Kidney Weed - Dichondra repens (Convolvulaceae)

Kidney Weed 

Dichondra repens (Convolvulaceae)

Dichondra: Two-lumped; refers to the two-lobed ovary
repens: creeping (stoloniferous)

Description: Prostrate, creeping herb

Habitat: Occurs in a wide variaty of vegetation community types; plains grasslands, Red Gum Woodland, Coastal Banksia Woodlands, riparian scrub and woodland, dry and valley sclerophyll forests, grassy lowland open forests

 

Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Australian National Territory, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and also New Zealand

AVH (Australian Virtual Herbarium) distribution map.

Plant size: spreading habit so size is relative to growing conditions; the petioles (leaf stems) vary from <10 mm to approx. 14 cm

 Foliage: Reniform (kidney-shaped) to 40 mm long.⁽¹⁾

Flower: Minute and greenish; flowering September to December.⁽¹⁾

In the garden: Adaptable to a wide range of conditions; full sun or shade, will creep through lawns and grassy reveg, a good lawn alternative in light traffic areas.⁽¹⁾ 

This is an awesome potted specimen, as a base plant to a small tree or shrub or on its own. The one I have is in a large pot has been vigorously growing for over two years, forming a cascade of foliage spilling over the sides of the pot (would be great in a hanging basket) which forms the base to a Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) (see previous post). Summer watering in this situation is essential. 

Native Nurseries

Here’s a list of the nurseries around the Greater Melbourne area that one might obtain Kidney Weed. I got mine from CERES Permaculture & Bushfood Nursery in East Brunswick.

CERES Permaculture & Bushfood Nursery: Cnr. Roberts and Stewart Streets Brunswick East, Victoria 3057. Hours:  Seven days a week from 9am until 5pm Phone: 9389 0111. Email: nursery@ceres.org.au

La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary Indigenous Plant Nursery (ex- Keelbundora): Cnr. La Trobe Ave. And Main Road, Bundoora, Victoria. Entrance off La Trobe Ave. Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Phone: (03) 9479 2871 OR (03) 9479 5061 Email: plants@latrobe.edu.au

Kuranga Native Nursery: 118 York Road Mount Evelyn, Victoria, 3796. Open 8.30am to 5days a week Closed Good Friday & Christmas Day. Phone. 9760 8100, Fax. 9737 1968

Further reading and links

APNI: Austrailian Plant Name Index: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni
 

PlantNET: New South Wales Flora Online:

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Dichondra~repens

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne: 

http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/dbpages/rbgcensus/index.php/census/species_detail/3922

References

1.     Australian Plant Society Maroondah, Inc. (2001). Flora of Melbourne: A guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House, Melbourne.

Victorian Christmas Bush, Mint-bush - Prostanthera lasianthos (Lamiaceae)

Victorian Christmas Bush, Mint-bush 

 Prostanthera lasianthos (Lamiaceae)

Prostanthera - from Greek words meaning appendage and anther, referring to the structure of the stamens;
lasianthos - hairy flowers

Description: Glabrous, compact tall shrub or upright small tree

Habitat: Shaded gullies, wet, damp and valley sclerophyll forests, lowland to subalps

Distribution: Southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Australian National Territory and Tasmania

AVH (Australian Virtual Herbarium) distribution map.

Plant size: 2-8 m x 2-5 m

Foliage: Lanceolate leaves. opposite, dark green above, paler green beneath, 40-100 mm x 10-25 mm, margins with small teeth, fresh minty aroma when crushed. ^(2,1)

Flower: Showy elongated panicles of hairy, white bilabiate flowers with orange and purple dots. Flowering November to January. ^(2,1)

 

 In the garden: Best in moist, well drained loamy soils in a protected position. Responds well to mulching and summer watering. ⁽¹⁾ I have one in a large ceramic pot in my backyard in Brunswick which appears to be still doing well after a year. In this situation regular summer watering is essential. 

Further reading and links

APNI: Austrailian Plant Name Index: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni

Growing Native Plants: Australian National Botanic Gardens - Australian National Herbarium: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp3/prostanthera-lasianthos.html

References

1.     Australian Plant Society Maroondah, Inc. (2001). Flora of Melbourne: A guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House, Melbourne.

