Readers’ wildlife photos

We have 2-3 more groups of photos, so please send in any good ones you have.

Today’s photos are of plants, and were taken by Aussie Julia Monaghan. Her captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them:

Australian Native Plants (mostly)

These photos were taken in my and my neighbour’s garden, in the Lake Macquarie area of New South Wales, one of Australia’s largest coastal salt water lakes. As Australia often has a very hot, dry climate (thought we do have flooding at the moment), plants have many different adaptations to cope with the generally harsh climate, often growing in poor soils with full sun and low water supply. I took my photos using my Samsung phone.

Hairpin Banksia flower (Banksia spinulosa). A species of small woody shrub in the Proteaceae family, native to eastern Australia. The spikes are gold or sometimes yellowish. Specimens of Banksia were first collected by naturalists Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, on the Endeavour during Lieutenant James Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific Ocean:

Hairpin Banksia bush (Banksia spinulosa). Banksia are adapted to fire, which plays an important role in seed release and germination. The plant’s reproductive structures, the woody follicles, store its seeds and only release them when exposed to the heat of a bushfire:

Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa) post pollination. As the flowers die they will develop into woody, fruiting cones:

Grevillea Mason’s Hybrid (Grevillea banksii × Grevillea bipinnatifidajubata) are a small spreading shrub that attract and feed native birds throughout sping and summer. A cultivar from a genus of over 350 flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, they are also known as  spider flowers.  This Grevillea is also named the Ned Kelly after one of Australia’s most notorious bushrangers:

Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ (Grevillea bankssi × Grevillea bipinnatifida). Another Grevillea cultivar, their nectar is a reliable food source from winter to spring that feeds honeyeaters such as lorikeets and parrots. Grevilleas are generally very heat and drought tolerant:

Stiff Bottlebrush (Calistemon rigidus) attracts a variety of birds, from nectar-feeding species such as honeyeaters, to seed-eating birds such as cockatoos. Its dense foliage acts as a habitat for many different birds, as it provides thick cover and many nesting opportunities:

Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica) is a climbing vine that grows quickly and smothers other plants. Considered a reportable weed, it was introduced from  Mexico or Central America as a garden plant but has become established in different ecosystems:

Coastal or Cairo Morning Glory (Ipomoea cairica) is another climbing vine introduced from Africa or Asia, that grows rapidly, smothering other plants. It has also been classified as an environmental weed:

Kangaroo Paw Bush – Pink (Anigozanthus) are a smaller cultivar of the Kangaroo Paw. They are very tolerant of drought and coastal conditions once they are established. They come in a variety of vibrant colours, including brilliant red, bright pink and bright yellows:

Kangaroo Paw Flower – Pink ( Anigozanthus). Their tufted flowers covered with velvety hairs resemble the paw of a kangaroo, hence their name:

Kangaroo Paw Flower – Yellow (Anigozanthus):

Grasstree (Xanthorrhoea australis). These are ancient trees consisting of a thick trunk made up of a dense layer of old leaves forming a protective layer around a softer core, with a tuft of newer leaves forming a crown at the top of the tree. These trees are extremely slow growing and may take many years to flower. While bushfires may burn the leaves and blacken the trunk, the plant’s living core is protected as it sits underground. In this species, fire stimulates flowering: