Summer in Canberra's Hilltop Reserves

A cheat's list of plants to see in Summer.

Flowering and other features based on month photographed by Friends of Aranda Bushland for 'Our Patch, field guide to the flora of the Australian Capital Region as photographed in Aranda Bushland'.

Summer is the time when the grasses come into their own. They have a subtle beauty and are a challenge to identify.

It is surprising how many flowers appear in the heat of Summer and that exciting plants are still to be documented. We photographed Hyacinth orchids (Dipodium sp) in Aranda Bushland during Christmas 1998-1999. They did not make it in 'Our Patch' as they do not always flower as well and it can be just a bit hot for walking at that time of the year.

Peak flowering may be earlier or later in other areas and can also vary with season.

In Flower in the Month of December

Acaena novae-zelandiae

Bidgee-widgee

Type of burr

Astrotricha ledifolia

Star-hair

Yellow flowers

Cassinia aculeata

Dolly Bush

Multi flowered daisy

Centaurium erythraea

Pink Stars (introduced)

Pink flowers

Dichelachne sieberiana

Plume Grass

Grass

Dichopogon fimbriatus

Chocolate Lily

Smells of chocolate

Elymus scaber var scaber

Common Wheat Grass

Grass

Epilobium billardierianum sub cinereum

Willow Herb

Red/pink flowers

Exocarpos cupressiformis

Cherry Ballart

Tiny red fruit

Geranium solanderi var solanderi

Native Geranium

White flowers

Gnaphalium gymnocephalum

Creeping Cudweed

Mauve daisy

Leptospermum continentale

Prickly Tea-tree

White flowers

Lomandra multiflora

Male flower

Brown coloured flowers

Microlaena stipoides

Weeping Grass

Grass

Notodanthonia laevis

Wallaby Grass

Grass

Pimelea curviflora var sericea

 

Small plant, yellow flower

Poa sieberiana

Snow Grass

Grass

Rubus parvifolius

Native Raspberry

Red flowers

Senecio hispidulus var dissectus

Hill Firewood

Yellow daisy

Themeda triandra

Kangaroo Grass

Grass

In Flower in January

Acacia parramattensis

Wattle

Yellow balled flowers

Bursaria lasiophylla

Australian Blackthorn

Cream flowers

Caesia calliantha

Blue Grass Lily

Purple flowers

Comesperma volubile

Love Creeper

Purple flowers

Derwentia perfoliata

Diggers Speedwell

Mauve flowers

Desmodium varians

Slender Tick-trefoil

Difficult see, wedge shaped seed

Dodonaea viscosa sub spatulata

Hop Bush

Male flowers red

Drosera auriculata

Sundew

Sometimes white flower

Eucalyptus melliodora

Yellow Box

Buds, juvenile foliage

Eragrostis brownii

Brown's Lovegrass

Grass

Geranium potentilloides var potentilloides

 

Red flowers

Geranium solanderi

Pink form

Pink flowers

Kunzea ericoides

 

White flowers

Linaria pelisseriana

Pelisser's Toadflax (introduced)

Purple flowers

Microtis parviflora

Slender Onion Orchid

Cream flowers

Notodanthonia fulva

Wallaby Grass

Grass

Notodanthonia racemosa var racemosa

Slender Wallaby Grass

Grass

Oxalis species

 

Yellow flowers

Pelargonium species

 

Mauve flowers

Persoonia rigida

Rigid Geebung

Yellow flowers

Tricoryne elatior

Yellow Rush-lily

Yellow flowers

In Flower in February

Callitris endlicheri

Black Cypress Pine

Fruit

Cyperus eragrostis

Umbrella Sedge

Sedge

Eryngium rostratum

Blue Devil

Spiky herb

Ottelia ovalifolia

Swamp Lily

Very damp area

 

ã Friends of Aranda Bushland, May 1999 with help from Naomi Bell.

Our list is not fully comprehensive and we appreciate help in adding new plants and flowering times.

 

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