Faith in Flora

{20} {Female} {Conservation & Environmental Biology Uni Student} {Photos are from expeditions or walkabouts around Western Australia}

[theplantperson]

Just a number of the steps leading to the summit of Mt Trio, in Stirling Range National Park. This was a bitch to climb, I won’t lie! It was only a short trail, but it was very steep, which meant a lot of energy was put into pushing my body up those steps, with many rest breaks along the way. Some of those steps were 40-50 cm taller than the last, which definitely dampened our spirits multiple times. 

However, our spirits quickly heightened after reaching the summit. If we weren’t out of breath already, the view of the park with Mt Toolbrunup right in the centre would have left us speechless in amazement. The view was so beautiful, this image certainly doesn’t do it justice. I enjoyed this trip immensely, and hope to return to the reserve soon to experience more of this wonderful area.

[theplantperson]

A tiger snake that I was lucky enough to release back into bushland after it was found on an urban property!

Notechis scutatus, commonly known as the Tiger Snake, is a creature that inhabits bushland areas in southern Australia, as well as Tasmania. Despite the common name, tiger snakes (much like the one pictured) don’t have distinctive stripes akin to the tigers found in the African savannah. They can appear in a  wide variety of colours and markings, and this is much to do with their surrounding area and other abiotic factors. 

You may have heard that these creatures are aggressive, and there are ‘stories’ of people being chased by these snakes in particular. This is simple not true, and this I can say with multiple first-hand experiences. One example I can give is from this very photo. While, yes, this snake was mildly pissed off (after being caught and slightly jostled in a bin during transport), all it wanted to do was get away from us, and get back into the bush. It had every right to turn and ‘bite’ us, but fro every tiger snake I have encountered, this species is no more aggressive than any other venous snake species I have dealt with. 

Australian venomous snakes have been villainized for being highly dangerous and aggressive. While Australia does have a high number of the most venomous snakes in the world, you’re very unlikely to come across them bushwalking, and even less likely to be bitten by one! For more information on the misconceptions of snakes in Australia, visit https://blog.csiro.au/are-australian-snakes-really-the-most-dangerous-in-the-world/

Reference: https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/reptiles/tiger-snake/

[theplantperson]

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

George Bernard Shaw

[theplantperson]

The vibrancy of Banksia menziesii flowers will never cease to amaze me. A lot of banksia species around the south-west of Western Australia have similar flower cones and colours, so when identifying banksias, the key is to look at their leaf structures! Another B. menziesii specimen from my archives can be found here. You can see that this flower has very different colours, but the unique serrated edge of the leaves is the giveaway that both of these plants are indeed B. menziesii!

[theplantperson]

What better way to practice social-distancing than a day of boating? My parents, the dogs and I headed out to Boundary Island, a small island within the Peel Inlet Estuary. While we saw no one there as we walked around the area, we noticed human impacts (namely, litter), which we carried with us and deposited after our exploring. The first image is of a small Tecticornia lepidosperma (samphire, which is also a native bush tucker plant), which is a known salt-tolerant coastal species (the red/pink colour of the plant indicates the level of salt in the plant). Sadly, I think this sapling is a little too close to the waters edge, and may perish from the high salt levels of its surrounding environment. The Peel Inlet is home to a variety of marine organisms, and we are lucky enough to see Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) almost every time we visit the estuary. This time was no exception, as we spotted some dolphins playing in the shallow waters with calves.  The estuary is always such a magical place, and with the picturesque flat seas and barely any boats in the water, this was a much-needed break from the stresses and media overload of Covid-19 the past few days. 

References: 

1) https://tuckerbush.com.au/wa-samphire-tecticornia-lepidosperma/

2) https://www.riverguardians.com/projects/dolphin-watch/dolphin-watch-mandurah

[theplantperson]

By far the tallest Melaleuca I had ever seen! Well over 20 metres, with a huge trunk. Unsure of the specific species on this one, possibly preissii, as it is commonly found in Jarrah Woodlands, which was the primary vegetation composition of the area. Their common name is ‘Paperbark’, and rightly so, as layers of bark can be peeled off in large sheets, and can be written on, just like paper. Although this is advised against, as with any tree, peeling back layers that are not ready to be removed from the tree will cause health issues, and invite pests to reside in the immature soft bark.

 The dappled sunlight gave this bushland such an ethereal feeling, I wish I had had more time to enjoy this parcel of pristine land. 

[theplantperson]

Some form of Dirius species. I don’t have the adequate experience to correctly identify this one, so for now this stunner will remain a Donkey orchid (their common name). 

[theplantperson]

Some hasty pictures I snapped from the Western Australian Herbarium during a short tour of the facility. These are among the oldest specimens at the herbarium, with some of them almost 250 years old, like the Eucalyptus platyphylla. I was astounded to learn that some of these specimens were collected during James Cook’s First Voyage of Discovery in Australia, from 1768 to 1771, yet they look as though they only recently been pressed and preserved. This is a true testament to having proper equipment and storage facilities, which the Herbarium is very well-versed in. I very much enjoyed this experience, and hope one day that my specimens can look as good as these when I begin my own personal herbarium.

[theplantperson]

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Viktor E. Frankl

[theplantperson]

A photo can never do the Cape Range National Park’s raw beauty justice. It will forever astound me the pops of life that endure the harshness of Australia’s landscapes. 

[theplantperson]

Kingia australis, an unusual variant found in the Stirling Range National Park. This species is usually found along the West-Australian coast from Cervantes to Albany. This population of Kingia were found more inland, and also had a silver hue to the leaf surfaces, as opposed to a general green colour. Upon closer inspection it is clear that the colour difference stems from tiny white hairs on the plant itself. After doing some digging, I found that there is no explanation for this adaptation (to the best of my knowledge). This adaptation could originate from the reflective properties of the silver hairs, cooling the plant leaves more efficiently to combat the heat and intensity of the suns UV rays.  However, this population of Kingia are situated in the southern part of Australia, where temperature extremes are not serious enough for this adaptation (as well as the fact that Kingia populations situated further north can survive well without this silver-hair adaptation). Nevertheless, sometimes it’s best to let Mother Nature do her thing, and enjoy the silver pops of colour in the bushland.

Kingia australis are also the only species in the genus Kingia, which is uncommon under floral taxonomic orders. These prehistoric-looking plants are so very interesting, and there is still much to be researched about many other species like this in Australia. 

Reference: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1221

[theplantperson]

A Pilbara sunset; nature’s gift morning and night. This snap was taken on an enduring survival course. Views like this were a sight for sore eyes after food and water shortages, sharp spinifex and intense physical activity during extreme temperatures.

[theplantperson]

A lil’ busy bee (Apis mellifera) found on this Balga (Xanthorrhoea preissii) flower stem in the Perth hills. Unfortunately this is not a native bee to the area, in fact it’s commonly known as the European Honey Bee. Colonies of these bees can invade natural and artificial nesting holes of native bird species, and over time significantly alter the vegetation around them if not managed. This comes as an ethical dilemma when choosing if management options are viable; what is of greater value? Natural plant diversity and a balanced ecosystem or a crucially-needed growing bee population with a decrease on biodiversity of selected areas? 

References: 

(1) https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/insects/honey-bee/

(2) https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1256

[theplantperson]

The representative flower of Perth, the Fringe Lily (Thysanotus multiflorus). This one was snapped in Augusta, however their distribution extends from North Perth right down to Esperance. They flower from August to January, their brilliant purple flowers making them easy to spot in undisturbed bushland. 

(In the background on the right is *Briza maxima, a prolific weed in the south-west. A little sad to see, but comforting that natives can still bloom as beautiful as this.)

Reference: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1339

[theplantperson]

Two reptiles that lead two very different lives, in the same frame! I was so stoked to snap this, however we needed to help the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) down safely to the beach afterwards. This girl had climbed over all of those rocks to find the perfect spot of sand to create her nest. Unfortunately in the heat of the day, without intervention she would have perished under the hot sun from exertion. After watching her, we realised she was quickly fading so we carried her down to the water to cool off. We were all trained to deal with this kind of situation on a volunteer program, and had dealt with many others like her before. It was incredible to see her swim off through the waves safely, there’s no other feeling like it! The racehorse goanna (Varanus gouldii) was happy to scuttle off with dry feet.

Reference: (1) https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:8313e5d6-0b23-4360-bffd-a81e9f83bc9d

(2) https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-green-sea-turtle/

[theplantperson]

A 5am sunrise on a beach in Exmouth, along the West-Australian coast. The cloud formations of much of the northern regions of Australia will never cease to amaze me with their beauty. 

[theplantperson]

Burchardia congesta (Milkmaids)! These lovely guys smell like honey, and are perennials so they can be seen all year round. Their distribution lies from as far north as Geraldton to as far east as Albany.

Reference: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/12770