NATIVE FLORA
Here are some of the species identified in The Valley to date. We have added a table of native flora at the bottom of this page. Information on species below comes from the book A Guide to Flowers & Plants of Tasmania.
Cyathodes glauca (purple cheeseberry)
A leggy shrub usually to 3m, with semi-erect or spreading branches arising in rings at intervals from the stem; leaves often persisting just below the branches and crowded in apparent whorls near the ends of them, with intervals of bare stem between. Leaves 1.5-3 cm long, narrow-elliptical, pointed, striate beneath. Flowers 6-10 mm long in terminal axils, white, tubular, with slightly hairy leaves. Berries are flattened drupes, pink, mauve, purple or white, 8mm in diameter, in leafy clusters at ends of branches. Flowering December-January. Common and widespread on wet hillsides and mountain foothills to 1100 m. Tas, endemic. Epacridaceae.
Pultenaea juniperina (prickly beauty)
This short prickly shrub sends up shoots from underground stems and so forms dense thickets. Leaves are crowded, narrow, spreading at right angles to the stem, pointed, concave above, about 1 cm long. Flowers fairly large, almost 1 cm across, solitary or several together, axillary and terminal on short side branches, sometimes very numerous and showy but often sparse, scattered at ends of branches. Petals orange-yellow, keel dark purple-brown. Pod ovate, short and fat. Flowering October-January. Widespread, sea level to mountain plateaux. Tas, Vic, NSW. Fabaceae.
Olearia lirata (forest daisybush)
A tall shrub or small tree of wet forests with white daisy flowers and dark green leaves with yellowish-grey under-surfaces. Young shoots, leaf stalks and undersides covered with yellow-white stellate hairs, leaves lanceolate, 6-15 cm long, sometimes wrinkled or margins toothed. Daisy heads white, numerous, in large showy clusters at ends of branches, each flower head about 1 cm in diameter. Fruit with pappus bristles 4 mm long. An excellent tree for native gardens. Flowering September-February. Widespread on margins of wet forest and in gullies, even at low altitudes. Tas, Vic, NSW. Asteraceae.
Acacia verticillata (prickly moses)
A wattle with stalked ovoid heads, widespread especially in damp areas, gullies and along creeks. Usually a straggling bush up to 3m but a small tree in favourable conditions. The arrangement of the spiky phyllodes (apparent leaves) in rings gives the name verticillata. These vary in width from 1-4 mm in different forms. The arrangement of the individual flowers to form a cylindrical spike can be seen in the buds pictured. Flowering September-November. Widespread in damp areas. Tas, Vic, NSW, SA. Mimosaceae.
Clematis aristata (mountain clematis)
Woody climber scrambling over shrubs, fallen logs and fences. Leaves opposite, trifoliolate, sometimes variegated, long stalked, each leaflet lanceolate, sometimes toothed, to 8 cm long. Flowers creamy white or pinkish, starry with 4-7 long narrow petaloid sepals. Male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers more showy with numerous pointed stamens. Female with many carpels with feathery styles persisting in the fruit. Flowering Spring. Widespread in light forest and gullies. Tas, Vic, NSW, QLD, WA. Ranunculaceae
Tasmannia lanceolata (mountain pepper)
Although the leaves, bark and berries have an aromatic peppery taste, burning the mouth, the berries are eaten by native birds such as the Black Currawong. A compact bushy shrub; young stems and leaf stalks red, leaves elliptical-oblanceolate, hairless, green and thick. Length of leaf varies from 1.5 cm in harsh conditions to 13 cm. Male and female flowers on different plants at the base of the new season's growth. Sepals deciduous, a variable number of yellow or cream narrow oblanceolate petals. Male flowers with many stamens; female with 2-lobed ovary. Fruit 2-lobed lustrous black berry with many small angular seeds. Flowering October-November. Widespread, sea level to subalpine in high rainfall areas and montane grasslands and shrubberies. Tas, Vic, NSW. Winteraceae.
