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Australian Plants
Australia has areas ranging from deserts and temperate climates to tropical rainforest, giving it an enormous variety of plant life much of which is not seen anywhere else in the world. Ask questions about plants native to Australia here.
244 Questions
The eucalyptus is a native Australian tree.
The name "eucalyptus" comes from the Greek eu, meaning "well", and kalyptos, meaning "cover." It is called this because it of ts "gumnuts", or solid, woody, well-covered flower buds.
Sturt's Desert Pea is a legume, but does not taste pleasant. Nonetheless, it is quite safe and non-toxic.
What height do Eucalyptus trees grow to?
There is so much variation in the height of eucalyptus trees and the height depends on the species. The smallest are around 6 feet and the tallest is around 330 feet. There are over 500 species of eucalypts. Growing conditions can also greatly affect the mature height.
How many Eucalyptus species are there in Australia?
New eucalyptus species and subspecies are regularly being recognised, so it is hard to give a definitive answer. Currently, there are over 900 eucalyptus species and subspecies, and over 600 are native to Australia.
How do you care for red kangaroo paw?
There is no plant simply called the "kangaroo plant", but there is a native Australian shrub called the Kangaroo paw which can be difficult to grow in the eastern states - and almost impossible in the north. The native habitat of the kangaroo paw is in Western Australia, where the climate is dry and the soil is sandy and well-drained. Thus, they need a position in full sun, in sandy soil where their roots are not continuously damp or will not become waterlogged after rain. Start by digging a large hole and adding some potting mix suitable for native Australian plants. Kangaroo paw benefit from having some organic material (such as composted leaf litter) added to the soil. It is a good idea also to include a low-release fertiliser which is made for Australian plants. Do not add "Blood and Bone", as this can damage native plants.
While the plants are being established, water them every couple of days, but after they are established they should only be watered during hot, dry periods, and then only occasionally. A little seaweed-based soil tonic such as Seasol is good during the initial establishment period as well.
What plant life is in the Great Barrier Reef?
Well The Great Barrier reef in a sense is living as Coral is a living, breathing organism. It terms yes it does support Algae and a wide rang of fish such as the:
- yellow-faced angelfishes
- fusiliers
- blue tuskfishes
- cardinal fishes
- tervallies
- gobies
- Mandarin fishes
Which country is the original home of the eucalyptus tree?
Eucalyptus trees are most commonly associated with Australia, as certain species form the sole food source for koalas. In Australia they are called "gum trees". However, other species of eucalyptus trees can be found in New Zealand, China, India, Thailand, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Brazil, USA and Italy.
What famous tree is found at Cooper Creek?
Cooper Creek is the home of the Dig Tree, a large, old coolibah. It marks the site of one of Australia's most tragic stories of miscommunication resulting in death.
Burke and Wills were two explorers who, with a huge party of men and supplies, departed Melbourne in August 1860 to cross Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north and back again. Burke was an impatient leader who was keen to cross the continent quickly, so he made several bad decisions. One was his decision to leave part of his party first at Menindee, then again more of the party at a depot at Cooper Creek. Burke then raced ahead in the heat of mid-summer to cross to the Gulf and back again, with just Wills, his second-in-command, and two other men, Gray and King.
The men who were left at Cooper Creek were to return to Menindee if Burke's small party did not return in three months. Travelling to the Gulf and back took over four months, and along the way Gray died. The men spent a full day burying Gray's body. When Burke returned to Cooper Creek, he discovered a message carved on a large coolibah tree at the depot. The tree became known as the "Dig Tree" because the message gave instructions to dig for the supplies the other men.
Burke made another mistake when he left the Dig tree to try to reach the police station at Mt Hopeless, 240km away. he did not leave any reply message he had seen the first message on the Dig tree, so when a rescue party returned to Cooper Creek, ,they found no sign that anyone from Burke's small party had been there. Through a series of misundertsandings and lack of communication, no rescue party ever reached Burke and Wills. King was saved by local Aborigines, and it was he who relayed what had happened to the other three men.
In September 1861, the cache beneath the Dig tree, was dug up, and only then was found the evidence that Burke and Wills had been there, had eaten the rations, and had headed for Mt hopeless. Had the cache been dug up earlier, Burke and Wills' movements could have been tracked and the tragedy avoided.
Yes, consumption of acacia leaves can result in death by poisoning.
Specifically, some species contain alkaloids whose cautious use realizes ceremonial, medicinal or ritual purposes for humans. Other species have cyanogenic glycosides whose interaction with enzymes releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN). The glycoside-busting enzyme will make the leaves toxic. Such foliar contamination will result in death by poisoning among foraging livestock.
