Hybanthus monopetalus

Hybanthus monopetalus in The Pilliga

Family - Violaceae

Common name - Slender Violet

Flowers - Flowers are borne on racemes on long stalks at the end of stems or in axils. The conspicuous lower petal is blue-mauve 7 to 20mm long, and the upper petals are minute (2 to 3mm). Flowering period is summer. The round seed capsule is 3 to 6mm wide.

Leaves and stems - This slender plant has weak stems up to 60cm tall. Narrow leaves are widely spaced along the stems, slightly recurved, opposite on the upper plant.

Habit and habitat - Hybanthus monopetalus is a spindly perennial herb that is rarely noticed when not in flower. It grows mostly on sandy soils or rocky outcrops in dry sclerophyll forest. It also occurs in Qld, Vic and SA.

Long, narrow, slightly recurved leaves of Hybanthus monopetalus

Fruit of Hybanthus monopetalus

Acacia deanei ssp paucijuga

Acacia deanei subsp paucijuga

Family - Fabaceae (Mimosoideae)

Common name - Deans Wattle

Flowers and seed pods - Inflorenscences in terminal and axillary racemes, 15 to 30 flowered, about 5.5mm diameter, pale yellow to yellow. Pods are straight to curved, slightly to deeply and often irregularly constricted between seeds up to 18cm long and between 5.5 and 11mm wide. Flowering Sept/Oct. Acacia deanei subsp. paucijuga is a showier plant in flower than Acacia deanei subsp. deanei, but less free-flowering.

Leaves - Grey-green bipinnate leaves (central stem from which pairs of leaflets which are themselves divided into tiny leaf segments). One raised yellowish gland at the base of the bipinnate leaflet. Leaves are wider and more robust than Acacia deanei subsp. deanei, making the two subspecies easy to separate in the field.

Habit and habitat - A spreading to erect shrub from 1.5 to 7m high with smooth green or greyish branches. Grows on a variety of soil types in sclerophyll forests or open woodland.

Grey-green bipinnate foliage of A. deanei ssp paucijuga

Opened pods of Acacia deanei ssp paucijuga

Showy habit of Acacia deanei ssp paucijuga

Habitat of Acacia deanei ssp paucijuga in The Pilliga

Compare with Acacia deanei subsp. deanei here.

Jacksonia scoparia

Jacksonia scoparia

Family - Fabaceae

Common name - Dogwood

Flowers and fruit - Flowers are orange-yellow with red centres on terminal racemes in upper axils. The calyx is 5-lobed reddish-brown and covered with silky hairs. The seed pod is oblong-elliptic, 6 to 12mm long, flattened, reddish-brown and covered in long whitish hairs. Flowering Oct to Nov.

Leaves and stems- Leafless (leaves usually reduced to scales). Angular branches are minutely downy giving them a grey appearance.

Habit and habitat - A tall leafless shrub generally to 3m but can grow much taller. Branches are often drooping and bear a profusion of flowers, making Jacksonia scoparia very showy and noticeable. It grows on low-nutrient gravel or sandy soils in exposed positions and hillsides and ridges.

Leafless branches of Jacksonia scoparia (Dogwood)

Reddish-brown seed pods of Jacksonia scoparia covered in silky hairs

Drooping habit of Jacksonia scoparia on roadside

 

'Fascination' growing on Jacksonia scoparia

A 'fascination' is an abnormal growth in which the growing tip becomes elongated, flattened, ribbon-like, crested or elaborately contorted. More information here.

Chamaesyce drummondii

Chamaesyce drummondii - Caustic Weed

Family - Euphorbiaceae

Common name - Caustic Weed, Flat Spurge

Flowers - Flowers are minute, inconspicuous and borne in small heads at the ends of small branches. Fruit is a round, hairless, 3-celled capsule.

Leaves and stems - Leaves are opposite, ovate, blue-green, 4 to 8mm long, with a very short stalk. Stems are often reddish.

Habit and habitat - Chamaesyce drummondii is a small, hairless prostrate plant, spreading to about 30cm across. It is found in open country, roadsides and disturbed areas. It often occurs as a garden weed.

Habit and size comparison of Chamaesyce drummondii (Caustic Weed)

Tiny 3-celled fruit on the underside of Chamaesyce drummondii (October)

Leucopogon muticus

My finger gives a size comparison to the flowers of Leucopogon muticus

Family: Epacridaceae/Ericaceae

Common name: Blunt Beard Heath

Flowers: Small clusters of tiny white tubular flowers are borne in leaf axils. The 5 star-like lobes are densely covered on the inside with white hairs. Fruit is ellipsoid (oval), green turning dark. Flowering Sep/Oct.

Leaves and stems: Dull green leaves up to 15mm long and 3mm wide, slightly down-curved margins, broad rounded apex with a blunt tip. Young stems are reddish.

