Plants

Low, spreading shrub growing to 15 - 50 cm high and 1 - 1.5 m in diameter. Stems and branches are densely arranged and covered in small hairs. The hairs are white-grey or brown/tan towards the tip of the branchlets. Leaves The leaves are narrow-oblong in shape and between 1 - 3.2 cm long and 3 - 7 mm wide. The bases are round and the edges of the leaf are bent downwards. The upper leaf surfaces are green, nearly glossy, hairless and smooth with obvious veins. The lower leaf surfaces are covered with cream, pale tan or orange-tan hairs that become white or grey with age. The leaf stalks are between 2.5 - 3.7 mm long. Flowers Flowering occurs between October and December. Pea-like flowers have petals that are deep mauve in colour. The flowering parts of the alpine rusty-pods are stalkless and usually 2-flowered. The flower stalks are between 2 - 5 mm long.

Large deciduous tree with yellow leaves in autumn, around 20 m high. Also known as the Desert Ash. Leaves are comprised of leaflets. Has brown buds in winter. Many flowers in spring and fruit. Leaves 14 - 20cm long, usually 5 - 7 (occasionally 13) leaflets, which are each 5 - 8 cm long and 0.7 - 2 cm wide. Serrated edges with pointed leaf tips. Bright and shiny green on upper side and dark and pale on underside. Flowers Many inconspicuous flowers with no sepals or petals. Red to purple anthers (pollen-bearing part of a flower).

Musa acuminata Common names: Banana (Gros Michel?) – Local/Bislama names for the varieties: Vetaï tamouté (white man’s banana - Cavendish), Switi, Sweet Tuven, Wan Manis (one month), Franis (French), Mignonette (sweet) Bananas are thought to have been first domesticated in Southeast Asia. They are native to the Indo-Malesian, Asian and the Australian tropics. Bananas are widely distributed and cultivated throughout all Pacific Islands and are a staple food plant. They are a major crop throughout most of Vanuatu. Banana are giant herbs whose underground stem forms a false trunk which is 2-9 m tall at maturity. Bananas can be planted and harvested year-round. Leaves Wide-spreading and long leaves, up to 3.5 m in length and 65 cm in width. They are comprised of a stalk (petiole) and blade. Leaves are arranged in a spiral around the ‘trunk’. They are easily torn by wind. Flowers A vertical inflorescence (flower head) forms a cluster or bunch, that is arranged in a spiral. The axils (upper angle between the leaf stalk/branch and the trunk) has rows of flowers. Bananas have both male and female flowers. Female flowers can turn into fruit and are found closer to the leaves. The male flower is generally purple-red and is usually found below the bunch of fruits. Fruit Fruits grow in large hanging clusters (bunches) near the top of the plant. They are made up 10 to 20 tiers, which are called ‘hands’. Each tier can contain up to 20 fruit. Individual fruit are known as banana or ‘finger’. The fruit has a protective peel with long, thin strings running lengthwise between the peel and the edible inner portion. The end of the fruit has a small darker tip which is the remains of the flower. The fruit ripen to a full yellow colour at ambient equatorial temperatures.

Also known as Blueberry Lily, a long, feathery shrub with flowers sticking up above the leaves. Long green pointy leaves with vibrant blue to purple inflorescences (flower clusters). Grows up to 1.5 m high. Leaves Long, feathery, smooth green leaves. 15 - 85 cm long with 4 - 15 mm width. Pointy ends and long and stiff throughout. Can sometimes appear red towards base but this is rare. Flowers Flowers stick up above the leaves, consisting of 6 purple petals (7 - 12 mm length) and 6 stamens (pollen-bearing part of the flower) in a ring. These are long, thick and have brown to black tips with yellow stems.

Shrub or small tree to 8 m high. Leaves Soft, drooping, mostly 10 – 25 cm long and 2 – 5 cm wide, oblong or lanceolate with woolly white underside. Flowers Yellow or orange flower clusters.