Who are Australia's native people?
Australia's indigenous people, or natives, are known as the Aborigines, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
They are a class of peoples who are identified by Australian law as being members of a race indigenous to the Australian continent. They also do not refer to themselves as Aborigines or aboriginal, but identify themselves by tribal names that reflect their language or ancestral home territory.
A map showing the different tribal names can be found at the related link.
What type of plant is a kangaroo paw?
The kangaroo paw plant of Western Australia is a unique plant, the unopened flowers of which bear some resemblance to a kangaroo's paw. It is long and slender, like the forepaw of a kangaroo.
To see a picture of the kangaroo paw, click on the related link.
Neither eucalyptus trees nor the eucalyptus oil that can be extracted from the leaves is "poisonous". However, it does contain some toxins which can cause acute gastric problems if ingested.
The few animals which feed on eucalyptus leaves, such as koalas, Ringtail possums and Greater gliders, are able to filter out the toxins through their digestive systems.
What are the adaptations of the eucalyptus tree to conserve water?
Eucalyptus trees have numerous adaptations to enable them to thrive in Australia. The trees have poisonous fibrous leaves to limit animals from eating them. Apart from koalas, Greater gliders and Ringtail possums, all of which can eat mature eucalyptus leaves, Australia's native animals can only eat the young shoots of eucalyptus trees.
Eucalyptus trees are specially adapted for Australia's bushfire-prone climate. They are known as 'sprouters', which are adult plants that can survive a fire and resprout from the roots or stems. They rely less on seed germination, which is fairly low anyway, than they do on sprouting to ensure continuation of the species. In addition, many eucalyptus species have lignotubers, which are specialised root/crown structures located beneath the soil surface, containing many food-storing cells and shoot-forming structures. Therefore, the lignotubers of eucalyptus trees protet young shoots and provide food for these shoots when they first emerge after a bushfire. Further, also seed germination is low, it is largely reliant on fire to stimulate it. Many types of eucalyptus trees have hard, woody capsules that protect the seeds during fire, but which open after fire, releasing their seeds.
The way eucalyptus trees grow is also an adaptation. Many species have wide, spreading canopies which redirect the limited rain that falls down the trunk to concentrate around the roots. The leaves of a eucalyptus tree hang down, rather than horizontally, minimising evaporation and hence water loss (transpiration), as they are not as exposed to sunlight. The leaves usually have equal numbers of stoma on each side, unlike trees which hold their leaves horizontally - they tend to have all or most of their stoma on the lower side. The leaves also tend to have a thick, waxy coating which also minimises water loss.
How do banksias survive in their environment?
The banksia is a plant with unique adaptations to help it survive in its environment.
Firstly, the nature of its flower structure attracts many more birds, animals and insects that can help to ensure pollination to other plants. The flowers are long and cylindrical, rather than single cuplike structures.
Also, banksias are able to survive bushfires better than other plants. Some banksias have thick bark that protects them from fire, whilst others have lignotubers, which are underground swellings on their roots, from which they are able to sprout again after fire. these lignotubers are protected, being underground, and rarely damaged by bushfires.
Banksia flowers rely on fire to stimulate the release of their seeds. The seeds are protected from bushfires by a resinous coating, and the action of the fire passing triggers their release as the fire melts the resin.
What is a kangaroo paw's habitat?
The Kangaroo Paw is a native Australian shrub which is found in southwestern Western Australia. It prefers a drier climate than that found in the east. Its habitat is sandy, well-drained soil in grassland and semi-arid areas.
Why is the kangaroo paw iconic to Australia?
The kangaroo paw is a very unique plant, earning its name by the supposed resemblance of its cluster of unopened flowers to a kangaroo's paw. It is long and slender, like the forepaw of a kangaroo.
The kangaroo paw is native to Australia, and found naturally only in the southwest of Western Australia. The red and green kangaroo paw is the state floral emblem for Western Australia.
Yes, paw paws are edible. They taste similar to bananas, though their texture is softer.
Where does Tasmanian myrtle grow?
Tasmanian myrtle, also known as Myrtle beech, is found in both Tasmanian and Victoria in Australia. It is found primarily in the cool temperate rainforests of both states, especially in central Tasmania and the west, and a small area of the northeast of the island. It prefers moist, sheltered conditions.
What are the characteristic of cones bearing plants?
There are many characteristics of a cone-bearing plant. The plant is usually a very hardy plant that can survive harsh conditions and rough terrain.
What do you call the movement of shoot towards light?
Phototropism is a plant's growth response to a light source, determining which direction it grows in. Positive Phototropism is the tendency for a plant to grow towards the light; Negative Phototropism is when it grows away from the light.
