white, blue, purple and pink, and vary in size from 1-1.5cm (1/2") diameter.  Once again you can see how dry it is in the areas where these flowers grow.

 

 

I had to add this little charmer?  "Why?" you ask.  'Cos it's yellow of course.

Ornduffia parnassifolia is a very common herbaceous plant with the flowering stem growing to 60cm (2") in height and can produce dozens of hairy 2cm (3/4") diameter sunny yellow flowers over a considerable period.  It is mostly found on the outer edges of swampy areas, including heavy seepage zones and even along roadsides that have deep gutters where rainwater collects.  The seed is thought to be spread by water birds, particularly ducks, which visit most pondage areas along the south coast of Western Australia during winter/spring.  It can flower at any time of the year providing there is sun and moisture and does not mind being partly inundated for several weeks.  It is a marsh plant rather than a true aquatic.  It can also survive quite well in better drained soils, although then flowering is usually restricted to spring and early summer when seasonal conditions are warm and rainfall higher.

Sincere thanks to "Esperance Wildflowers" for the above information (much of which I have condensed) and the beautiful photographs.

N is for NUYTSIA FLORIBUNDA..OUR VERY OWN WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS TREE

In Western Australia there is a large shrub or small tree which comes into bud at about this time of year and before and during Christmas is covered with the most delightful golden blossoms.  It is Nuytsia floribunda:

It is a hemiparasitic plant known locally as the Christmas Tree, displaying these bright orange flowers leading up to and during the Christmas season:

The habit of the species is a shrub or a tree up to 10m (30 ft) high. The rough bark is is grey-brown and the vivid yellow-orange flowers appear between October and January.  It is a root hemiparasite, is photosynthetic and mainly obtains water and mineral nutrients from its hosts.  The haustoria arising from the roots of Nuytsia attach themselves to roots of many nearby plants, including grass, and draw water and therefore nutrients from them.  Almost all species are susceptible to attack. Hastoria have even been found attached to underground cables.  In natural settings Nuytsia withdraws relatively little from each individual host, but is attached to so many other plants that the benefit to this hemiparasitic tree is likely to be considerable.  (I am sure I am correct in saying that, unlike the sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) it does NOT kill its hosts.)

A member of the Loranthaceae, a mistletoe family of Santalales, the genus Nuytsia is monotypic.  the first description was published by Jacques Labillardiere in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen, as a species of Loranthus, the specfic epithet describing the profuse flowers he would have observed at Esperance (on our south coast).  The botanist Robert Brown published a remark on the species in 1931, giving a new genus name without a formal description.  The description was published by George Dun using Brown's name of Nuytsia an epithet that commemorates the seventeenth-century Dutch explorer and colonial official Pieter Nuyts.

Nuytsia floribunda is well known in south-west Australia, where it is named the Christmas Tree , the common name outside of this region is Western Australian Christmas Tree (well now, that makes sense doesn't it?).  The appearance of abundant flowers in summer is a spectacular display.  Although these seeds germinate readily and seedlings are easy to grow for a year or two, cultivation of the species to maturity is regarded as difficult, with little success outside its native habitat.  It appears on a variety of soil types throughout south-west Australia; the distribution extends to the east of the Esperance Plain and to the north on the Geraldton Sandplains.

The Aboriginal Nyungar people made use of the species during "Kambarang", around October to early December, obtaining bark of the tree to make shields.  The gum that exudes from the wound can be collected later; and it is sweet and eaten raw.

One can only imagine early settlers from the UK finding life so different in this hot, and often hostile, country feeling very homesick as it would be so very different to Christmastime in their home country. When this beautiful tree came into flower I can understand why it would become their 'Christmas tree'. (I mentioned in my York post about Mary (my Mum's step-mother) visiting from England.  While she was here we took her for a drive around the Swan River and stopped near the Royal Perth Yacht Club where there was (and hopefully still is) a most magnificent specimen of Nuytsia floribunda.  She was amazed at its beauty and we took a photograph after she had gone home, and sent the print to her so she could show her friends in England.

There are several of these beautiful trees only a few hundred metres from where we live and we wait each year for the buds to appear and then anticipate them in full bloom.  You always know Christmas is just around the corner when they flower.

My thanks to Wikipedia for this excellent description of this plant and others for the free pictures.

M is for mmmm .. let's see what we can find

Melaleuca calothamnoides (trying saying that with a mouthful) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and grows in heath and woodland in the Kalbarri area of Western Australia.

It has no generally accepted common name but the species name of 'calothamnoides' means it is similar to the genus Calothamnus.  It is a small to medium shrub from 0.8 to 3 metres high (9 ft) and has linear leaves, and flowers which occur in bottlebrush-like clusters and are usually red/orange with a greenish centre. These clusters are usually borne on short branches off the main stem.

This plant has been in cultivation for many years but is not widely grown.  It is one of the hardier Western Australian species in humid areas of the east coast of Australia where Western Australian species can be difficult to establish.  It has proven to be hardy in well drained soils in a sunny position.  Plants are tolerant of least moderate frosts and respond to pruning to maintain a bush shape. Propagation is easy from both seeds and cuttings.  (I'm certainly not going to travel nearly 700km just for a couple of cuttings which you probably aren't allowed to collect anyway).

Macropidia fuliginosa, commonly known as the Black Kangaroo Paw, is a striking black and lime-green flowered plant which is distinctly different from the more commonly grown Anigozanthos kangaroo paws.  It grows in heath and mallee communities in eastern Western Australia:

 Black and green flowers are extremely rare in Australian plants, so Macropidia makes a most attractive addition to native gardens.  Growing it, however, is likely  to be a challenge in the eastern states of Australia as it cannot be regarded as hardy in humid climates.  It can however, be grown for a few years in a container in a sunny position.

Macropidia is part of the family Haemodoraceae which it shares with Anigozanthos.  The two genera are believed to have evolved in the southwest of Western Australian from a common Gondwanan ancestor.  M. fuliginosa is the only species in the Macropidia genus.  It is sufficiently different to the Anigozanthos species that atempts at hybridisation have so far  been uncessful.

This is a very spectacular species.  The individual plants consist of blue-green stap-like leaves 20 to 50cms in height and flowers occur in spring and summer on branched stems to a metre or more high and are greenish-yellow with black, soot-like hairs.  Black hairs also occur along the stems.

I truly think the black and green kangaroo is quite outstanding although many prefer the red and green one.

L is for.......which shall I choose?

We have many beautiful wildflowers that begin with the letter "L" and I am in a quandary to know which to show you.  I have to include at least 3 of the Lechenaultia spp. which is a genus of about 30 small, shrubby plants most of which are found in Western Australia.

 L. biloba is the better known member of the species and is commonly cultivated in many areas of Australia.  It grows in woodland and shrubland, usually on sand or gravel in the Darling Range east of Perth, Western Australia and east to Lake King.  It is usually about 300mm (12 ins) or less in height by a similar width. 

 It is a very popular and spectacular small shrub with intense blue flowers (in its common form).  In suitable climates it is an ideal rockery plant and tolerates exposed, hot, sunny positions despite its delicate appearance.  It is fairly short lived (4-6 years) in ideal conditions but is easily propagated from cuttings.  As it is a native of south Western Australia it prefers climates with dry summers.

Lechenaultia formosa is very widespread in southern Western Australia from the coast to the mallee regions, growing in non-calcareous sand or gravel soils.  It is however a moisture loving plant and generally occurs in low-lying or ephemeral seepage zones that may flood after heavy rain and slowly drain rather than evaporate.

Although the beautiful L. biloba comes in both deep and pale blue L. formosa is the most outstanding species with the greatest spectrum of colours which range from yellow to scarlet and every hue in   between. They are not flat colours but like deep velvet and as you peer into them the colours become richer or shift to other tints.

Depending on the timing of seasonal rainfall, flowering can occur between May and November, but when conditions are suitable, plants will produce considerable numbers of flowers the size of your thumbnail over several months.  I am sorry to show so many (well no I'm not really sorry) pictures of this lechenaultia but they are so lovely I just couldn't resist.

Lechenaultia floribunda is also native to Western Australia:

It is a diffuse, ascending shrub 0.15-1 metre high with blue/white flowers from August to December and grows on white/grey or yellow sand. Perhaps not quite as spectacular as the first two (above) but still very beautiful:

 Leptoceras menziesii is native to Western Australia.  It is a tuberous perennnial orchid 0.1-0.3m high with white, pink and red flowers from September to November. Each of these has forward-facing white lateral sepals, and a pink and white hood-shaped central structure.  The petals, often deep red, are relatively long and erect, their appearance inspiring the common name of Rabbit Orchid. It grows on sand, peaty or granitic loam and clay in winter-wet areas, granite outcrops and creek margins.

Lyperanthus serratus, known as the Rattle Beak Orchid, is native to Western Australia.  It is a tuberous perennial 0.25-0.5m high with green, brown and yellow flowers in September-October and grows on sand, loam and sandy clay.

 

Does this last picture remind me of someone you may have known perhaps?  An old chap with a cap and a beard maybe or is my imagination running riot!!

KENNEDIA spp. and KUNZEA spp.

This plant, commonly known as Running Postman or Scarlet Runner, is a species of flowering plant endemic to Australia  It is native to Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.  Although not endemic just to W.A.  I have included it because it is very beautiful.

Kennedia prostrata is a prostrate or climbing shrub which can spread to a width of 1.5 metres (5') and has light green leaves that comprise 3 rounded leaflets with undulating edges.  Scarlet pea flowers are produced singly or in pairs between April and November in its native range.  These are followed by cylindrical pods that are 3-5 cms (1-2") in length.

Another Kennedia species is K. eximia (there is a distinct difference in the leaves and flowers of the two plants:

Kunzea baxteri is a shrub in the family Myrtaceae and endemic to the southwest of Western Australia where it occurs on granite outcrops and hills.  It grows between 1-4 metres (3-13 ft) in height. It is one of two Kunzea species that produces red flowers, the other being K. pulchella.  The flowers are produced between July and March in its native range.  Its beautiful flowers rival those of some of the Callistemon (bottlebrush) species:

K. pulchella is also endemic to southwest W.A. but I consider its flowers less spectacular than those of K. baxteri although still quite beautiful:

I am falling in love with our beautiful wildflowers all over again.  : )

JACKSONIA VENOSA

This is one of the many pea flower genera from the legume Fabaceae family, which now also includes Acacia,  Senna etc.  Jacksonia venosa is a small shrub mostly between 10-20 cm (4-8") in height spreading to 60 cm (2') diameter.  It is very common in Western Australia in near coastal locations from Ravensthorpe to Israelite Bay, with Esperance centrally placed between.

Although there are several similar looking Jacksonia plants in the district,  J. venosa is easily distinguished by their relatively near coastal distribution and the flowers, which are strongly veined red on the back of the standard.  It normally grows in a heath environment on a variety of non-calcareous sand and/or gravel soils.  The flowers are invariably yellow and orange, merging to red.

Several Jacksonia spp. are very opportunistic regarding unseasonal rainfall, by quickly coming into flower to take advantage of a good soaking, so often flowers can be found during a wet summer, although not as numerous then as from August to October, which is their main flowering period.