Spreading small to medium-sized tree with trunk covered by white, beige and grey thick papery bark. Usually grows to 8 – 15 m high (sometimes 25 m) with a spread of 5–10 m. Leaves Grey-green leaves are egg-shaped. Young growth hairy with long and short, soft hairs. Leaves arranged alternately; flat, leathery, 55 – 120 mm long, 10 – 31 mm wide. Flowers Flowers cream or white bottlebrush-like, arranged in spikes on ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. Spikes contain 5 to 18 groups of flowers in threes, up to 40 mm in diameter and 20 – 50 mm long. Petals 3 mm long and fall off as flower ages. Stamens (male organ of a flower, consisting of a stalk and a pollen-bearing portion) white, cream-coloured or greenish and arranged in 5 bundles around the flower, 5 - 10 stamens per bundle.

Small semi-pendulous epiphytic orchid. 5 - 15 cm across, stems to 5 cm long. Leaves 3 - 10 thin leathery oblong, sometimes curved, dark green leaves 2 - 11 cm long and 4 - 17 mm wide. Flowers 1 - 4 pendulous sprays of 2 - 17 pale yellowish-green to brown flowers, lip white with yellow tints and purple stripes. Sepals and petals narrowly spoon-shaped, spreading; lip short, 3-lobed, projecting forward, side lobes broad, erect, curved inwards.

Dense, multi-branched shrub forming extensive colonies, grows to approximately 50 - 100 cm tall. Leaves Leaves are erect and spread outwardly, shape varies from leaf to leaf but they generally are lance-shaped and have sharp points. All leaves are of a similar bright green colour. Flowers Flowers December to February. The flowers of candle heath branch out above the shrub on a red stalk measuring between 10 - 30 cm. Fragrant, greenish-white flowers bloom on the terminal end of the stalk. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and are 4 - 8 mm long and 4 - 5 mm in diameter.

This ClimateWatch indicator species is supported by the ClimateWatch in Parks program and Barwon Coast. Bushy shrub/tree that is between 5 - 10 m in height. Bark is smooth initially becoming fissured turning grey to brown. Leaves Reddish angular branches with flat, linear, ash-green, smooth phyllodes (flattened stems that resemble leaves) shooting off. These 'leaves' are 6 – 12 cm long and 3 – 15 mm in width with hooked tips. Flowers Small, pale yellow with spherical heads.

A member of the mint family. Rosemary refers to the shape of the plant and not the scent. Large shrub, up to 2 m high and 5 m wide. Leaves Dark green leaves with short hairs on the underside. Up to 2 cm long, narrow and pointed and close to the stem. Dense foliage. Flowers 2 cm across, forming a fan-shape around the stem. White or pale pruple with reddish and yellow spots near the throat. Field Guide Improve your identification skills. Download your Coastal Rosemary field guide here!

Lorea is Latin for 'made of thongs' or 'long strips of leather'; referring to the long terete leaves of this species. Also known as the Bootlace Oak. Small tree with distinctively deeply fissured, corky and rough bark. It can grow to about 6 m tall. Leaves Shiny, dark green needle like leaves are up to 40 cm long. Flowers Each bright orange to dull lemon-coloured flower is about 1.5 cm long but is grouped into a spectacular raceme up to 12 cm long.

A deciduous tree, usually 12 – 20 m high when planted in parks and gardens but can reach about 40 m high in its natural environment. Its low, wide-spreading and rounded canopy is usually 10 – 18 m wide. Its trunk is typically short, with ridged dark grey to black bark. Leaves Dark green and oval to rectangular in shape with 3 – 7 rounded lobes on either side. They are 7.5 – 12.5 cm long and have a very short stem. They are pale blue-green underneath and turn tan to brown in autumn, before falling from the tree in late winter. Flowers Tiny, green to pale yellow, hanging in slim, cylindrical clusters (known as catkins).