2.     Costermans L (1994). Native Trees and Shrubs of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland, Sydney.

Sticky Everlasting - Xerochrysum viscosum

Sticky Everlasting 

 Xerochrysum viscosum (Asteraceae)

Xerochrysum - from Greek xeros meaning “dry” and chrysos meaning “gold” (this refers to the common yellow papery bracts that occur within the genus)
viscosum - from Latin viscosus meaning “sticky” (refers to leaf character)

Location: La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary

Description: Much-branched sticky biennial or perennial herb, dense or straggly

Habitat: Dry sclerophyll forest, red gum and box woodlands, often on shallow stony soils

Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Australian National Territory and Tasmania

AVH (Australian Virtual Herbarium) distribution map.

Plant size: 0.5-0.8 x 0.3-1 m

Foliage: Linear dark green leaves to 90 mm long, margins recurved

Flower: Compound flowerhead with whorls of papery bracts giving the appearance of radial petals. ⁽¹⁾

   
In the garden: It has been recommended that for a more compact growth, one needs to prune this species which as an added consequence prolongs the life of the plant. ⁽¹⁾

Further reading and links

APNI: Austrailian Plant Name Index: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni

Growing Native Plants: Australian National Botanic Gardens - Australian National Herbarium: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2010/xerochrysum-viscosum.html

References

            1. Australian Plant Society Maroondah, Inc. (2001). Flora of Melbourne: A guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House

Matted Bush-pea - Pultenaea pedunculata (Hook) (Fabaceae)

Matted Bush-pea
 Pultenaea pedunculata (Fabaceae)

                                                                                                                     

Pultenaea – named after the English botanist Richard Pulteney (1730 – 1801). 
pedunculata – “with a flower stalk”, from the Latin pedunculus , meaning “a little foot”, and the suffix -atus designating the possession of something: the flowers of this plant possess a peduncle (flower stalk).

Description: Matting, prostrate perennial herb

Habitat: Dry sclerophyll forest, box ironbark woodland

Distribution: Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia

AVH (Australian Virtual Herbarium) distribution map.

Plant size: Prostrate x 1-3m.

Foliage: Tiny, flat, dark green elliptical leaves to 12 mm long, hair below, margins sometimes recurved. Stipules prominent, 2-3 mm long.

Flower: Masses of single yellow and red axillary flowers on long hairy stalks; October to November (although I have seen it flowering till late December). Fine, long bracteoles.

In the garden: Well drained soils, tolerating dry periods once established. It grows particularly well as a rockery plant, with cascades of matting, dark green foliage. This makes collection of seed much easier as the drying pods are quite small (≈5 mm long) and only contain 1-2 seeds (they are easily lost once released). As a groundcover, grows well in between grasses such as Rytidosperma setaceum (R.Br.) (syn. Austrodanthonia setacea) or a base plant in large pots with other plants.

Further reading and links

Growing Native Plants: Australian National Botanic Gardens - Australian National Herbarium: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2005/pultenaea-pedunculata.html

Australian Plant Name Index (APNI): http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni

References

            1. Australian Plant Society Maroondah, Inc. (2001). Flora of Melbourne: A guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House

Blue Grass-lily - Caesia calliantha (Anthericaceae)

Blue Grass-lily 

Caesia calliantha (Anthericaceae)

Description: Tufted perennial herb

Habitat: Plains grassland

Distribution: Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

AVH (Australian Virtual Herbarium) distribution map.

 

Statis: Endangered

Plant Type: Herb

Plant size: 10-50cm x 10-50cm

Foliage: Basal tufted grass-like leaves up to 30cm in length and 1.5cm in width.

Flower: Star shaped flowers with 6 petals, lilac blue to deep blue in colour often with a metallic appearance. Flowers are in clusters of 2 or 3 on an erect stem up to 50cm in height. Flowering from September to February.

In the garden

 Moist soils which dry out in summer. Useful rockery plant; plant in groups for best results and may grow larger and flower for longer if summer moisture is available.

Comments: The edible root tubers were an important part of the aboriginal diet.⁽¹⁾

Further reading and links

Victorian Flora: http://www.victorianflora.wmcn.org.au/plantDetail.php?plantno=83.00000

PlantNET: New South Wales Flora Online: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Caesia~calliantha

References

            1. Australian Plant Society Maroondah, Inc. (2001). Flora of Melbourne: A guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House