Australian Native Plants at the ANBG Canberra

[Paul T]

And that is the last I'll post for January.  I'll get to sorting and preparing some of the February Pics soon.

Enjoy.

[Brian Ellis]

...and enjoy we certainly do, thanks again Paul, I particularly liked the Crinum pedunculatum and the Grevillea leptobotrys.  What a difference to the Northern hemisphere!

[Paul T]

Glad you're enjoying them Brian.  The Grevillea leptobotrys is a most definite favourite of mine too..... still trying to find a source for it.    I just wish we had smellavision so you could all get that side of the flowers as well.

[Paul T]

Howdy again All,

Actually, I still have a few pics from January that I hadn't loaded.  I must have been having a senior moment as they were prepared and in the folder with the others I loaded..... but I forgot to put them up.    I must be getting old!

Please click on the pic for a larger version.




This is Beaufortia sparsa, about 1m tall but I think still quite immature.  The picture doesn't do the colour justice.  The flowerhead is about 7 or 8 cm wide.  Beautiful!




This one is Eucalyptus ficifolia 'Dwarf Crimson', which at present is only a bit over 2m tall.  Each flower is about 2.5cm wide or so.


Eucalyptus ficifolia 'Dwarf Orange' is another named selection of the species.  It is actually a little darker than the orange of the next one.




This Eucalyptus ficifolia variety positively glows orange.  This one is about 2.5m tall, but naturally in it's own range would be somewhat larger.  These are a bit frost tender so the ANBG are obviously doing well for them to be growing in Canberra at all.  I do not know whether this is the straight species or not.


This is another Western Australian species called Eucalyptus lansdowneana.  Beautiful flowers, but the plants are still quite small and not worth photographing as a specimen at this stage.

So that now actually IS it for the pictures that I took at the ANBG in January. 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great work Paul - The orange Eucalyptus looks gorgeous !

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

I didn't get a lot of chance to do much photography in February, so there aren't many things to show you.  Here's a few of the pictures I did take.....

Please click on the pic for a larger version.








This is Allocasuarina monilifera, about 6m tall, with it's flowers and seedpods.  The Allocasuarina seem to be a good seed source for the small seed eating birds as when these are shedding seeds a number of finches appeared on the scene and are constantly scrounging around on the ground for seed.




Hibbertia vestita, about 40cm tall and maybe 1m wide.  Each flower is about 2.5cm wide.




This is a Lechenaultia biloba, which is about 30cm tall.  The pic of the plant really doesn't do it justice, as the flowers stand out beautifully when viewed in person.  The problems of a "two dimensional" view from a camera. 




This little groundcover is Velleia montana, a member of the Goodeniaceae family.  The whole plant is not more than about 5cm tall, with each rosette of leaves spamming maybe 15cm in width.  Beautiful tiny yellow flowers are nestled in the centre though.  Quite beautiful!!

I'll post a few more when I get the chance, but there really weren't that many more pics that I managed to take.  I did take a few wildlife pics which I will post in the wildlife topic as well.

[Paul T]

As well as the bunch of wildlife pics I posted this afternoon, here's some more February shots from the ANBG....

A selection of Proteaceae...




This Banksia aemula is about 1.5m tall by 3m wide.  The green flowers are quite fascinating, and most definitely a hit with the honeyeaters.




Banksia blechnifolia, showing the wonderful new leaves that have appeared since the flowers have finished.


Grevillea aff. humilis ssp lucens is a small plant, but it hasn't been in that long so I don't know how large it will get.






Grevillea tripartita ssp macrostylis, showing the buds, leaves, and open flowers.  This one seems to have flowers on it every time I think to look at it.

[Paul T]

And the last few for February....


This is Clerodendrum tomentosum, which I previously showed in flower a while back, now in fruit.




Melaeuca lanceolata, about 2.5 to 3m tall.Each set of flowers is about 5cm long.




I can't find the name for this one, so I've just called it "unknown waterplant".  Very pretty flowers on it, whatever it is.    Added later... It is probably a species of Ludwigia, but unsure which.


A quick shot of the edge of the rainforest gully, along one of the internal roads.


A shot of the foggers in the Tasmanian rainforest gully one morning.

[Lvandelft]

Paul, great pictures again.
And thanks for showing the last picture. I wanted to ask about earlier, but did not know
how to formulate.
I was puzzling about this rainforest in your very dry area, but now it's very clear to me.
Very impressive!

[Paul T]

Luit,

The foggers usually only come on during the middle of the day a few times (they were testing it that morning which is why it was on at that time of day).  The rainforest has quite a heavy tree canopy in most places, and down in the gully they are a number of degrees cooler in summer with much higher humidity, plus of course there are large sprinklers that are regularly used to keep the place moist.  The foggers are only in one area at this stage, but are to be extended further up the gully in the next 6 months or so.  They just add a bit of humidity during the day, but most of the rainforest grows just fine without them due to the watering and the good tree cover.  I think that the very first shot I posted in the 2008 topic was a view up the gully.  I can always take some more pics to show you what it looks like if you're interested?

[Lvandelft]

Thanks Paul! I don't mind seeing more pictures about the cultural methods in such a
sort of artificial forest.
I think I am not the only person in the Forum who is interested?
I am always looking how people manage to grow things everywhere.

[Gerdk]

Paul, Thank you very much for all the interesting species you showed!

Your unknown waterplant is a Ludwigia species.

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Top stuff as usual Paul, much appreciated.

[shelagh]

Your unidentified Melaleuca is superb, will it fit in a 36cm pot or can I at least get seed?

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Paul! I don't mind seeing more pictures about the cultural methods in such a
sort of artificial forest.
I think I am not the only person in the Forum who is interested?
I am always looking how people manage to grow things everywhere.

 Hear! Hear!  Luit, I agree that such things are of considerable interest