By Rob Davis

by Rob Davis With nearly 10,000 species of flowering native plants, and new species being described all the time, Western Australia’s south-west is an internationally renowned botanical hotspot. Just take a trip through this area from late-June to November for the magnificent and very colourful proof. hen most Western Previous page Australians think of Main Everlastings at proposed nature reserve wildflowers, they picture Thundelarra Station. W Photo – Cliff Winfield masses of everlastings spreading as far as the eye can see. However, the richness Left Ptilotus macrocephalus. of WA’s wildflowers extends well beyond Photo – Rob Davis/Parks and Wildlife this image. The south-west of the State is an internationally renowned botanical Below Murchison wildflowers. Photo – Samille Mitchell hotspot, rich in endemism, species numbers and floral diversity. It attracts international travellers, particularly from Europe and Asia, who specifically come to see our unique flora. And new species are still being discovered. So when and where are the best Western Australian Herbarium’s online and Ptilotus (mulla mulla). As you get places to go to experience these rich resource FloraBase enables you to search closer to Kalbarri, a variety of sand- botanical treasures? In many places, botanical regions, flower colour and plain species appear including Ashby’s some native plants will be flowering all flowering times helping pinpoint what’s banksia (Banksia ashbyi), sceptre banksia year round, while in other places varying flowering where and when. (Banksia sceptrum), coppercups (Pileanthus rainfall also dictates where the best peduncularis), prickly plume grevillea flowers can be seen. Still, some general AWASH WITH COLOUR (Grevillea annulifera) and white-plume pointers can be given. The flowering From late-June the State’s Midwest grevillea (Grevillea leucopteris). season is influenced by temperature, so region starts to come alive with colour. A little way south, the Geraldton from June to August the warmer northern Head up to the Shark Bay area and you area has a wide range of botanical species parts of the south-west are the best places can expect to get an ‘outback’ or ‘station to explore; just north of the city are to visit, while by October to November country experience’ with open Acacia prominent rocky mesas, which in late the southern coast is at its best. The scrublands, Eremophilas, everlastings winter to early spring take on a slightly mauve appearance from the masses of Thryptomene species. Howathara “The south-west of the State is an internationally Nature Reserve is particularly stunning in renowned botanical hotspot, rich in endemism, June–July with Thryptomene baeckeacea, Melaleuca megacephala and Grevillea species numbers and floral diversity.” pinaster in full flower. Coalseam National Park south-east of Geraldton provides the station country experience without having to go remote. Here you’ll find Acacia woodlands with masses of everlasting like pompom head (Cephalipterum drummondii) in early spring. South of Geraldton, around Dongara, is a stunning coastal limestone flora, with the large-flowered lilac hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii). South-east of there, Tomkins Road and Mt Adams provide an outstanding drive through Yardanogo Nature Reserve, taking in typical low heathlands with species like Hooker’s banksia (Banksia hookeriana), Geleznowia verrucosa, granite boronia (Boronia cymosa) and hairy leschenaultia (Lechenaultia hirsuta). Lesueur National Park is one of WA’s premier floral destinations. It provides a 30 LANDSCOPE Wildflower hotspots Andrew McIn to – ne ho ss P a. ll u m a l l u M McInness rew nd A – to o h P . – Marie Lochm s g to an o n h i P t . s w a a l p r e o v o E r a g n a k k c a J l u B n to – Babs e ho an P d . B ll e r J e t u b W l n Shark Bay y i e a l t ls / n P A u u a o r g k u m s s a t n n o S d e m hoto – W er. P Rob p w t m D e i o l d rf av m o l e i C s b i h / f t P e e a a r e r f k s Coalseam O n c o a t s n Conservation o i b r d e r Park r W o N i M o l Lesueur d ve e l m i f National Park g b e e n r a r O mille Mitch Moore River – Sa ell to National Park ho . P a e in g u ks a r Par nd r o – Wi e t ld f o l Ph ife a . e Fitzgerald River a l e e Leeuwin- Stirling Range k National Park a m h i Naturaliste National Park l P a National Park y o R WIN a beautiful framed wildflower print Enter for your chance to win a framed print of the stunning Kunzea eriocalyx. Exquisitely painted by Parks and Wildlife’s own Gooitzen van der Meer (whose work also appears on page 27 and 54 of this issue) Kunzea eriocalyx occurs nowhere else in the world except three sites in Fitzgerald River National Park on the south coast of WA where it