Springtime in Tasmania Pt. 3

SPRINGTIME IN TASMANIA - PART 3

PODOLEPIS JACEOIDES
(resembling Jacea, Spanish knapweed)
Asteraceae
Showy copperwire daisy

A large-flowered yellow daisy with several slender stems arising from a woody rootstock. Leaves linear-lanceolate in a basal rosette, smaller and narrower on the flowering stems. Flowers usually solitary 2-3 cm across, outer bracts at base of head brown, papery and thin. Outer florets tubular at base, then deeply cut into several narrow lobes; disc florets, numerous, tubular, shortly 5-lobed. Seeds and pappus minutely rough. Flowering December - January. Widespread, sea level to mountain summits, common in montane grasslands. Tas. Vic. NSW. SA (Data courtesy Launceston Field Naturalists Club)

OZOTHAMNUS OBCORDATUS Asteraceae
(Syn. Helichrysum obcordatum)

Erect shrub up to 2 metres. Heads of yellow flowers and small leaves, dark green, and rounded. Prefers open sunny position with reasonable drainage. Can be cultivated and is
useful as a fill-in plant.

GOODENIA ELONGATA Goodeniaceae
Lanky native-primrose

There are a number of Goodenia in Tasmania, all with distinctive yellow flowers. This erect perennial grows in damp places. The oval leaves are usually toothed, in a loose basal rosette and reduce in size up the flowering stem. Flowers 1-3 terminating branched stems. Yellow upper lip has two and lower lip three petals.

PIMELEA NIVEA Thymelaeaceae
Cotton Bush

A bushy understorey shrub to 2 metres, with slender leafy branches terminated by white
heads of flowers. Leaves are small, opposite, elliptical, often broad as long, dark green and
shining with dense white woolly hairs beneath and along branches. Flowers are tubular in
dense heads of 10 or more on main and lateral branches; tubes silky hairy, lobes short,
spreading, stamens 2. Fruits dry, surrounded by long hairs. Sometimes called Bushman’s
Bootlace from the tough stringy bark which can be stripped from the branches. Flowering
October-December. Common and widespread on rocky hillsides to 1000 metres. Tas
endemic.

SPYRIDIUM VEXILLIFERUM Rhamnaceae
Winged Spyridium

Slender twiggy shrub, up to 90 cm high. Leaves distant and narrow-linear, blunt, mid-rib deeply impressed, margins recurved. Button-like flower heads surrounded by 1-3 velvety white floral wing-like bracts on slender stalks. Individual flowers white with 5 sepals, 5 small petals forming hoods over stamens, nectar disc prominent.
Flowering September-December.
Sandy heaths, on river banks and rocky slopes in the east, north and west of Tasmania. Becoming rare and endangered.
Tas, SA, Vic, NSW
Information courtesy of the Launceston Field Naturalists Club

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