 | Common name | Mosquito Orchid |
Scientific name | Acianthus exsertus |
Family | Orchidaceae |
Relatives | Other orchids |
Habitat | Forest, moist sites and sheltered slopes |
Local example | Stockyard Creek gorge, Coolangubra |
Notes | One of a widespread group of orchids, pollinated by tiny native flies. Recognisable by the single heart-shaped leaf held horizontally on the stem above the ground. Sometimes very abundant over small areas. |
 | Common name | Three-awn Speargrass |
Scientific name | Aristida vagans |
Family | Poaceae |
Relatives | Other grasses |
Habitat | Dry forest |
Local example | Burragate, in grassy blue-leaved stringybark forest |
Notes | One of 2 three-awn grasses in the region, which are easily recognisable by the 3 bristles, or awns on the end of each seed. This species is at its southern limit here, and often flowers in response to rain. |
 | Common name | Barbed Wire Grass |
Scientific name | Cymbopogon refractus |
Family | Poaceae |
Relatives | Other grasses, especially the Lemon Grasses including C. ambiguus (an inland native) and the garden plant C. citratus) |
Habitat | Forest, rocky areas |
Local example | Towamba River at Burragate, on rock outcrops |
Notes | Distinctive grass with sharply reflexed flower stalks, widespread but not too common locally. |
 | Common name | Australian Hounds Tongue |
Scientific name | Cynoglossum australe |
Family | Boraginaceae |
Relatives | Borage, Comfrey, Patersons Curse, Heliotrope |
Habitat | Forest, woodland, roadsides |
Local example | Burragate, in grassy River Peppermint forest |
Notes | Cyno = dog, glossum = tongue (Greek), alluding to the shape and texture of the leaves. Another Cynoglossum is present locally, C. suaveolens which is less common and white-flowered. Both have fruit with hooked spines which stick to socks. |
 | Common name | Forest Hedgehog Grass |
Scientific name | Echinopogon ovatus |
Family | Poaceae |
Relatives | Other grasses |
Habitat | Moist and riparian forest |
Local example | Burragate, in grassy River Peppermint forest |
Notes | A common grass, differing from the similar E. caespitosus by being geniculate (lower part of stem laying on ground) and rhizomatous (plants connected by underground roots). Can be poisonous to stock. |
 | Common name | Eyebright |
Scientific name | Euphrasia scabra |
Family | Scrophulariaceae |
Relatives | Veronica, Mudwort, Speedwell, Brooklime, Monkey Flower, Mullein, Broomrape |
Habitat | Wet grassy bogs and swamps |
Local example | Tantawangalo |
Notes | A listed endangered species, very rare in NSW. The yellow flowers are unusual among NSW eyebrights, most of which are white to purple. Partially parasitic on the roots of surrounding plants, especially when young. Thanks to Jackie Miles for the photo. |
 | Common name | Slender Wire-lily |
Scientific name | Laxmannia gracilis |
Family | Anthericaceae |
Relatives | Autumn Lily, Sky Lily, Fringe-lily etc |
Habitat | Grassy forest, woodland or stony sites |
Local example | Burragate, under River Peppermint on shale. |
Notes | An easily overlooked and regionally uncommon species which opens its pink-white flowers at night for pollination by nocturnal insects. |
 | Common name | Prickly Beard-heath |
Scientific name | Leucopogon juniperinus |
Family | Epacridaceae |
Relatives | Heaths |
Habitat | Forest |
Local example | Burragate, in grassy River Peppermint forest. |
Notes | One of the several local beard-heaths, which are hairy inside the flower tube. An important local nectar source for wildlife, flowering through the lean winter period. A favourite with Spinebills. |
 | Common name | Cockspur Flower |
Scientific name | Plectranthus parviflorus |
Family | Lamiaceae |
Relatives | Mints, lavender, oregano etc |
Habitat | River banks, rocky sites, forest |
Local example | Towamba River at Burragate, on rocks and sandy alluvium |
Notes | The generic name is Greek for 'spur flower', after a spur-like lobe on the top petals of some species. In the mint family, but the foliage is not aromatic. |
 | Common name | Dense Mint-bush |
Scientific name | Prostanthera decussata |
Family | Lamiaceae |
Relatives | Mints, lavender, oregano etc |
Habitat | Low open forest and heaths. |
Local example | Stockyard Creek gorge, Coolangubra |
Notes | A regionally uncommon shrub species at its northern limit of distribution. Strongly aromatic, prefers rocky granitic soils. |
 | Common name | Vernonia |
Scientific name | Vernonia cinerea |
Family | Asteraceae |
Relatives | Daisies |
Habitat | Grassy forest |
Local example | Burragate, in grassy stringybark forest |
Notes | Looks a little like a Senecio (groundsel), except the petal-less flowers are purple or white, not yellow. Here at its southern limit of distribution. |