Habit and habitat: An erect shrub 1 to 2m tall in dry sclerophyll forest or exposed situations on sandy soil.

Note the slightly pubescent (hairy) fruit, and reddish young stem

Pilliga habitat - edges of eucalypt woodland

Stypandra glauca

Stypandra glauca

Family: Phormiaceae

Common name: Nodding Blue Lily

Flower and fruit: Flowers are deep blue, about 20mm across, with 6 stamens and yellow bearded filaments. Flowers are borne on nodding stalks in branching clusters at the ends of the stems. Fruit is a green three-valved capsule turning blue/purple when mature. Flowering Jul to Sep.

Leaves: Bluish-green leaves are stem-clasping, 5 to 20cm long, up to 10mm wide, smooth, and arranged alternately up the stem.

Habit and habitat: A tufted perennial herb up to a metre wide at the base and up to 1.5m high growing in sclerophyll forest and grassy woodland.

Alternate, stem-clasping leaves of Stypandra glauca

Fruit is green first, turning deep blue/purple

Habit and typical habitat of Stypandra glauca in The Pilliga

Murdannia graminea

Delicate, pretty mauve flower of Murdannia graminea

Family: Commelinaceae

Common name: Blue Murdannia

Flower: 3 rounded mauve to mauve/blue petals each about 10mm, on a branched terminal inflorescence.

Leaves: Leaves are grass-like forming a sheath around the erect but weak stem.

Habit and habitat: An erect, slender perennial herb to about 60cm tall, growing in sclerophyll forest and grassy areas after rain. Flowering Dec to Apr.

Notice the leaf enclosing the stem, and notice the sheath beneath the flower

Growth habit of Murdannia graminea

Capparis mitchellii

Large, unusual flower of Capparis mitchellii

Family: Capparaceae

Common name: Native Orange

Flowers and fruit: At first sight, the flower of Capparis mitchellii appears to consist of nothing more than a mass of stamens up to 70mm long, but it has cream petals that recurve when mature. Fruit is up to 80mm diameter, green maturing to a dull yellow, with rough exterior texture and stiff, irregular stalk. The fruit is reported to be edible - I tasted it but didn't find it particularly pleasing. Despite it's common name, it is not related to citrus. Flowering in summer.

Leaves: Leaves are alternate, soft and grey/green, and up to about 60mm long.

Habit and habitat: Capparis mitchellii is a shrub 3 to 4 meters high, often scrambling and untidy. Grows mostly as individuals in dry woodland.

Flower emerging, and dangling fruit

Growth habit of Capparis mitchellii

Interior of a mature fruit, soft flesh and numerous seeds

Leaves of Capparis mitchellii

Flowers and leaves of Capparis mitchellii

Habit and habitat of Capparis mitchellii in The Pilliga

Acrotriche rigida

Flowers and buds covering stem of Acrotriche rigida

Family: Epacridaceae/Ericaceae

Common name: Prickly Groundberry

Flowers and fruit:  Clusters of tiny pale green and cream flowers grow directly from woody stems of the plant. The tubular flowers are only a few millimeters long with minute hairy lobes at the opening.Fruit is globose (roughly spherical), 2.5 to 3mm diameter, and pale green. My observations see that Acrotriche rigida flowers July and fruits September.

Leaves and stems: Leaves are stiff, spreading, lanceolate, up to a centimeter long and less than 2mm wide, strongly recurved, with a sharp apex. Stems are woody.

Habit and habitat: Acrotriche rigida is a robust, densely branched shrub up to 1.5 meters high and wide (although those I have seen have been no more than a meter high). They grow in dry forest and scrub.

Clusters of flowers generally contain between 4 and 7

Fruit of Acrotriche rigida

Spreading, strongly recurved leaves with a very sharp apex

Dampiera adpressa

Dampiera adpressa in sandy heath of the central Pilliga

Note the very hairy calyx and long sepals

Family: Goodeniaceae

Common name: Bush Dampiera, Purple Beauty-bush.

Flowers: All Dampiera have 3 upper petals and 2 lower petals. Blue to purple-blue flowers occur in leaf axils. Calyx is covered in silver hairs with 3 upper sepals and 2 lower sepals. Flowering period can be between June and January.

Leaves and stems: Narrow, alternate, green leaves can be up to 5cm long, tending to sit a short distance from stem rather than spreading. Stems have shallow ribs and very short hairs.

Habit and Habitat: Dampiera adpressa is a spreading, multi-stemmed perennial shrub to 1mt high but usually much lower. I have seen Dampiera adpressa flowering profusely after rain in the sandy heaths of the central Pilliga. It makes a spectacular display, especially with a backdrop of other wildflowers. 

Leaves of Dampiera adpressa, with flower buds in leaf axils

Habitat of Dampiera adpressa in the central Pilliga

Open sandy habitat of Dampiera adpressa