| Author | Content |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
02:08 AM Post #6145238
| Taking tours through places is always interesting, especially if you haven't been there before, and more so if you think you'll never get the opportunity to get there anyway. Or maybe you only need a gentle nudge to tip the balance and make you determined to get there.
So, a virtual tour of Top End natives (of the flora type, of course) seems in order here.
The Top End is that geographic area generally taking in the projection of the Northern Territory that you see on maps of Australia. It's a large area, much of which is Aboriginal land, national parks, and open range for cattle grazing.
Most of it is termed tropical savanna woodland, there are also numerous other environments/ecosystems. It lies between 12 - 15 degrees south latitude within the monsoon zone giving very distinct alternating wet/dry seasons, and is sub-equatorial.
There's coastal and estuarine plant communities with very rich mangrove flora. Saltflats with samphire and other salt tolerant species. Vast floodplains, wooded parts dominated by Melaleucas. Woodland, sandstone escarpment, and sandstone plateau no more than 500 metres altitude.
There's a wide range of ecosystems and microclimates with a diverse and rich array of flora. Anyway, so much for the intro, although I feel it's necessary, being a part of the world few outsiders know anything about.
22 March 2009: PLEASE NOTE, I'M GOING TO EDIT EACH POST TO LABEL THE PHOTO WITH A NUMBER SO IT WILL BE EASIER TO REFER BACK TO.
First photo is the flower of an Amorphophallus paeonifolius. This one is growing in a large pot at home. They're fairly common along some of the rivers but not often noticed since they come out when the rains commence and river levels rise.
Photo 001
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:48 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
02:23 AM Post #6145263
| This one's Nelumbo nucifera - Lotus, or locally just called Red Lily, and by Aborigines Urmarninj. The seed when green is edible and delicious. Grows around the floodplains and likes fairly deep water.
The photo is of a wild plant, mine at home are continually getting attacked by grasshoppers and having a hard time.
Photo 002
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:49 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
02:33 AM Post #6145274
| 16 March 2009:
Certain this one is Abelmoschus moschatus, had it down as an unidentified Hibiscus before.
This message was edited Mar 16, 2009 1:40 PM
Photo 003
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:50 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
02:40 AM Post #6145285
| One of the Bladderworts (Utricularia ?), don't know the scientific name. They grow in colonies along streams where they're inundated during the wet season but begin to emerge when the water levels start to drop at the end of the wet. It's hard to get a good photo with all of them in focus, especially with my camera.
18 February 2009 Managed to find the ID, it's Utricularia fulva. It's also a carnivorous plant.
This message was edited Feb 17, 2009 9:58 PM
Photo 004
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:51 AM
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KayJones
Panama City Beach, FL
(Zone 8b)
February 16, 2009
09:32 AM Post #6145798
| Those are gorgeous wildflowers! Can you trade seeds from any of these, or is that not allowed? I would be interested in trading if you can. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
09:57 AM Post #6145895
| Kay, I think the US quarantine people are as ruthless as ours, they don't let anything through. But the Amorphophallus is probably already available over there, some people are keen collectors. The Hibiscus I suspect hasn't even been described yet, and it's range is very limited as far as I know. I'm planning to check their seed end of this season. Bladderworts I don't know too much about, apart from seeing them in a lot of places (out bush).
The photo is a Cleome sp. There are a number of species, I call them half flowers, looks like half is missing.
Photo 005
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:52 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
10:28 AM Post #6146042
| Crinum angustifolium grows in seasonally wet areas and parts of the woodlands that become saturated during the wet season. They're most common in river flats. Some people call them "Bush Onions", but they're definitely not edible.
Photo 006
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:53 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
10:47 AM Post #6146137
| Calytrix exstipulata is a shrub to 2 metres high which gets covered with these small flowers at the start of the dry season. For Aborigines, who call it Manbarndarr, it's a calendar plant, signalling the end of the wet season.Otherwise it's called Turkey Bush. Does well in gravelly disturbed areas and is often seen lining roadsides in spectacular displays.
Photo 007
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:53 AM
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katiebear
mulege
Mexico
February 16, 2009
11:06 AM Post #6146227
| Thank you for the beautiful pictures and the information. What an interesting area.
katiebear |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
11:07 AM Post #6146235
| This is a fascinating little plant, but I have no idea what its name is, nor have I examined it closely to know much about it. Grows in shallow water during the wet season. The 'arrowhead' leaves are less than a couple of centimetres across, so you can see the flowers are tiny. But they grow massed together and often cover quite an area of water. I assume they have a bulb that they shoot from when they become flooded.
18 February 2009 Found what I think this one is - Nymphoides minima.
This message was edited Feb 18, 2009 10:16 AM
Photo 008
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:54 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
11:16 AM Post #6146282
| Curcuma australasica grows in monsoon forests in the sandstone country but sometimes also into nearby woodland. Another wet season plant which dies back in the dry season
Photo 009
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:55 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
11:35 AM Post #6146376
| Thanks Katie, I'm always happy to show off ... I mean show off my plants.
This is Dipodium variegatum, I think. Well I know it's a Dipodium, it's the variegatum I'm not certain of. A saprophytic orchid which is leafless and only the inflorescence, which can grow to 1.5 metres, shows above the ground. Quite common in woodlands, sandstone country and along upland streams. Doesn't like any waterlogging.
18 February 2009 Okay, checked this one and it's Dipodium stenochilum.
This message was edited Feb 17, 2009 10:05 PM
Photo 010
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:56 AM
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Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
February 16, 2009
12:46 PM Post #6146655
| Aloha tropic, what wonderful plants and such gorgeous photography! Thank you so much for posting. Thanks also for the description of the area - you are right, I don't think many of us have any idea of the Top End - it must be wonderful place to live - well apart from the snake bit..
Jenn
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AlohaHoya
Keaau, HI
(Zone 11)
February 16, 2009
01:55 PM Post #6147019
| Keep the photos and information coming...please!!! |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
February 16, 2009
02:20 PM Post #6147113
| Very impressive Tropicbreeze! You have obviously spent some time leaning your neighborhood flora. Please show more!
Can you show the whole Hibiscus plant? |
lourspolaire
Delray Beach, FL
(Zone 10a)
February 16, 2009
03:11 PM Post #6147288
| Lovely pictures! I echo my fellows here when I say: don't stop, please.
Thanks.
Sylvain. |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
February 16, 2009
09:33 PM Post #6148991
| Great pics!! I love seeing all the different plants of Australia. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
10:55 PM Post #6149342
| Okay, I can hear the echo echo echo echoing. Re the hibiscus, I get a photo of the one in the pot. Naturally they grow amongst tall grasses so you have to do a bit of clearing to get a clear view.
Another ground orchid, Nervila holochila. These grow on the edges of monsoon forests and along water courses. Their flowers are only short lived but because they usually grow in colonies there are frequently a number of individuals in flower. This photo was taken in Holmes Jungle near Darwin. I have a large colony in the back of my property beside the creek. In about 5 years I've seen a sea of healthy leaves but never a single flower at home. The tubers must multiply and spread out. Planning, in my spare time if that ever happens, to bring some tubers up closer to the house where I can improve the soil and hopefully get some blooms. Can't see why I have to go all the way to Holmes Jungle to see flowers when the plants are here.
