Monthly Archives: July 2015

Plant of the Month – July 2015

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PALE GUINEA FLOWER

(Hibbertia pallidiflora)

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(Photos: E. Cousins; growth habit; leaves and flowers; size of flower compared to a fingertip)

Because of the strong salt winds around Cape Jervis and the dry summers, plants have to be tough to survive there. Many are consequently very tiny, such as the little hibbertia shown here. This rare little plant likes the limestone around the Fleurieu. The bush itself is small and compact, growing to only about 20cm high at Cape Jervis. The leaves are rounder than those of other hibbertias, with Because of the strong salt winds around Cape Jervis and the dry summers, plants have to be tough to survive there. Many are consequently very tiny, such as the little hibbertia shown here. This rare little plant likes the limestone around the Fleurieu. The bush itself is small and compact, growing to only about 20cm high at Cape Jervis. The leaves are rounder than those of other hibbertias, with star-shaped hairs underneath. The flowers, carried on long stalks, are cup-shaped and do not open out very much. They tend to hang down (see the middle photo). You can see how tiny the flowers are, from the photo showing the flower and a fingertip!

Weed of the Month – July 2015

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PYRAMID TREE or NORFOLK ISLAND HIBISCUS

(Langunaria patersonia)

(Photos: E. Cousins, Cape Jervis; tree, seed pod, leaf)

This is a weed in the Marino Conservation Park, and in other coastal cliff top regions. Although not common at Cape Jervis, it does occur. Look out for trees 12-20m tall, with dense, glossy grey-green foliage. In spring and summer, 5cm hibiscus-shaped pink flowers appear at the leaf axils (that is, in the angle between the upper surface of the leaf and the stem). Fuzzy capsules follow the flowers; these contain orange seeds and fine, white hairs that irritate the skin, leading to another common name: the itchy bomb tree! It likes well-drained soil, sunny positions, and doesn’t object to salt spray, so has been planted in coastal gardens from which seeds then escaped! Watch out for it on the Fleurieu.