Friday, July 27, 2012

Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden. 27th July 2012



                                                Another perfect Sydney winters day.
This 123 hectare (304 acre) garden is dedicated to mainly local flora, both in planted out garden beds (a small area) as well as the naturally growing area, all accessed by a network of paths.
In 1805, Caley, the Botanist and Explorer, said "Every inch of ground I consider to be sacred and not to be trampled over without being noticed" when he was describing his findings to Sir Joseph Banks after examining the area. 

                                            Click here for more photos and habitat videos.


Hibbertia sp.  -  Guinea Flower

Gleichenia rupestris  -  Coral Fern

Styphelia tubiflora  -  Long-leaf Styphelia / Five Corners

Trails on tree tree trunks left by the native Red Triangle Slug
as they rasp away on the algae.

Boronia sp.

Banksia marginata  -  Silver Banksia.

Hakea sericea  -  Bushy Needlebush
Flower and seed pod.

Lindsaea microphylla  -  Lacy Wedge-fern

Hovea sp.

Caustis flexuosa  -
 Curly Sedge / Grandfathers Whiskers.

This is better than work ever was.

What do you call a group of  Drosera spathulata  -Sundews ?

Lichen and leaves.

Eucalyptus piperita  -  Sydney Peppermint .
also gets scribbles. Shedding old bark.

Eriostemon australasius  -  Pink Wax-flower.

'It's a boy'. Translucent seed pods of the Sweet-scented Wattle.

Lobelia dentata .

Leptospermum squarrosum  -  Pink Tea-tree

Naah, didn't hurt a bit. Acupuncture for fungi.

Phebalium squamulosum  -  Scaly phebalium

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Botany and Lake Parramatta. 20th-21st July 2012



 Friday this week was a bit of a fizzer (flora wise only) as we took one son and daughter-in-law to the airport for the start of their trip to Finland, Latvia and England.
I had chosen 2 parks, Gaiarine Gardens and Joseph Banks Garden, both at Botany near the airport, but flowers appeared not to be a big attraction at either. As not to suffer withdrawal symptons I went for a quick walk at Lake Parramatta, just 7 minutes from home, on Saturday afternoon.



Gaiarine Gardens, dedicated to the people of Gaiarine in Italy,
had a Italian theme in the plantings


Gaiarine Gardens. Olives and Cypress (European) type trees
on the left and Banksias, Lilly Pillies and Gymea Lillys (Australian)
on the right.


Gaiarine Gardens.


Gaiarine Gardens, Gazanias


Joseph Banks Garden


Joseph Banks Garden, Pandanus Palm.
Pandanus Palm, fruit.


Joseph Banks Garden, Cabbage Palm
and Banksia.
                

                                             Plants seen at Lake Parramatta, Sat 21st.



  
Acacia decurrens  - Black Wattle, Green Wattle.

Grevillea linearifolia  -  White Spider Flower


Lobelelia sp.
Kennedia rubicunda  -  Dusky Coral Pea
Correa reflexa  -  Common Correa
Boronia sp.
Hovea sp.
Adiantum aethiopicum  -  Common Maidenhair Fern
Actinotus helianthi  -  Flannel Flower
Lomandra sp.
Rapanea sp. - Muttonwood
Bossiaea heterophylla  -  Variable Bossiaea
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Friday, July 13, 2012

Kamay Botany Bay National Park. 19th July 2012


Cabbage Palm  -   Livistona australis
Botany Bay, the first landing place in Australia by the British in April 1770 was named because of the large variety of new plants found there by the ship's botanist Joseph Banks (who the Banksia's are named after).
Click here for more photos and videos.

            

Dillwynia sp.


Woollsia  -  Woollsia pungens

Epacris sp.

Old Man Banksia  -  Banksia serrata

Ants feeding on the nectar overflow on Banksia. I didn't see
the ants until the photo was cropped.

Seed capsule of the Woody Pear  -
 Xylomelum pyriforme.

Pine Heath  -  Astroloma pinifolium
Purple Twining Pea  - 
Hardenbergia violacea
Lomandra sp. growing in fork of a Scribbly Gum  -  Eucalyptus haemastoma. 
Not sure, one of the peas.
Red Bloodwood flower  -  Corymbia (Eucalyptus) gummifera.
Fruits of Broad-leaf Geebung  -  Persoonia levis
Four Acacias. T/L  Sydney Golden Wattle  -  A. longifolia
T/R  not sure
B/L  Sweet Wattle  -  A.suaveolens
B/R  Sunshine Wattle  -  A. terminalis 

Coastal Rosemary  -  Westringia fruticosa


Wax Flower  -  Eriostemon sp.


Pigface  -  Carpobrotus glaucescens

Coast Banksia  -  Banksia integrifolia
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no idea

Fuchsia Heath  -  Epacris longiflora



And of course, whales.