Photo 011
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:57 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
11:04 PM Post #6149391
| And another ground orchid, Habenaria sp.. Used to know which one but have forgotten now. We have a few from this genus. They grow in seasonally saturated areas amongst grasses and are fairly inconspicuous.
18 February 2009 Checked this one as well, it's Habenaria eurystoma.
This message was edited Feb 17, 2009 10:08 PM
Photo 012
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 11:58 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 16, 2009
11:53 PM Post #6149597
| Staying with the ground orchids, used to be Geodorum neocaledonicum but now is Geodorum densiflorum. Sometimes called "Weed Orchid" here because it readily proliferates the 'official' common name is Nodding Orchid. I have them coming out all over the place but never in the garden which is watered throughout the year. Seems it can't take dry season watering, even though it's range extends into southern Australia where they get rain all year. Like all our ground orchids it's deciduous and is dormant during the dry season. This one is at my place. Hasn't fully opened but they don't open up a lot. Likes a variety of habitats but not extended periods of waterlogging. Grows near my creek where it gets completely flooded for short periods during the set season.
Photo 013
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:12 PM
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RachelLF
Rural Retreat, VA
February 16, 2009
11:59 PM Post #6149626
| I sure am enjoying your virtual tour as well. Thank you for sharing the beauty.
Rachel
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
08:18 AM Post #6154958
| Back to the tour.
Melaleuca leucadendra is a tall tree to 30 metres high with a very attractive weeping habit. It grows along water courses, popular with nectar eating birds and insects.
Photo 014
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:13 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
08:31 AM Post #6154990
| Melastoma polyanthum is a shrub to about 2 metres height growing on the margins of monsoon forests and along streams. Tends to be flowering any time and produces a small fruit which is sweet and edible.
Photo 015
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:14 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
08:46 AM Post #6155032
| Nymphaea violacea is a water lily which not only comes in blue but also in pure white and a pink. Most common here are the white and blue, with a few shades of blue. The biggest flowers I've seen have been the white. Aborigines eat the tubers after cooking. The flower stems are eaten, like celery, after the thin skin is peeled off. And they also eat the seeds either raw or ground into a paste, shaped into cakes and baked in hot coals. This one is in my dam at home.
Photo 016
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:19 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
08:59 AM Post #6155066
| Syzigium suborbiculare is a medium sized tree which produces a fruit resembling an apple, hence it's common name Red Apple. The seed is large and coated with a thick white flesh. The fruit's not all that fantastic but is edible. Aboriginal people call it Mandjarduk. It flowers in the build-up and is an Aboriginal calendar plant indicating the coming of the rains.
Photo 017
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:20 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
09:12 AM Post #6155097
| Vigna vexillata is a small vine with pea-type flowers. It's related to the commonly known Mung Bean, Vigna radiata. But it has a tuber which is edible, although not the best of eating. Aborigines call it Bulkud but only eat if if there's nothing else. The tuber tends to be stringy inside. It grows in woodland but also along streams in wet areas. This one was at my place, but growing wild.
Photo 018
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:21 PM
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Bignonia
Atenas
Costa Rica
February 18, 2009
09:30 AM Post #6155129
| Hola tropicbreeze thanks for the info and the pictures. It is very interesting the information about Aborigine's diet. I read the book "Mutant Message Downunder" by Marlo Morgan. I am envious of all the wisdom that Aborigenes or native people in different parts of this world are practicing every day. I am looking for being close to our roots where everything is easier, practical and natural. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
09:32 AM Post #6155137
| Another orchid but an epiphyte this time, Dendrobium affine. Grows in monsoon forests and along stream in a variety of trees, including melaleucas and pandanus.Flowers during the dry season and disperses its seed in the wet season.
This one I'd put up in a tree in the garden, but there's others growing wild in trees along my creek.
Photo 019
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:22 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
09:56 AM Post #6155209
| Bignonia, I'd be careful with that book. Marlo Morgan was shown to be a fraud and that book totally fictitious. It's unfortunate that people find her writing interesting and overlook that she insults Aboriginal people by misrepresenting them. There are better books about what you're looking for than hers.
An as yet undescribed Hibbertia species fairly common in woodlands in well drained soil. They flower during the wet season.
Photo 020
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:24 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 18, 2009
10:13 AM Post #6155254
| This one's a climbing aroid, Rhaphidophora australasica. Grows along streams in monsoon forest. Climbs up rocks and trees but always seem to keep most of its roots in water. Typical aroid flower and fruit. I've got some small ones at home but this one is a large specimen in the wild.
17 March 2009:
Has been renamed Epipremnum amplissimum.
This message was edited Mar 17, 2009 4:38 PM
Photo 021
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Dutchlady1
Naples, FL
(Zone 10a)
February 18, 2009
12:38 PM Post #6155868
| Personally I find this thread fascinating, so many plants that we don't have here in the US. And I also enjoy the anecdotal info about the Aboriginal diet.
Please keep the pictures coming! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
09:12 PM Post #6171469
| I've been spending a bit of time sorting old photos, cropping them and sizing them. Have been taking more photos as well. It's the wet season so plant growth is rampant. The monsoon stopped earlier this week and the sun's been out which prompts a lot of flowering. It always happens during breaks in the monsoon and I take advantage with the camera. I've got over 70 more photos ready to upload, but unfortunately my internet connection is slow. But, on with the show.
I'll start with Hibiscus, and hibiscus look-alikes because sometimes I don't know the difference.
This photo is of the leaf that Dave asked for from the first Hibiscus at the top of this thread. Turns out it's different to the one I've got in the pot at home.
(16 March 2009:
As mentioned in the other posts, it most likely Abelmoschus moschatus.)
This message was edited Mar 16, 2009 1:46 PM
Photo 022
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
09:24 PM Post #6171507
| This is the Hibiscus I have in the pot at home. When I collected it as a small plant I thought it was the same at the previous one, the small leaves were similar. Since it's flowered I can see the difference. The leaves on this one are serrated with bigger lobes. And the other one has a pale "off-yellow" flower, this one is a brighter yellow. There is only about 20 - 30 kilometres separating where I've found them, the first in open woodland on flattish but well drained soil, the latter on the slope of a steep hill of fairly heavy soil. Both low growing and tangled up in grasses.
16 March 2009:
As mentioned/edited in the earlier post, I'm now pretty certain this is Abelmoschus moschatus. It's a variable species and very wide spread.
This message was edited Mar 16, 2009 1:44 PM
Photo 023
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:27 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
09:38 PM Post #6171559
| This one is often called Mangrove Hibiscus, Hibiscus tillaceus, as it grows along the coastline and often behind mangrove forests. I can't see it as being a mangrove though, it's always above tide level. It's common around the northern coastline of Australia, even getting as far south as New South Wales. I think it's pretty common throughout all tropical coastal areas and is widely cultivated, including a red form. It appears to have two growth habits, one as a large sprawling shrubby bush/tree, the other with upright stems. Aborigines used the upright one for making spears and considered the sprawling one "rubbish".