Its genus name Stenocarpus means narrow fruit, referring to its seed pods; and its species name sinuatus means wavy, referring to the edges of the leaves. Evergreen tree, up to 35 m high, but much smaller when grown in gardens where it reaches a height of only about 10 m with a width of 5 m. Leaves Dark glossy green and paler underneath, they can be oval-shaped, lobed or have wavy edges. They are usually 15 – 25 cm long (but can be up to 45 cm long) and 2 – 5 cm wide, and are generally smaller on exposed branches. There is one distinct vein running down the centre of each leaf. Flowers Bright red with a yellow tip, and 2.5 – 4 cm long. They cluster in a wheel-like arrangement at the end of a stalk. The cluster can be up to 10 cm in diameter and consists of 6 - 20 flowers.

Bushy or straggly shrub, branchlets more or less angled at extremities, smooth or hairy. Bark is smooth, grey to brown. Commonly grows to 2.5 m high. Leaves Has phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) that are rounded, usually asymmetric 0.4 – 1.5 cm long and 2 – 8 mm wide, hairy or smooth. Leaf midrib (large midline vein) is obscure or absent, lateral veins also absent. Flowers Bright yellow ball-shaped inflorescences (clusters flowers arranged on a stem) that form in patterns of 5. Flowers appear in late winter and spring and into early summer (July to November).

A reference to its yellow resin, Xanthorrhoea literally means "yellow flow" in Ancient Greek. Grass-tree is a misnomer. Its not a grass, nor a tree.They are actually distantly related to lilies. Perennial flowering plant. Trunk resembles a tree above ground or exists under the earth’s surface. Trunk is woody and made up of tiny packed leaves. Leaves Clustered in a terminal crown, 30 - 140 cm long, rhombic (kite-shaped) to wedge-shaped in cross-section, tapering at the ends. Flowers Borne as flower clusters on a cylindrical and spike-like woody axis. In the bush the flowers could reveal directions, since flowers on the warmer, sunnier side (usually north) of the spike often open before the flowers on the cooler side facing away from the sun.

Also known as Gum-topped Box. Tree to 25 m high. Bark is rough on part or all of trunk, thin, box-type or tessellated (mosaic-like), grey or mottled with grey and white patches; smooth bark white, cream or pale-grey, often shiny. Leaves Adult leaves alternate, broadly lance-shaped, 7 - 17 cm long, 2 - 5 cm wide, green, glossy, concolorous (both sides of the leaf blade are the same colour). Flowers White and usually clustered in groups of 7. Sometimes there are more than 7 or there may appear to be less as flowers have dropped off. They occur in multiple groups at the end of small branches. Flower buds are ovate (egg-shaped) to fusiform (spindle shaped; tapering at both ends), 5 - 9 m long, 3 - 4 mm diameter; scar absent.

Giant tussock-like, rosette plant. Grows up to 2.5 m high with a flower stalk up to 5 m high! Its genus name Doryanthes (meaning spear and flower), and its species name excelsa (meaning high), both refer to its tall flower stem. Leaves Long, sword-shaped and forming a clump. Each individual leaf is 1 – 2.5 m long and about 10 cm wide. Shorter leaves up to 30 cm long are found along the flower stem. Flowers Located at the top of a single flower stem which grows from the centre of the tussock of leaves. The stem is 2 – 5 m high upon which the flowers form a cluster up to 70 cm in diameter. The individual flowers are bright red (or rarely white), trumpet-shaped and 10 – 16 cm long.

Tree up to 35 m tall. The bark is rough over whole trunk and branches, thick, hard, grooved, black (ironbark). Leaves Juvenile leaves petiolate (have a stalk), are opposite for a few pairs then alternate, narrowly to broadly tapering to a point, to 17 cm long and 4 cm wide, more or less discolorous, green or greyish-green or glaucous (covered with a a greyish, bluish, or whitish powder or waxy coating). Adult leaves petiolate, alternate, lance-head shaped, 9.5 – 22 cm long and 1 – 2 cm wide, concolorous (the lower leaf surface distinctly different in colour from the upper), green or glaucous; reticulation dense with numerous intersectional oil glands. Flowers It blooms producing inflorescences with flowers that are white, rarely pink. Keep an eye out for the flower caps that cover developing flowers and may fall on the ground at the end of flowering.

