Acaena nova-zealandiae
Bidgee Widgee
This prostrate, creeping plant likes moisture, and tends to grow nearer Watsons Creek. Creeping stems allow the Bidgee Widgee to spread and form a dense mat up to 4m. across. Leaves are toothed and deeply divided into 11 segments, increasing in size along the stems to 4cm. Globular greenish-white flowers on stems up to 20cm. appears from October to January. These develop into the distinctive burrs, which have barbed spines. The seed is dispersed when these burrs are carried around by animals or humans. This plant can be grown from seed, which ripens from November through to January. The leaves from the Bidgee Widgee were used by the white settlers as a substitute for tea.
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Brunonia australis
Blue Pincushion
This flowering annual thrives in well-drained, sunny positions around the school. Leaves grow in a rosette at ground level, each 5-15cm. long and 2-15mm. wide, with a pointed tip.
Tiny blue-mauve flowers 7mm. long have five spreading petals and a protruding yellow-tipped style. They form a dense, pincushion-like flower head borne on a slender stalk about 20-25cm. tall, which can be seen from October through to December.
Seeds are 3-4mm. long and tightly clustered in the head. They turn grey with a small white feathery tip when they ripen in December. Cut the whole head off when the seed releases with gentle pressure. Break up to release the seed, then store for three months. Refrigerate for two weeks before sowing in the autumn. Collect fresh seed each year.
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Clematis aristata
Old Mans Beard
The OId Mans Beard is a woody, twining climber, often seen growing up some of the taller trees to a height of 15m. This Clematis prefers the moister, sheltered bush nearer Watsons Creek. Leaves are in groups of three, each 3-8cm. long, and 2-3cm. wide. They are dark green, sometimes with paler coloured veins. Creamy white flowers are honey-scented, and consist of four pointed lobes, which are sepals, not true petals. The flowers are either male or female, and appear from August through to December. The hairy parts on the female flower become the silvery plumes on the seed cluster. The seed is ripe when it turns brown and releases from the plant with minimal pressure, from late December through to February. It should be harvested by hand, then separated from the plumes by rubbing. Fresh seed is preferable, but can be used up to six months after harvesting. Germination will take 1-3 months, or longer if older seed is used.
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Clematis microphylla
Small-leaved Clematis
The Small-leaved Clematis is a woody climber which can grow up to 10m. high. It prefers an open fairly dry situation. Leaves are divided into 3-5 narrow linear leaflets, each 1-4cm. long, and 3-6mm. wide, on long, twisted stems. Cream coloured flowers consist of four pointed lobes, which are sepals, not true petals. These appear from July to October, and are either male or female. The hairy parts in the centre of the female flower become the silver plumes on the seed cluster. The seed is ripe when it turns brown and releases from the plant with minimal pressure, from early December to early January. It should be harvested by hand, then separated from the plumes by rubbing. Seed should be sown fresh if possible, but not older than six months. Germination will take 1-3 months, or longer with older seed.
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Comesperma volubile
Love Creeper
This delicate, slender creeper twines around any support that it can, from blades of grass to wire fences. It is almost leafless, with only a very few narrow leaves that grow up to 1cm. long. The Love Creeper is not noticeable until it produces a profusion of purple-blue flowers from August to December.
This beautiful plant has proven extremely difficult to propagate and establish, possibly due to a symbiotic relationship with an undetermined organism.
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Drosera peltata
Tall Sundew
This species of Drosera is upright, and grows to about 30cm. The leaves are rounded, green to bronze, and covered in sticky hairs to trap insects. White to pink flowers 1cm. across appear in Spring, with the seed ripening December to January.
The presence of either species of Drosera indicates a deficiency of nitrogen in the soil.
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Drosera whittakeri
Scented Sundew
The Scented Sundew is a low, perennial, insectivorous herb, which thrives in moist, open positions. Leaves can vary in colour from green to bronze. The rosette of leaves is covered with sticky hairs which trap, then close over small insects. White fragrant flowers 2-3cm. long appear in late winter and early spring. Seed can be collected from the ripe fruit in December. Sprinkle the dust-like seed on top of the growing medium in autumn.
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Geranium solanderi
Austral Cranes Bill or Native Geranium
The geranium is a creeping perennial herb which forms a dense ground cover in damp but well drained ground. Hairy leaves are kidney shaped and divided into 5-7 segments up to 4cm. long, with notched tips. Pink flowers 12-24 mm. across appear from October to February. Each has five petals, and grow in pairs or singly on a hairy stem. Seeds develop in a long, slender capsule that splits into 4-5 segments when ripe. Each segment contains a single seed that turns brown or black when mature. The seed is shed quickly, but the capsules can be collected from the end of December through to February when well-developed and allowed to dry in a warm location. Germination is enhanced by soaking the seed for half an hour in water at a temperature of 60 degrees before sowing.
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Glycine clandestina
Twining Glycine
The Twining Glycine is a twining herb that climbs amongst other plants in the shady, moist ground near Watsons Creek. The leaves are slightly hairy and divided into three segments, each 1-5cm. long and 2-12mm. wide. Bluish-mauve pea type flowers 6-8mm. long appear in spring and summer, followed by oblong, slightly hairy pods which turn nearly black with maturity. Seeds are shed within a few days of ripening, so must be kept under observation in December. Treat seed with near boiling water, and soak for several hours. Dry soaked seed in the air before sowing, and expect germination in 3-4 weeks.
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Goodenia blackiana
This Goodenia is a perennial herb that grows in open, well-drained to dry conditions. Toothed, bright green leaves grow to 6cm. long, and have a densely woolly underside. Yellow flowers appear from September to February held singly on stems of about 10-15cm. in height. These consist of five broad petals with an indent in the tip of each. New plants grow from creeping stems. These can be removed from the parent plant and relocated.
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Hardenbergia violacea
Native Sarsparilla or Purple Coral Pea
The Native Sarsparilla grows as a ground cover or a climbing shrub, with stems growing up to 2m. long. It can be seen in the dry, rocky parts of the school grounds, and is colonising the bare, soil-free walls of the road cutting. Leaves are 3-10cm. long and 1-6cm. wide, glossy green and leathery on top, paler underneath, deeply divided by the main vein. Purple pea-type flowers with two yellow spots appear in late winter through spring, followed by flattened brown seed pods that darken and become brittle when ripe. Watch carefully in late December, as seed is released quickly, and will be harvested by ants if left on the ground. The hard seed coat needs soaking in hot water (not boiling) for a few hours. Dry the seeds in the air before sowing. Expect germination in 3-4 weeks.
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Hovea linearis
Common Hovea
The hovea creeps along dry, rocky ground, in the shade of other plants. Long, narrow leaves are 1-8cm. in length, fairly stiff, with curved back edges. Tiny mauve pea-type flowers appear August to October, followed by rounded or egg-shaped hairy pods 10-15mm. long. These change from green to black at maturity, with seed changing from cream to dark grey when ripe. Monitor the pods from October through to early December, as seed drops very soon after maturity. Treat seed with water just off the boil, and soak for several hours. Dry seed in the air before sowing, and expect germination 3-4 weeks.
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Stylidium graminifolium
Grass Trigger Plant
This perennial herb grows in well-drained sunny positions on either side of the Main Road. The leaves are fine and strappy,5-30cm. long and 1-6mm. wide, with curved back edges. These grow around the base of the plant. Spikes of flowers in varying shades of pink grow to 60cm. high from October to December. Each flower has four petals and the long bent column that is the “trigger” in the name. When nectar-hunting insects touch the base of this column, it springs across and dusts the insect with pollen. Seed develops in small capsules that turn from green to brown and become brittle with maturity, from December through to mid-January. Each stem can contain hundreds of the tiny pale to red-brown seeds, which ripen progressively up the stem, making their collection a drawn out process. The seed needs to be stored for three or four months before sowing on top of a fine growing medium. Germination should occur in 7-10 weeks.
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Viola hederacea
Native Violet
This creeping, perennial herb forms dense mats in the damp sheltered area adjacent to Watsons Creek. Kidney shaped leaves 1-3cm. long and 1-2cm. wide grow from the base of the plant. The native violet flowers sporadically for most of the year, with a peak from June to March. Flowers are supported by stems up to 10cm. high. Each is about 2cm. across, pale mauve to white, with purple blotches. There are five petals, the lowest of which is broader than the rest. Although the Native Violet does produce seed, its main form of reproduction is by creeping stems that form new plants. These can be removed from the parent plant, and relocated.
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Wahlenbergia communis
Tufted Bluebell
This perennial herb grows mainly around the School car park, and on the other side of the Main Road. It grows up to 50cm. high from vigorous underground stems, or rhizomes. Leaves are sparse, hairy and narrow, up to 4cm. long. Flowers are pale to bright blue, up to 12mm. across, held singly on branching stems. They appear from November to May. Seed matures 3-5 weeks after flowering in papery capsules that change from green to brown, and become brittle. Cut the stems containing the capsules and allow to dry out in a warm place. Seed must be stored for 3-4 months before sowing on top of growing medium. Not all seed will be fertile.
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