Photo 024
This message was edited Mar 23, 2009 12:29 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
09:47 PM Post #6171583
| I think this is Hibiscus leptocladus, the closest I can get to identifying it. Grows in sandstone/rocky country with fairly well drained soil. Fairly widespread in the north.
22 February 2009. Thanks to Dave, I'm now pretty sure this is Gossypium australe and not the Hibiscus.
Photo 025
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:17 PM
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
February 21, 2009
09:50 PM Post #6171594
| Thanks Tropicbreeze! Is that a juvenile leaf of the Hibiscus? Is it possible that it is a form of the Australian native Hibiscus diversifolius. |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
February 21, 2009
09:52 PM Post #6171601
| Is the one in the pot, Hibiscus heterophyllus? |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
10:26 PM Post #6171738
| Dave, it was one of the upper mature leaves. The stem was sprawled through the grass and about half a metre long. I've googled images of diversifolius but many of the photos look a little different. Mine in the pot gets closer to the internet images, but the description from NSW says it sometimes grows in water. Yet the one here seems to keep to the higher better drained ground. Maybe they're both variations of the same species and I just haven't waded in deep enough. I know another area where lots are growing but difficult to access in the wet season. With the current break in the monsoon I might be able to get in there and check them out.
This is Hibiscus panduriformis var, australis (according to the book - a pretty positive ID anyway). Apart from northern Australia, apparently widespread throughout South East Asia and even Africa as well.
They grow in gravelly/rocky poorly drained country to a height of 2 metres, often in large numbers so that they make a bit of a display. I've seen plants standing in water, but they weren't growing as well as those a little higher.
Photo 026
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:18 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
10:43 PM Post #6171803
| I doubt the one in the pot would be Hibiscus heterophyllus. When I searched it, the range was only up the east coast of Australia, and it grows to 6 metres. The one in the pot I've only ever seen to half a metre. It's closer to H. diversifolius.
This one looks like Hibiscus menzeliae, but I can't see the leaves to be sure. H. menzeliae has hairy leaves, another similar flowered one has smooth leaves. They both grow in sandstone country. I do have photos of both, but haven't turned up the definite H. menzeliae yet.
Photo 027
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:19 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
10:55 PM Post #6171860
| No idea what this one is. Was growing in the lowlands below but a bit away from sandstone escarpment. The soil was a bit heavier. Looks a little like H. leptocladus (see above) but the plant and leaf shapes were quite different.
Photo 028
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:19 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
11:07 PM Post #6171911
| 16 march 2009:
Originally I had this down as Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. tuberosus. Although still Malvaceae, I'm certain its Hibiscus meraukensis. They've started coming out all over the place the last few weeks.
The A. moschatus has to be the 'mystery' one mentioned above. (I'll be editing it as well to reflect this change.)
Photo 029
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:20 PM
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cheerpeople
northwest, IL
(Zone 5a)
February 21, 2009
11:35 PM Post #6172026
| Interesting amorph pic, tropicbreeze!
I have one but it is too small to bloom yet. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
11:41 PM Post #6172059
| Getting away from Malvaceae for a while, this is Thysanotus banksii, what I usually call Fringe Lily because I don't know any common name for it. Grows in woodland areas on rocky/sandy poorly drained soil.
Photo 030
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 21, 2009
11:48 PM Post #6172087
| And I thought I should put this one in as well because it's a bit different. Comes from something like 500 kilometres away from the previous photo and was growing in sandstone country in better drained soil. Probably just a variation of the same species.
Photo 031
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:23 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 22, 2009
12:21 AM Post #6172196
| Cheerpeople, my A paeonifolius doesn't flower each year, sometimes it skips a season. But the leaf is huge, although this dry season I should repot it. I've a few smaller ones in the ground but they haven't flowered yet, that I've noticed.
This is another of our native ones, Amorphophallus glabra. Looks different to A paeonifolius, grows in sandstone areas often on rocky ledges with only thin layers of sand and leaf mulch but I've also found them in pockets of monsoon forest near springs. This is one of the ones I had growing at home but they all wasted away over a number of years.
17 March 2009: A typo above, it should be Amorphophallus galbra
Photo 032
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:24 PM
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
February 22, 2009
12:33 AM Post #6172228
| Hi Tropicbreeze, is it possible that the plant which you are calling Hibiscus leptocladus might be Gossypium sturtianum. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 22, 2009
12:57 AM Post #6172291
| Thanks Dave, you're on the right track. Gossypium sturtianum grows further south, but this one is most probably Gossypium australe which is further north. I should have really recognised it as a Gossypium since the G. sturtianum is the floral emblem of the Northern Territory.
Here's another one I don't know, but suspect is a Cleome. It was growing in the drier sandstone escarpment country.
Photo 033
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:26 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
09:43 AM Post #6182340
| Okay, back on the job again, I hope. With the monsoon now on a rebound my internet connection is a bit wobbly at best. I've tried posting several times already tonight, hopefully this one will be successful.
But there's some good news. I'm scheduled to go on a flora survey week after next. It's in remote country so we'll be getting choppered in and then choppered out at the end of the day. Will be there with a botanist who is pretty familiar with the local flora.
This next lot of natives I've mostly got no idea of ID. This one's growing on my place in wet areas but is common enough elsewhere.
28 February 2009 IDed this one as Ludwigia octovalvis. Right about it being common, found across a lot of Australia, South East Asia, India and Africa.
Photo 034
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:27 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
09:55 AM Post #6182383
| A small ground cover which can spread over a wide area, often on gravelly ground and amongst grasses. Prefers to be in the open sun.
Photo 035
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:27 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
10:05 AM Post #6182454
| This one's extremely common growing in a wide range of conditions and soil. There are also many similar flowers , smaller, different shades of blue. They grow in close proximity but look quite distinct rather than intergrading. They look like they'd be separate species.
10 March 2009 Have been advised by a botanist that this is a Spermacoce.
Photo 036
This message was edited Mar 24, 2009 6:28 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
10:15 AM Post #6182497
| A medium shrub which becomes covered with these unusual green flowers. Grows in very sandy, well drained soil.
9 March 2009 A botanist has told me this is Pityrodia quadrangulata.
Photo 037
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
10:25 AM Post #6182551
| A small herb growing in sandstone country amongst grasses and shrubs.
Photo 038
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
10:34 AM Post #6182596
| A small herbaceous shrub, also in the sandstone country. Fairly common where it occurs.
Photo 039
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
10:49 AM Post #6182687
| This unusual looking flower grows amongst grasses in lowland woodland on poorly drained gravelly soils.
Photo 040
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goofybulb
El Paso, TX
(Zone 8a)
February 24, 2009
10:59 AM Post #6182743
| What a lovely stroll! Thank you for showing these beauties! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
11:03 AM Post #6182768
| This is a water plant which spreads out over shallow pools and in creeks often forming large mats. It's called Nymphoides hydrocharoides and is quite common.
Photo 041
This message was edited Mar 25, 2009 8:06 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 24, 2009
11:23 AM Post #6182873
| Thanks Goofybulb, pleased you like it.
A small tree called Freshwater mangrove, Barringtonia acutangula, has these hanging clusters of flowers. Grows along streams and margins of floodplains.
Photo 042
This message was edited Mar 25, 2009 8:07 PM
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
February 24, 2009
01:58 PM Post #6183790
| Great photos Tropicbreeze! The native plants of your part of Australia are quite interesting. Don't forget your camera on the botanical survey; wish I was going along! |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
February 24, 2009
02:23 PM Post #6183924
| Am loving all the plants!! I wish I was there to see them in person. |
Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
February 25, 2009
12:19 PM Post #6188372
| Aloha Tropicbreeze, I am so enjoying the pictures of the lovely native flowers you have in your part of the world - it seem to be a botanical wonderland. Thank you so much for posting, and I just know that Dave would love to be with you on your upcoming survey into the wilderness! I am looking forward to your photos... |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:21 PM Post #6200151
| Dave, that week I also have to do a fauna survey - mixed blessing. The fauna survey is also a chopper job and takes 3 days/2 nights camping out. Since you set traps and check them later, there's a bit of spare time to explore. But no botanist for picking their brain. The flora survey is one day/two plots then back home. So I could fit in more days on the flora survey except they're running concurrently and it's only for one week. Oh well, I'm not paying for the chopper but being paid myself, how can I complain? And the camera, the only place I don't take it is in the shower.
Pepper/Braveheartsmom, it often a matter of seeing the little things, there are flowers of all sorts of shapes and sizes in lots of places. When out bushwalking I often get criticised for wasting time taking photos of what most people walk past without noticing. For me it's a big part of it, not just the big spectacular scenes. And I like to let people see what I see.
This is similar to one that I posted before, only a deeper blue and a smaller flower/plant. I believe it's a Gomphrena sp. Grow just about anywhere except in waterlogged places.
19 March 2009:
Just picked this up, it's a Spermacoce, they come in a lot of shades and sizes, mostly blue.
Photo 043
This message was edited Mar 25, 2009 8:08 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:26 PM Post #6200182
| This grows in woodland and is a smallish herbaceous shrub.
Photo 044
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:30 PM Post #6200214
| Grows as a cluster of stems to about a metre tall. This one was in gravelly/stoney ground on the side of a rocky hill with a lot of seepage water.
Photo 045
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:34 PM Post #6200236
| A scrambling ground hugging vine which can cover large areas producing a profusion of these blooms. In a variety of conditions but generally reasonably well drained.
Photo 046
This message was edited Mar 25, 2009 8:10 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:49 PM Post #6200294
| Not sure, this might be another Gomphrena, maybe not. Aborigines call it the same as others, Kanbukbuk. They say it's "emu tucker", and concentrations of Kanbukbuk are good emu hunting areas. Not so common but widespread in woodlands. This one was growing in the same place as the second last one - in gravelly/stoney ground on the side of a rocky hill with a lot of seepage water.
Photo 047
This message was edited Mar 25, 2009 8:11 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
10:53 PM Post #6200310
| Small plant to about 30 cms tall, has the two top petals fused giving it a bit of an orchid appearance. Was growing in the same place as the last one, and that's the only place I remember having seen it.
Photo 048
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:05 PM Post #6200357
| Small sprawling ground hugging herbaceous vine. Grows in damp and protected areas but is very widespread. Locally called Wandering Jew, it's a Commelina sp., probably cyanea.
Photo 049
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:09 PM Post #6200372
| Small spindly plant growing amongst grasses in woodland on thin stems to about 30 - 40 cms long.
Photo 050
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:13 PM Post #6200405
| Another prostrate herb of the woodlands and amongst grasses.
Photo 051
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:22 PM Post #6200444
| Droseras are very common here, both in wet areas and better drained. This one I've inserted the flower at the bottom right. The flower stems are about 10 cms high and too difficult to get in focus together with the leaves. I have a similar one with pink flowers, probably both are Drosera petiolaris. They're insect eating plants.
Photo 052
This message was edited Mar 27, 2009 10:54 PM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:26 PM Post #6200455
| We've several Gardenias here. This one grows as a small tree in sandstone country.
Photo 053
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
February 27, 2009
11:30 PM Post #6200468
| I've a feeling I should know this one but somehow it escapes me. Growing in woodland, better drained areas. Suspect it's actually a weed.
Photo 054
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 07, 2009
05:11 AM Post #6232530
| You can really get lost on this site, there's so many nooks and crannies you can delve into for ages. Consequently I'm finding myself spreading out into a number of forums plus PlantFiles, not to mention birds, and the list goes on.
Just putting up what I'm now pretty sure is Hibiscus leptocladus, since the earlier one I put up under that name turned out to be a Gossypium australe.
Photo 055
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 07, 2009
05:15 AM Post #6232531
| This is a Goodenia, probably armstrongiana. They're widespread and take over roadsides and other disturbed areas. But being a small plant tend to go unnoticed.
Photo 056
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 07, 2009
05:25 AM Post #6232536
| Another Goodenia, resem bles cirrifica but can't be sure. A lot less common than the previous one and growing on slopes in stoney country.
Photo 057
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 07, 2009
05:33 AM Post #6232538
| And another again. This one I've only ever seen in my place growing in soggy ground.
Photo 058
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 07, 2009
07:12 AM Post #6232609
| A bit different, a palm. Livistona inermis. A very attractive slender palm which looks great when it gets those masses of white flowers. When you see big stands of them it looks like they're all frothing at the mouth.
Photo 059
This message was edited Mar 27, 2009 11:00 PM
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 08, 2009
01:09 AM Post #6236602
| Nice photos!
The plant after the Commelina looks like a Tradescantia. The plant after the Gardenia looks like Senna obtusifolia. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 08, 2009
08:39 AM Post #6237052
| Thanks Dave. I knew I should have remembered the Senna obtusifolia, it is in fact a weed here and widespread. I googled Tradescantia and the image was very similar to mine but much darker blue. I'll have a close look next time I'm out.
This photo is of a Swamp Bloodwood, Eucalyptus ptychocarpa. Common around rivers and popular in gardens, for those that have room for a medium sized sprawly tree. There's a bit of variation in flower colour.
9 March 2009 Should have checked before, "they" recently renamed a lot of eucalypts 'corymbia' and this one became Corymbia ptychocarpa.
Photo 060
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RachelLF
Rural Retreat, VA
March 08, 2009
11:39 AM Post #6237597
| I am still enjoying the pic's and added information. The Swamp Bloodwood is beautiful.
Thank's again for sharing.
|
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 09, 2009
07:52 PM Post #6244489
| Thanks Rachel, there's lots more where those came from. Just have to dig them all up, so to speak, and crop the images a bit.