Large, spreading tree, up to 14 m in height. Also know as Red Bush Apple. Leaves Variable in shape, oblong, ovate or lanceolate, usually large 7 - 19 cm long and 4 - 13 cm wide. Leaf midrib slightly grooved, depressed or flush with the upper surface. Flowers Large cream white brushes with long white stamens (pollen-containing anther) 13-48 mm long.

Deciduous tree, growing to 15 – 30 m high and 15 – 20 m wide. Some of its grey-brown bark peels off to reveal a creamy white inner bark, giving the trunk a mottled appearance. Leaves Mid-to-dark green with 3 – 5 lobes and slightly serrated edges. They are 10 – 25 cm across and turn yellow-brown in autumn. The leaf lobes are about as wide as they are long. Flowers Red or yellow, in small rounded clusters. The red (female) flowers grow from the newer shoots and the yellow (male) flowers grow from older branches further back toward the trunk.

Mangifera indica Originally from India and Myanmar, the Mango Tree has become naturalised throughout the tropics and subtropics. The mango tree is a large, spreading evergreen with a dense crown and rounded canopy. Mature trees can attain a height of 40 m or more, with a 60 to 120 cm trunk and greyish-brown, longitude-fissured bark. Most varieties flower once per year, producing dense clusters of flowers.  Leaves Mango leaves are spirally arranged. Young leaves are copper-coloured, turning to light then dark shiny green as they mature. The leaves are either elliptical or lanceolate (pointed at both ends) with long petioles (“sticks” that attach the leaf to the branch) and a leathery texture. Flowers The tree produces dense clusters of flowers with cream-pink petals on loose flower branches. The flower clusters can reach full bloom, from the time of flower initiation, in 25-30 days. Fruit The mango fruit is large and roughly oval, with uneven sides, though the shape can vary from elongate (stretched out), oblong, ovate (egg shaped) or in between. The fruit is one-celled, with an outer flesh surrounding a stone. The flesh is soft and bright yellow-orange in colour. The skin of the fruit is yellow-green to red. Fruit length can range from 2.5 to over 30 cm, depending on the cultivar. The fruit grow fast and ripen after 3 to 4 months, some late cultivars after 5 months. The period from fruit set to maturity depends upon cultivar and climate and can range from 10 to 28 weeks.

Corymbia comes from Latin (corymbium) a "corymb" refers to floral clusters where all flowers branch from the stem at different levels but ultimately terminate at about the same level and calophylla comes from Greek (calo) beautiful, and (phyllon) a leaf. Large tree with tessellated bark, up to 40 – 60 m high. Leaves Lance to oval shape. Veins are distinct. Flowers White to pink.

A significant environmental weed in NSW and Queensland, and a minor environmental weed in Victoria and South Australia. Also called ‘Cruel Plant’ as it catches butterflies and moths. Green climber vine with green triangular leaves. It can grow up to 5 m long/high with clusters of pink-white flowers. Large green ribbed fruit resemble turn brown before splitting to shed masses of white cotton-like seeds. Leaves Green triangular to oval leaves 3 - 11 cm long and 1.5 - 6 cm wide with pointy ends and curling edges. Scattered hairs on upper surface with lower surface smooth with minimal fine hairs. Flowers Bell-shaped tubular flowers have five sepals (8 - 13mm long) and five petals (18 - 20 mm long) that are fused at the base. The tips of the sepals (calyx lobes) and petals (corolla lobes) are usually curved outwards or backwards. Flowers may be white or pale pink and sometimes have darker pink streaks in their throat. Flowers are borne in 2 - 5 flowered clusters (cymes), 2 - 2.5 cm diameter.

Straggly to erect tree up to 20 m tall with a rounded canopy. Smooth and grey bark on top trunk; dark grey, scaly and shedding in ribbons on lower trunk. Leaves Juvenile leaves are thick, egg-shaped to round. Often notched on end. 7 cm long and 5 cm wide. Adult leaves are dull green, broad, elliptic (shaped like a flattened circle) to egg-shaped 8 - 15 cm long and 2.5 - 6 cm wide with dense veins and petioles (leaf stalks) up to 3 cm. Flowers White inflorescence (flower clusters). Flower buds up to 7 narrow diamond-shaped buds < 0.7cm long. Commonly 7 per cluster. Similar to E. ovata but narrower.