blooms between August and October. To enter, simply send an email with your full name and address to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Wildflower competition’. WIN! Above Bushwalking in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is a great way to experience In coastal areas just north of Perth, wildflowers. Photo – Samille Mitchell places like Nilgen Lookout on the Indian Ocean Drive in Nilgen Nature Reserve Above right Pileanthus peduncularis ssp. make ideal roadside stops, with a great pilifer, a coppercup. representation of coastal heathlands characterised by species like Diplolaena Left Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp. splendida. obovata, Grevillea preissii, Acacia truncata Photos – Rob Davis/Parks and Wildlife and cockies tongues (Templetonia retusa). Our very own Perth urban banksia woodlands have an outstanding array of plants. There are the familiar firewood banksia (Banksia menziesii) and slender banksia (Banksia attenuata), but one of the PERTH’S DOORSTEP more spectacular displays happens in early Some of the more spectacular displays summer when Morrison featherflower of wildflowers can actually be found on (Verticordia nitens) comes into full bloom. Perth’s doorstep. Studies have shown that The best places to see this species is just the Darling Scarp east of Perth has flora north of Perth at Moore River National variety of habitats to visit with patches comparable to many of the well-known Park or Boonanarring Nature Reserve; of woodland, lateritic hills and kwongan botanical destinations in WA. One place good patches can even be seen in heathlands. On the lateritic hills you worth a visit is John Forrest National Park Whiteman Park. can expect to see species such as spider during September to October. The granite coneflower (Isopogon adenanthoides) or outcrops are always fascinating to explore FURTHER AFIELD the unusual Daviesia epiphyllum with and it is a good spot for ‘belly botany’ – The south-west tip from Margaret its flattened blue-grey stem from which getting down to see an astonishing array of River to Walpole gives the botanical large bright red pea flowers emerge. tiny herbs like triggerplants, sundews and enthusiast a broad range of habitats On shallow sandy soils look for black daisies on show. The Eucalyptus wandoo to explore. The Capes and Leeuwin- kangaroo paw (Macropidia fuliginosa), woodland gives a wonderful display of Naturaliste National Park have great summer coppercups (Pileanthus filifolius) colour and trunk texture, and though poor examples of coastal flora, with species and Verticordia ovalifolia with its stunning in the number of woody shrubs they have such as Pimelea ferruginea, coral vine feathery pink flowers. a myriad of small flowering herbs. (Kennedia coccinea) and thick-leaved 32 LANDSCOPE species (see also ‘Brightening the has a fantastic display of wildflowers, landscape: Stirling Range wattle’ on the season extends well into October– page 11). The Stirling’s Darwinias are November. The iconic plant for the park probably the park’s most iconic species. has to be the royal hakea (Hakea victoria); Away from the peaks, the sand-plains while the flowers are well hidden, it’s the below have an incredible variety of colours of the cup-shaped leaves which fan-flower (Scaevola crassifolia). The species; in September look for a wide intrigue plant enthusiasts. The colouration majestic karri forests, while not especially range of pea-shaped flowers from the happens because of the nutrient-poor rich in vascular plant species, are places genera Chorizema, Gompholobium, soils. to find species such as karri dampiera Gastrolobium and Daviesia. So, whether you’re planning a day out (Dampiera hederacea), tall kangaroo The south coast jewel in the crown in Perth’s surrounds, a trip further afield, paw (Anigozanthos flavidus) and karri would have to be Fitzgerald River venturing along the coast or into the boronia (Boronia gracilipes). For the real National Park. A declared World Network outback, pick the right time of year and enthusiast, swamplands in this area have Biosphere Reserve, the park has more you’ll be treated to magnificent wildflower a great range of species many of which than 1500 species of flora, many of which displays. You might even come across flower well into early summer, including are unique to the area. While September something that hasn’t yet been described. the stand-out swamp bottlebrush (Beaufortia sparsa) with its fluorescent red flowers, along with many species of triggerplants, Xyris and sundews. Further around the coast, Torndirrup National Park has a range of coastal limestone species as well as an interesting granite outcrop flora.

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