This is an interesting one which might 'test' Dave. Grows in sandstone plateau country on the margins of creeks where the water floods out and seeps through the shallow sandy waterlogged soils. A very fine, low plant with spindly inconspicuous stems.
11 March 2009 Showed the photo to one of the botanists today and he recognised it as a Burmannia, only two species, coelestis and juncea but he wasn't sure which. Thought is was probably Burmannia juncea. Quite common around the place, but I've only seen it in one area.
Photo 061
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:14 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 09, 2009
08:01 PM Post #6244519
| And Silver Cycad, Cycas calcicola, which has a bit of a restricted range. Originally given the name "calcicola" because it was first found on limestone hills, but has since been found is a range of environments including the more acidic soiled sandstone country.
Photo 062
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:15 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 09, 2009
08:21 PM Post #6244594
| We have a lot of Grevilleas, from small trees to ground hugging prostrate shrubs. This is one of the ground huggers, Grevillea goodii. It's very widespread throughout tropical woodland and on sandstone plateau.
Photo 063
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:16 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 09, 2009
08:32 PM Post #6244640
| Grevillea dryandri, grows in sandstone country and slopes, in sandy well drained soils.
Photo 064
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:16 AM
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goofybulb
El Paso, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 10, 2009
01:30 AM Post #6245898
| So beautiful and diverse! I love it! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 10, 2009
08:34 PM Post #6249317
| Thanks goofybulb, I'll keep them coming. Was interupted yesterday, the chopper was waiting to take me out on the flora survey. Managed to get some more photos :O)
This is the Grevillea I was about to post. Apparently it's still Grevillea dryandri but grows up on the ridge lines here amongst rocks. A bushy prostrate form with a deeper red colour than the one in the previous photo.
Photo 065
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:17 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 10, 2009
09:02 PM Post #6249452
| Some Convolvulaceae now. We have a lot of Ipomoeas and Merremias, a lot that I don't know the species names for.
This one's Ipomoea pes-caprae, grows on the coastline in the sand dunes as a dense ground cover.
Photo 066
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:18 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 10, 2009
09:11 PM Post #6249533
| Don't know which one this is, but definitely looks like an Ipomoea. Grows up in the sandstone plateau country amongst grasses.
Photo 067
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brical1
brisbane
Australia
March 11, 2009
01:22 AM Post #6250433
| Your pics are beautiful tropic! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
08:34 AM Post #6250905
| Thanks Brical1, I enjoy reeling them out. Here's a few I took yesterday out where I went by chopper. Having the botanists along helped with the ID.
Asteromyrtus magnifica, used to be Melaleuca magnifica. An endemic, growing as a shrub to a couple of metres high, in the sandstone country of Kakadu and Arnhem Land.
Photo 068
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:19 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
08:43 AM Post #6250931
| A Calytrix, but although the botanist gave the species name I didn't write it down and have forgotten it. Hopefully I get it again and then edit it in here.
Again, from the sandstone country (that was the focus of our flora survey).
Photo 069
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:20 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
09:00 AM Post #6250982
| An unusual flower on an attractive small shrub. I was told it was very rare, Drummondita calida.
Photo 070
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:21 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
09:29 AM Post #6251047
| Grevillea angulata is a small shrub also growing in the sandstone country, locally quite common.
Photo 071
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:22 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
09:49 AM Post #6251115
| A Sowerbaea, only one listed on the official plant checklist and this one being very common must be it, Sowerbaea alliacea, apparently called Native Chives. I've forgotten the Aboriginal name but they told me kangaroos would dig up the roots and eat them. Knowing the habits of animals, what and where they eat is necessary for successful hunting.
Photo 072
This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 12:22 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 11, 2009
09:59 AM Post #6251152
| There's only one Arthrostylis listed in the plantlist, this one again being fairly common must be Arthrostylis aphylla. It's a sedge (Cyperaceae) and grows in damp areas. The stem is flat, like fettucini.
Photo 073
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
12:46 AM Post #6273876
| Got back on the chopper yesterday from a couple of days camping out on the fauna survey. The good thing about those surveys is that you get more time to wander around. The flora surveys keep you at it fairly constantly until you're done. Then you can't go too far in case the chopper turns up to move you on.
With the fauna survey you set up the various types of traps then just check them now and again over a few days. Gives you plenty of time to wander without worrying about getting back at short notice.
Only difficulty was we were doing a 'sand plain', a flat area of alluvial sand making it a featureless landscape. When the cloud cover moves in (it's our wet season) it's impossible to tell direction, it all looks the same, north, south, east or west. Great to get lost in.
But I took a compass as security, and it worked out well. Found a seepage/swamp area and then a creek. So got lots of photos but unfortunately a lot of them were very poor. So there's plants of the drier sand plain, plus plants of the swamps.
The first is a small peaflower from the drier sand plain. Like so many of these photos I have no idea of identity. Had a fauna and not a flora expert with me. Might be able to track down some of the ID's and will edit them in.
Photo 074
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:31 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:00 AM Post #6273893
| This small blue flower did surprisingly well out in the blistering sun, with roots set in sand. Would probably make a good rockery plant in an open sunny spot.
Photo 075
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:32 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:09 AM Post #6273909
| This one's up to a metre high and has its flowers in the upper leaf axils. Reminds me a bit of Waltheria.
Photo 076
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:33 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:12 AM Post #6273913
| Probably a convolvulaceae, but that's as far as my ideas go. A small ground creeper.
Photo 077
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:34 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:17 AM Post #6273925
| This is quite common everywhere, particularly in sandy areas. Aborigines call it Kanbukbuk, they say it's eaten by emus. I think it's a Gomphrena species.
Photo 078
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:22 AM Post #6273936
| We have a lot of Ipomoeas, and a lot of pure white ones. It can get a bit confusing trying to differentiating them from photos. Sometimes it's more the leaf and stem structure which is different.
Photo 079
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:29 AM Post #6273949
| Grows to just over a metre high and has a number of stems. I think it's a Pachynema, but could be wrong.
Photo 080
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:37 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:36 AM Post #6273958
| Called Dikkala by Aborigines, this Cartonema spicata has small tubers along its taproot which can be roasted and eaten.
Photo 081
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:41 AM Post #6273968
| No idea what this is. Sends up a stem about half to one metre high with these flowers. As you can see, the flowers appear to come out randomly rather than progressively up the stem.
Photo 082
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:45 AM Post #6273973
| A small yellow peaflowered creeper that twines through tall grasses.
Photo 083
This message was edited Mar 30, 2009 7:41 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:51 AM Post #6273979
| A sprawling herb that grows up to about 30 centimetres high if supported by surrounding grasses, otherwise sprawls along the ground. very common where it grew, the deep blue giving a good effect. I think it's a Commelina.
Photo 084
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:54 AM Post #6273987
| Quite an unusual dainty herb growing amongst grasses.
Photo 085
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brical1
brisbane
Australia
March 16, 2009
01:57 AM Post #6273991
| I'm loving your pics tropic! |
rjuddharrison
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
March 16, 2009
12:17 PM Post #6275401
| thanks for sharing your enviable job, volunteer or otherwise, it's fascinating.