Syzygium malaccense Native to Malesia and Australia and introduced to Oceania by indigenous travellers. In Vanuatu it appears to be naturalised and the locals recognise four to six different forms of this plant, based on the colour, size and taste of the fruits. The tree grows to 12 to 18 m in height and has a bole (trunk) that is short and often fluted. The flowers and fruits can be either pink or white, depending on the form present. The wood from this tree can be used to make canoes. Leaves Nakavika has leaves that are opposite and simple with a blade that is ovate to oblong. They are generally 10-30 cm long and are glossy green. Flowers Flower clusters have short stems with a few flowers up to 6 cm long on the trunk or older branches. The terminal flower develops first. The sepals of the flower, that is shaped like an inverted cone and encloses the petals and protects flower buds, is pale yellow with rounded lobes. There are four rounded flower petals that are red or pink (rarely white) and 7 to 11 mm long. The flowers contain many, up to 200, red stamens. When the flowers fall, they form a carpet under the tree. Fruit The fruit is oblong-shaped and dark red in colour, although some, rarer, varieties have white or pink skins, including in Ambrym, Vanua Lava, Epi, Maewo, Malo, Malekula, Pentecost, Tanna and the Torres Islands (at these locations white fruit and flower forms are present). The flesh is white and surrounds a large seed.

Pometia pinnata Native to Vanuatu, the Nandao grows in secondary forest up to 300 m in altitude. There are several varieties, ranging from a small to very large tree, but typically is 12 to 20 m tall with a canopy diameter of 10 to 20 m. They are stout trees with short twisted or fluted trunks to slender, fairly straight, trees. Older trees have prominent buttresses. Parts of the tree are used as traditional medicines. Leaves Leaflets are firmly herbaceous (herb-like) to coriaceous (leathery), asymmetrical to symmetrical, variably shaped from oblong, lanceolate (pointed at both ends) to egg-shaped. The largest leaves average 12 to 30 cm long and 4 to 10 cm wide. The midrib of the leaf is flat above with a narrow keel that is triangular in section. Leaflet margin is about 3 mm deep, dentate (has a serrated edge) or repand (slightly undulating margin) to subentire (only a few indentations). Juvenile leaves are densely covered in brownish hairs and are large, thin, and initially brightly coloured (pink to red) turning green at maturity. Flowers Nandao have highly variable flower clusters, including clusters of terminal, sub-terminal, or rarely axillary loose clusters, conspicuously projecting beyond the foliage, from stiff to hanging long main branches, simple or with secondary branching. Male flowers open first and greatly outnumber female flowers. Flowers are small, have a radial symmetry and are five-parted. The calyx (the part that encloses the petals and protects the buds) is dish shaped to shallow cup-shaped. The flowers have no scent. The flower petals are small and regular and are whitish to yellow-green and highly variable in shape. Fruit The fruit is highly variable in shape, from round to elliptical and sometimes paired. The skin of the fruit is smooth and variously coloured (greenish-yellow, yellow, red, purple, blackish or brown) with a gelatinous, sweet, white to slightly pinkish, translucent pulp that partially encases a single large seed. Numerous traditional varieties are recognised locally mainly on the basis of fruit characteristics (size, shape, colour and taste). Two main forms are found in Vanuatu, one with red fruits and the other with green fruits.

Its genus name Ipomoea is from the Greek 'ips' or 'ipos', a worm that eats horn and wood, and probably refers to the long slender stems. Also known as Poison Morning Glory referring to its toxicity and the morning opening of the showy flowers, followed by their closing in the afternoon. Sprawling perennial ground cover, up to 3 m wide, with twining stems. Leaves Heart shaped dark green leaves are up to 4 cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide. Flowers Lilac or pink flowers have a darker throat and are shaped like a funnel or trumpet. Flowers are up to 4 cm long and 5 cm in diameter. Field Guide Improve your identification skills. Download your Native Morning-glory field guide here!

Rhizophora apiculata Mangroves are associated with wet, muddy and silty sediment. This species of mangrove has both aerial prop roots and stilt root which are designed to resist large waves and tropical storms. They are used to stabilise soil, to protect the coastline from storms, and to provide habitat for marine species. They also improve the water quality in nearshore environments. Parts of the plant can be used for traditional medicines and mangrove forests can be used as a sanctuary during cyclones. Natongtong grows up to 40 m in height, though it commonly reaches 5 to 8 m. The bark is grey to dark grey and heavily fissured, although it can occasionally be red-brown and smooth. Leaves Leaves are light or dark green, opposite, simple, egg-shaped and leathery with a distinct sharp pointed tip that is 1 to 7 mm long. The upper leaf is smooth and shiny. Mature leaves are 6 to 19 cm long and 3 to 10 cm wide. The leaf stalks are reddish. Flowers The flower clusters have few to many joint and one to many buds per cluster. The sepals of the flower, that encloses the petals and protects the flower bud, are typically pale yellow at maturity. The flower buds are egg-shaped, changing from green (immature) to pale yellowish green (mature). Buds are 1 to 2 cm long and 1 cm wide. There are generally four petals that are pointed at both ends to linear, with a creamy white colour, and are 10 mm long and 2 mm wide. Petals are arranged in a cross-shaped pattern. The stamens are pale yellow. Fruit At maturity, the fruit are pear-shaped, elongate, with a smooth brown surface. The smaller end points down. Mature fruit are located in leaf axils 8 nodes down from the apical (end of leaf distant from the branch) shoot. Seeds are hidden in the mature fruit. One to occasionally two seedlings are produced from the fruit, emerging from the smaller end while the fruit is still attached to the parent plant.

Barringtonia edulis The Naval is endemic to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. It is a medium sized tree with a vigorous framework of branches. It typically grows to 8 to 10 m but can grow up to 24 m in height. Most trees have a clear trunk up to one fifth of the tree height which is greyish-brown in colour. It has an extensive framework of branches that have regular fork following the formation of terminal flower clusters. The ‘flowers’ are part of a long hanging spike with over 100 densely packed flower buds, arranged in a spiral pattern. Almost every part of the plant has a traditional use. Leaves Leaves are large, simple, lanceolate (pointed at both ends) and are arranged clusters at the ends of the branches. The leaf size varies but is typically 21 to 66 cm long and 5 to 25 cm wide. The upper surface is a glossy dark green and the lower surface is slightly paler. The margins are undulated. Leaf veins are prominent and have a pattern of interlacing lines forming a net or web. Flowers A 30 to 110 cm long dangling spike contains up to 150 densely packed flower buds, arranged in spirally alternate pattern. The flowers varying in colour from green to white or red. Fruit The fruits are berry-like with short dense hairs. They are elongated, oblong to egg-shaped that taper towards the apex and base. They start as greyish-green and become reddish or purplish as they ripen. The typical length of a mature fruit is 25 – 99 mm. Fruits in Vanuatu are longer and more cylindrical than those in the Solomon Islands.

Flowering orchid up to 30 cm tall. This orchid is pollinated by a species of fungus gnat, attracted to the flower by a chemical produced by the plant. The insect enters the flower, which temporarily traps it inside, and in attempting to escape, it comes into contact with the sexual organs of the flower and pollination occurs. Leaves Egg-shaped to elliptic dark-green leaves in rosette arrangement at the base of the stem, 3 – 9 cm long, 1 – 3 cm wide. Leaf margins wavy or crisped. Flowers Single flower ‘hood’ emerging on a flowering spike 8 - 30 cm tall. Flowers are 1.8 – 2.5 cm long, showing a strong ‘nodding’ position; and are a translucent white colour, with green stripes and orange/brown colouration at the tips.