This plant is from Australia, and seems that it would be from a very arid, rocky place. Was difficult to keep alive, and in the end I failed. Wondering if you come across it in your observations.
hope you had some luck Brical.
Rj
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Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
March 16, 2009
12:28 PM Post #6275455
| I am really enjoying the pictures of the pretty wildflowers in your area, thanks for taking us with you |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 16, 2009
02:07 PM Post #6275997
| Nice flora! Many unusual species, not seen in this part of the world!
Rj's plant looks like some type of Hibiscus. |
rjuddharrison
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
March 16, 2009
02:39 PM Post #6276118
| yes, it is some type of rock rose, mallow hibiscus... |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 16, 2009
09:35 PM Post #6278090
| Thanks Brical1, Braveheartsmom and Dave.
Rj, I looked it up, appears to be Alyogyne huegelii. Native to the south west coast of South Australia and southern Western Australia. That's a mediterranean climate - cool wetter winters, hot mostly dry summers. Grows in sandy gravelly soils which drain well. Well, possibly a bit late now, but if you get another one it might help. |
rjuddharrison
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
March 16, 2009
09:54 PM Post #6278160
| Okay, tis what I suspected, thankyou for checking. It was one of those off the wall plants found in a corner at Home Depot of all places, and only about 6 plants..I kept them dry most of the time, but it still languished..was beautiful for the time I had it. |
Alistair
Nowra, NSW,
Australia
(Zone 9b)
March 16, 2009
10:39 PM Post #6278408
| Great pics tropicbreeze!
I think the climbing aroid is actually Epipremnum amplissimum rather than Rhaphidophora australasica. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 17, 2009
03:02 AM Post #6279199
| Thanks Alistair, another name change they've done on me. My texts still have it under the old name Rhaphidophora australasica. |
Alistair
Nowra, NSW,
Australia
(Zone 9b)
March 17, 2009
03:14 AM Post #6279205
| They are different plants rather than a name change as such.
R. australasica is restricted to Queensland (and maybe PNG).
They differ in the Rhaphidophora having raised pointed stigmas, leaf sheaths which mostly degrade to fibres, and leaf blades which hang. The Epipremnum has more or less flat, slit-like stigmas (sometimes some round, but not raised), persistent leaf sheaths (sometimes with a papery margin) and leaf blades which are held in a spreading posture. It occurs in NT, Qld, PNG, Solomons and Vanuatu.
In fruit Rhaphidophora has many tiny seeds per fruit, and Epipremnum one or two much larger ones per fruit. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 17, 2009
05:08 AM Post #6279267
| Well Alistair, you've set me off on a great learning adventure all about Epipremnum species (and I still haven't got to the bottom of the Typhonium mystery yet).
Where I checked the difference in naming there wasn't any indication of the reason for the change. So it appears it was originally mis-identified. I guess it didn't make the headlines in the NT News at the time, LOL. But I now find I have Epipremnum pinnatum growing at home.
Always thought it was interesting that E. pinnatum wasn't as adversely affected by the lime in my bore water as were most others. E. amplissimum doesn't like lime at all. |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
05:22 AM Post #6298290
| Back again to continue with the natives. My time is a bit in short supply of late. In May I'm doing some trekking in Papua New Guinea so I'm spending time training, as well as all my other activities on top of my full time (mortgage paying) job. But I'm really looking forward to PNG, it's been pretty much a life long dream to go there, surprising thing being that's it's taken me so long to do it. So anyway, that's why there's often time gaps in my posting on this thread.
The next lot of plants come from the wetter edges of the sand plain country. The sand plain acts like a sponge in the wet season. The water emerges in swamps, seepage areas and finally into creeks which drain it away. So while out on the fauna survey last week I wandered a bit and found some of these wetter areas.
This is Banksia dentata, Northern Banksia. Although there are many species of Banksia in Australia, in the north we only have one. Grows as a small tree in wet or swampy areas. Aborigines call it Mankoybuk and used the furry cones to carry fire. The cones burn slowly for a long time.
Photo 086
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:34 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
05:32 AM Post #6298299
| This flower is very common, growing both in very wet and better drained areas. The flowers in the wetter conditions are usually larger.
(IDed as Xyris complanata.)
Photo 087
This message was edited Apr 9, 2009 6:29 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
06:13 AM Post #6298325
| Staying with yellow, a very common and very widespread plant, I've seen it in many parts of Australia, north and south. Seems to like sitting in water, or in very damp ground nearby.
IDed as Philydrum lanuginosum
Photo 088
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:37 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
06:30 AM Post #6298349
| Probably a Convolvulaceae, a small vine sprawling on the ground and climbing surrounding grasses.
Photo 089
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:38 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
06:42 AM Post #6298364
| Growing as a small sprawling herbaceous shrub on the edge of the creek. Didn't appear to be very common.
Photo 090
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:39 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
07:12 AM Post #6298391
| Back up on the sand again, this small plant was very common through the looser sand with very little competition from grasses or other taller plants. Seemed to thrive in the blazing hot conditions.
Photo 091
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:40 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
07:27 AM Post #6298424
| Another small herb that likes blazing hot conditions as well.
Photo 092
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:41 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
07:34 AM Post #6298440
| A photo I took today - a small shrubby plant in amongst taller grasses. It's just amazing when you look closely at the form the flower has taken.
Photo 093
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:43 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
07:48 AM Post #6298459
| It's this time of year our many Acacias start to flower. Another photo I took today - Acacia dimidiata. Often growing in swampy conditions, it's also found in better drained areas. Like a lot of Acacias, it grows rapidly, has a shallow root system, and goes over easily in a storm. One of the only trees on my place that completely toppled last year when Cyclone Helen came through. And it's only a small spindly tree.
Called Manborrelk by Aborigines, the seed pods were crushed and used as a fish 'poison'.. But they told me you could eat the green seeds.
Photo 094
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:44 AM
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 21, 2009
01:09 PM Post #6299734
| More great photos Tropicbreeze!
I think that blue flower which you refer to Commelina, is a Tradescantia. Commelina have two larger lobes on top and a smaller bottom lobe. Tradescantia have three even lobes.
That first yellow flower, from March 20, may be a Xyris, Yellow Eyed Grass. Are the flowering stems flat? Maybe either Xyris complanata or Xyris platylepis.
Don't stop with the photos; it's very interesting to see what grows on the other side of the planet!
Aloha, Dave |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 21, 2009
11:29 PM Post #6302011
| Dave, I've checked the Checklist of NT Vascular Plant Species. There's no Tradescantia listed. I checked Commelina, there's 8 species listed for the Northern Territory. The two links below are the closest matching, appears C. lanceolata is a syn for C. agrostophylla.
Commelina agrostophylla - http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/phtml?pc=dig&pn=1438&size=3
Commelina lanceolata (very poor photo)- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/phtml?pc=nt&pn=375&size=3
When I checked Xyris, there are 6 species listed including X. complanata which looks like a perfect match.