Its genus name Ceratopetalum means horned-petal after one of the species that has petals resembling stag’s horns, and its species name gummiferum means gum-bearing after the gum that oozes out of its bark. Evergreen shrub or small tree, up to 10 m high and 6 m wide, but much smaller when grown in gardens where it reaches a height of only 2 – 5 m. Leaves Glossy green and made up of three leaflets which are 3 – 8 cm long and 0.5 – 3 cm wide when mature. They are thin, with serrated edges, and are a golden orange-red colour when young. Flowers Initially creamy white and star-shaped, forming clusters that are 10 cm long. Each flower has five petals that are about 3 mm long. After pollination the white petals fall off, leaving the outer sepals which enlarge to about 12 mm long and turn deep pink to orange-red. These “flowers” consist of five sepals and are also star-shaped. They are commonly mistaken for flowers, but the real flowers are the less noticeable white ones.

Pencil pine is slow-growing; it can take more than 50 years to reach 1 m tall, but it can live for 1300 years, placing this species amongst the longest lived trees in the world. A conifer tree usually with a classic conical shape. Grows up to 15 m tall, smaller in exposed environments. Older trees often have multiple trunks and some dead branches. Leaves Individual leaves mid to dark green, small (3-5 mm long) and scale-like, closely clasped to stems. Leaves densely arranged around stems, forming a rope-like branchlet less than 5 mm in diameter. Cones Male and female cones usually on separate branches, at the tips of the stems. Male cones small (4 - 5 mm diameter), develop between February and May, persist until spring. Female cones 12 - 15 mm diameter, develop between September and February, cones can persist for several months after seed shed in autumn. Gold in colour, becoming reddish-brown with age. Large quantities of cones are produced during ‘mast’ years, typically every 5 - 6 years, with much less fruiting in other years.

Its genus name Grevillea is named after Charles Francis Greville, co-founder of the Royal Horticultural Society, and its species name speciosa means showy, referring to its foliage. Evergreen shrub, grows up to 3 m tall. Leaves Oval shaped with silvery hairs on underside. They are 1 – 5 cm long and 4 – 12 mm wide. Flowers Bright red, or occasionally pink, and spider-like in appearance. Each “spider leg” is 2 – 4 cm long and forms in a loose circle on a stalk. The flower heads are approximately 7 cm in diameter and grow at the end of branches or amongst leaves.

Erect shrub or tree that grows up to 20 m high. Usually has a single trunk 15 - 20 cm in diameter at breast height, with pendulous branches. Bark of main trunk is grey and longitudinally fissured, while other branches have smooth, pale green bark. Leaves Phyllodes (flattened leaf stems) are long (15 - 40 cm) and thin (2 - 7 mm), straight to weakly curved, dark green and pointed. Veins numerous, closely parallel, narrower than intervein spaces. Flowers Flowers form groups of 25 - 40, forming inflorescences (flower clusters) cream in colour.

Small, semi-succulent, spreading shrub that grows 1 - 2 m tall. Branches grow to 1 m long. Leaves Leaves are green in colour with fine white hairs. Leaves are semi-succulent, cylindrical in shape and grow up to 2 cm long. Flowers Flowers are small and solitary, held in the leaf axils (where leaf joins stem).

Its genus name Banksia is named after Sir Joseph Banks, a British explorer and naturalist, and its species name marginata is from the Latin 'marginatus' meaning bordered, referring to the recurved leaf edges. A variable species that occurs as a shrub, a flat-lying plant, or a tree, with smooth brown-grey bark. Grows up to 2 m high and wide as a shrub, less than 1 m as a flat-lying plant, and between 5 – 12 m as a tree. Leaves Green on the upper surface and silvery underneath. Each leaf is linear to oblong-shaped, 1 – 8 cm long, 3 – 13 mm wide, and has finely-toothed edges. The edges are recurved (rolled under) and may have small serrations, and their tip can be blunt or squared. Flowers Pale yellow cylindrical spikes forming a bottle-brush shape. Each flower head is 5 – 10 cm long and 4 – 6 cm wide and attracts nectar-eating birds. Fruit/seed:

A spreading shrub with stiff, tangled branches often ending in sharp spines. Grows to 0.5 - 1.5 m tall and 2 m wide. Leaves Leaves are arranged alternately along branches. They are erect, linear to oblong in shape and are generally 5 - 20 mm long. They are smooth and without hairs and are mid-green in colour. Flowers 3.5 – 6.5 mm long and 0.8 – 2 mm wide, mauve to lilac-coloured, bell-shaped, spotted, found solitary at the bases of the leaves. The flower's 4 stamens (pollen-bearing) are fully enclosed in the petal tube.

Although named after the early explorer, Charles Sturt, this legume was first collected by William Dampier on an island in the Dampier Archipelago in 1699. Low spreading ground cover up to 3 m wide and 30 cm high. Leaves Dull green leaves are made up of 7 pairs of oval-shaped leaflets. Stems leaves and pods are covered in short soft hairs. Flowers Red flowers are arranged in upright stalks in groups of 3 or more. Each flower is up to 9 cm from the top of the standard to the base of the keel. The standard is the large petal with the black dome at its base. In some plants the dome may be red and albino varieties with completely white flowers have been found in the Pilbara.

A dense shrub with pale white peeling, papery bark and numerous branchlets. The Swamp Paperbark grows upto 9m tall and has long needle like leaves. Leaves Leaves are arranged alternately, dark green in colour and linear in shape 5-18 mm long and 0.5-1.7 mm wide. Juvenile leaves are typically bright green. Flowers Cream/white flowers usually clustered in heads or spikes to 17 mm long and 10 mm wide. Fruit/Seeds Small woody loculicidal capsule opening at the summit with 3-4 valves. Woody capsules are typically persistent year round with seed released in pulse events.

Also know as Blackthorn. A woody shrub to small tree, usually with thorny branches. Grows up to 5 – 10 m high. Leaves Glabrous, dark green, 20 – 44 mm long and 5 – 9 –mm wide. Flowers White, 6 – 10 mm wide, fragrant.

Large shrub up to 8 m tall. Leaves Light green phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) 14 - 2 0cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide. Several longitudinal veins. Flowers Bright yellow flowers arranged forming elongate clusters.

Upright rounded shrub or small tree that grows 8 - 11 m high although it can be much smaller if it is found in exposed areas. Trunk and branches are grey to dark brown. Leaves Lanceolate (lance-shaped) to elliptic (rounded) in shape, measuring 6 – 12 cm in length and 1 - 3.5cm in width. Leaves are leathery to the touch with upper surface of the leaf being a dull green while the underside is pale yellow-green. The margins of the leaf are deeply or shallowly toothed, occasionally entire or sometimes deeply lobed. Flowers Flowers may be held in clusters up to 12 cm long. Blooms are white to cream, fragrant and usually abundant when flowering. Flowers are very hairy and spidery in appearance.

The Latin name Nuytsia comes from Pieter Nuyts, a member of the Council of Dutch Indies and a 17th century explorer in South Western Australia. Tree or shrub, up to 10 m high. Leaves Long thin leaves. Flowers Orange with more stamens than petals.

Also known as Cape Lilac. It reaches maturity when it is 6 – 10 years old and lives for about 20 years. Deciduous tree, usually 10 – 15 m high but can reach 45 m in its natural environment. Its canopy is 6 – 8 m wide. Leaves Bright glossy green and oval in shape, 2 – 7 cm long and 1 – 3 cm wide. They are arranged either side of a 12 – 45 cm long stem and turn yellow in late autumn before falling from the tree in winter. Flowers Pale purple to white, star-shaped, forming clusters that are 10 – 20 cm long. Each individual flower is about 2 cm in diameter and consists of 5 petals. The flowers have a chocolate scent!

Erect shrub or tree, 3 - 10 m in height, but can grow up to 20 m. Leaves Phyllodes (flattened leaf stems) are narrow (5 - 12 mm wide) and 5 - 17 cm long. They have a prominent central vein and a curved pointed tip. Flowers Pale yellow or white, and clustered in groups of 15 - 30 inflorescences. Flowers form globular balls.

Fast growing deciduous tree that grows to 15 - 25 m tall. Leaves Long strips of small leaves 30 - 60 cm long. Flowers Bright yellow flowers with orange stamens that blossom from March to June and September to November.