I've noticed that time on the posts shows up as the local time. My posts were on 21 March. So I've decided to number the photos. Only thing is, they only allow 12 edits per day. Means it'll take 8 days for my numbering to catch up. |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 22, 2009
01:49 AM Post #6302410
| Thanks Tropicbreeze, you've got other than normal Commelina, from those shown in my Western floras!
I'll dig out my thinking cap for your unknowns. Many of them, I'm unfamiliar with. |
Alistair
Nowra, NSW,
Australia
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2009
01:59 AM Post #6306721
| The yellow after the Xyris is Philydrum lanuginosum |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 23, 2009
02:13 AM Post #6306733
| First time I've heard of the Philydraceae! |
Alistair
Nowra, NSW,
Australia
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2009
03:24 AM Post #6306774
| Its a Far East microfamily! |
Alistair
Nowra, NSW,
Australia
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2009
03:33 AM Post #6306778
| I didn't realize there were Commelina species with more or less equal petals either.
There's a cute but sad story behind Commelina: there were three Commelin brothers, all botanists (or aiming to be). The youngest died very young, and he is "represented" by the small petal of typical Commelina! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
07:47 AM Post #6311874
| Hopefully I've worked out my numbers right, so this should be 95. Once I've caught up with editing the numbers in then I'll edit in the names of previously posted plants that have been identified.
Last night I was caught up doing a crocodile survey so didn't get any more photos up loaded. But during the day I was able to get some more interesting shots.
These plants grow on the slopes of the sandstone escarpment, supported by seepage water. Sandstone acts like a sponge, absorbing the wet season's rains and releasing them slowly over a long period..
Photo 095
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pogonantha
el arish, FNQ
Australia
March 24, 2009
08:02 AM Post #6311914
| I feel guilty. Next time the gravity feed pipes stuff up and we have to hike up into the mountains to fix them I'll try and bring my camera. Beautiful stuff, but I'm usually just trying to get my middle aged body in and out in one piece:)
Ann |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
08:06 AM Post #6311922
| Another Goodenia, growing on the slopes of sandstone escarpment.
Photo 096
This message was edited Mar 31, 2009 10:45 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
08:18 AM Post #6311958
| As I said before Ann, about the only place I don't take my camera is into the shower.
A small shrub of the sandstone escarpment.
Photo 097
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
08:35 AM Post #6312011
| One of the many sandstone Acacias I can't identify.
Photo 098
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
08:54 AM Post #6312084
| This one is very common along all the slopes. The plant itself resembles a coleus, but is plain green.
Photo 099
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
09:03 AM Post #6312127
| I'd guess this is a Goodeniaceae, it resembles another one that grows on the coast, except it's a smaller, more spindly bush with totally different leaves. (The coastal one is Scaevola sericea.)
(IDed as Scaevola angulata, see also Photos 113 and 114 below.)
Photo 100
This message was edited Apr 9, 2009 6:25 AM
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
09:17 AM Post #6312193
| There's 10 Cleomes in the checklist for the Northern Territory, which one this is I don't know.
Photo 101
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
09:35 AM Post #6312262
| These were growing lower on the slopes of the escarpment, but I've seen them down in the woodlands as well. Not very widely spread, from what I've seen of it.
Photo 102
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
10:05 AM Post #6312419
| Another Spermacoce (see also photo 036). This one is smaller than the others and mainly green in colour.
Photo 103
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
10:13 AM Post #6312450
| This is another Spermacoce, but from the lowland woodlands, and pinkish in colour.
Photo 104
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
10:19 AM Post #6312481
| A Spermacoce again, from the same area as the last one (photo 104) but white in colour.
Photo 105
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
10:25 AM Post #6312499
| A short plant growing on river flats, subject to occasional flooding/inundation.
Photo 106
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 24, 2009
10:32 AM Post #6312532
| A Goodenia from the same area as the last photo - river flats, subject to occasional flooding/inundation.
Photo 107
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
March 24, 2009
11:42 AM Post #6312853
| More wonderful photos! I am enjoying seeing your corner of the world, thank you so much!
Crocodile survey? Gosh!
Jen. |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 24, 2009
03:23 PM Post #6313790
| Hey Tropicbreeze, photo 100 does look like a Scaevola. Maybe Scaevola evolved up into the hills from the coast in Australia as it did in Hawai'i. Do you have a photo of the leaves and whole plant?
Here is a shot of Scaevola chamissoniana; a rainforest bush found in Hawaiian uplands.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
07:24 AM Post #6316438
| Jen, there's a lot where the photos just didn't come out any good. Then there's so many more that I haven't even photographed yet. So I'll keep them coming. It's great for me because I'm getting so much help with IDing them.
I get the opportunity to do lots of different surveys through my work. Croc surveys are one of the most common. I've got firearms training plus additional training specific to croc attacks. Other surveys I do are marine turtles (also involving croc attack risk), feral animals (Water Buffalo, Horses, Cattle, Donkeys and pigs), fauna and flora. The marine turtle surveys I've been avoiding the past few years, done so many already. No fun sitting on a deserted tropical island all night waiting for turtles to come up, and then wrestling them (Flat-back Turtles) after they've laid, or chasing around the reefs on a speeding boat and leaping into the water after Green Turtles.
Dave, I got those photos today, but forgot to bring the cable for down loading from my camera. Will have to do it Monday, I'm off for 4 days from work. But the leaves and shrub shape are very different to the coastal one. It's about a 70 - 80 cm erect shrub, with numerous branches tending to vertical rather than spreading like the S. sericea. Thickest stems are less than a centimetre diameter. Largest leaves (about 3 cms or less long) are towards the bottom of stems. Leaves get progressively smaller higher up the stems.
This is Acacia mimula, called Mankalbbu by Aborigines. (Note that when I give Aboriginal names, it's in the language I speak. There were about 600 different Aboriginal languages across the country.) It grows as a very small tree in well drained, lowland, sandy country. Flowers come late in the wet (now). For Aborigines it's a 'calendar plant', indicating the flood waters will be receding and the fish will be moving back up the rivers, ie time to go fishing.
Photo 108
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
07:35 AM Post #6316465
| Having to check back all the time now so that I don't double up. Noticed that Photo 040 and 093 are the same plant species.
This is a small twining herb which climbs grasses and other vegetation. One of the sand plain plants (from the fauna survey).
Photo 109
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
07:45 AM Post #6316495
| This is the Scaevola sericea mentioned previously. Grows at the back of beaches on sand dunes. Common in the north of Australia and the Indo-Pacific and Pacific regions.
Photo 110
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
08:12 AM Post #6316574
| Although some Solanums are edible, this one's not included. Solanum echinatum grows in the sandstone country and is called Mandjabeldjabel by Aborigines. They told me the fruit of this one is very poisonous to humans, but is eaten by Barrk, the Black Wallaroo (Macropus bernardus).
Photo 111
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
08:33 AM Post #6316615
| A Grevillea which is quite common but doesn't, in my opinion, have a very notable flower. Grevillea decurrens has beautiful leaves and while still of large shrub size can look very attractive with just the foliage. Grows up to a very small tree size. The fruits are a hard wooden capsule with a single seed surrounded by a thin circular wing which helps disperse the seed away from the parent.
An interesting view of this plant by Aborigines who call it Mandjangkerre Ngalbaydjan. It's the "mother" Mandjangkerre, the "boy" or "son" of it is Mandjangkerre Narangem, Grevillea heliosperma. It becomes a bit more involved, in anthropological terms, but I'll leave it at that. The seeds of both are similar and both very good eating.
Photo 112
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RachelLF
Rural Retreat, VA
March 25, 2009
09:03 AM Post #6316729
| Lovely pic's and your survey's sound interesting as well. Sound's like you stay very busy;-) But it all sound's like an "exciting busy".
Are feral horse's abundant in your area?
Rachel
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Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 25, 2009
01:48 PM Post #6318012
| Hi Tropicbreeze, the Scaevola you found has very small leaves from what I'm used to. Is it possibly Scaevola archeriana? It is a "sand plains" plant.
I see that Australia is the center of diversity for Scaevola. Maybe the Pan-Tropical Scaevola sericea came originally from Australia!
It looks like the flower lobes on the Australian plants (Scaevola sericea) are more rounded than those on Hawaiian plants.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
05:42 PM Post #6319183
| Rachael, there are lots of feral horses here, we call them brumbies. One of our (Australian) iconic stories about brumbies was turned into a successful movie - "Man from the Snowy River". Although, the story is set in the south east of the country, a long way from here.
Dave, when I looked up the checklist there were 19 Scaevolas plus 8 subspecies/varieties. But there wasn't a Scaevola sericea. I also found this on a google search (http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/search/current/13153):
"Scaevola taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb. This taxon name is current. The available references for this name are:
Scaevola sericea Vahl is a taxonomic synonym. Reason: See Carolin, Fl.Australia 35:97(1992) "
Scaevola archeriana is very unlikely, it's from southern Western Australia, a very mediterranean climate and it's only known from down there.
The closest I could find was Scaevola angulata, but I get lost in the technical jargon of the description. The photo taken at East Alligator River (http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/phtml?pc=nt&pn=163&size=3), about 100 - 200 kms from my photo seems a good match.
The description is at http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=... |
Metrosideros
Keaau, HI
March 25, 2009
07:47 PM Post #6319750
| Our flora lists Scaevola sericea Vahl as the modern term, and Scaevola tacca Roxb. as the old synonym! |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
March 25, 2009
08:40 PM Post #6320047
| Why should they make it easy for us? :O( |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 03, 2009
08:18 AM Post #6358444
| This relates to Photo 100 above (Scaevola angulata), and also indirectly to Photo 110. These are the upper leaves, quite small.
Photo 113
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 03, 2009
08:27 AM Post #6358459
| Another one relating to Photo 100 and Photo 113 above (Scaevola angulata), and also indirectly to Photo 110. This shows the leaves lower down the shrub, with a hand for perspective..
Photo 114
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:06 AM Post #6398735
| With my up coming trek in Papua New Guinea I finally bought a new camera so I can improve my photography. The old camera just didn't have the capabilities I want. Anyway, with the amount of money I've been spending in relation to this trip I've certainly given the world economy a real boost. So this weekend I managed to fit in some time to hone my skills with the new camera. The following photos, on the same theme, are from the new camera.
We've moved into the transition period between the wet and dry seasons which means high temperatures and high humidity, plus plenty of sunshine. This brings on a mass flowering of small plants taking advantage of soil moisture and the sun.
The first is very common now at my place, especially amongst grasses where there's minimal canopy.
Photo 115
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:09 AM Post #6398743
| This one grows in similar conditions to the last one, often seen together. (I need to work on exposure with pale or white coloured objects in macro.)
Photo 116
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:13 AM Post #6398749
| These grow sturdy on taller stems and are also quite common in areas exposed to full sun.
Photo 117
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:18 AM Post #6398758
| An upside down pea flower, it always grows this way. The fine vine and leaflets are very hard to see amongst grass.
Photo 118
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:21 AM Post #6398765
| very easily overlooked but close up this flower is quite interesting. It's in the same habitat as the others.
Photo 119
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:27 AM Post #6398783
| Another small but interesting flower. Not so common and seems to keep to the wetter ground.
Photo 120
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:38 AM Post #6398811
| Now some more Goodenias. The NT plant checklist has 80 species and subspecies for the Northern Territory, which doesn't surprise me from the different ones just on my place. There's already some above - Photos 056, 057, 058, 096, 107.
This one grows in very wet ground, often together with the one in Photo 058.
Photo 121
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:40 AM Post #6398816
| Another one which likes soggy ground and can be seen with the other two (at my place, at least).
Photo 122
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 12, 2009
08:43 AM Post #6398827
| This one seems to like damp but not soggy ground. Has a much finer stem and leaves than the others.
Photo 123
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pogonantha
el arish, FNQ
Australia
April 17, 2009
05:58 PM Post #6425341
| I had no idea the NT had so many wildflowers. I always associate them with WA but I guess you're only a hop, skip and a jump away.
So what sort of camera did your stimulus package bring :) Ann |
tropicbreeze
noonamah
Australia
April 19, 2009
01:35 AM Post #6430867
| Ann, it's more a matter of keeping the eyes open for them. The two main wildflower areas in Australia are firstly the southwest of WA and secondly the Hawkesbury Sandstone area in NSW between roughly Newcastle and Nowra. Wildflowers are also very prolific in the central desert areas after rains. All these usually have low fertility soils with minimal canopy over ground-level plants.
My area (which is about 4,000kms away from the WA areas) has sandstone plateaus, floodplains and margins of floodplains with reduced canopy. That's what promotes a lot of wildflowers, but not to the extent of southwest WA and the Hawkesbury. But you'll find similar to what's in our area running from the Kimberley in WA, through the Top End NT, as well as northwestern Qld and even up into Cape York Peninsula (Laura area). Some of our plants are shared right across this vast area, and some are more restricted in distribution.
Santa Rudd hasn't brought me my stimulus package yet but that hasn't stopped me splurging in advance. Got a Canon 450D SLR. I wanted to have it for my PNG trek. |
pogonantha
el arish, FNQ
Australia
April 20, 2009
07:16 PM Post #6439034
| I didn't know that about the Hawkesbury. The hubby went to Uni there.
I must confess though I'm more of a jungle gal.
You aren't the only one spending in advance:). I heard about someone who booked a holiday in our area and had to ask her friend to send her fuel $$$ as her $$ hadn't arrived.
I hope your camera brings you big joy and great photos. PNG should be very exciting. Wishing you good vibes and low humidity while you're changing lenses :) Ann |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
April 20, 2009
11:43 PM Post #6440537
| Naturally, I am late to the party! Such a wonderful tour! Beautiful pictures of beautiful plants. I am particularly enthralled by the ground orchids and those wonderful hibiscus...just lovely!
Thank you so much for giving this marvelous tour of Top End.
Yokwe,
Shari |
