Castle Creek is another hot spot for wildflowers during the spring, with many yellow flowers of all descriptions popping up! Read on for a look at some that we managed to capture.

The erect guinea-flower (Hibbertia riparia) which is a small shrub stood out amongst the green, along with native oxalis also known as wood-sorrel (Oxalis perennans), and the tiny yellow star (Pauridia vaginata).

 

Some flowers that aren’t yellow include the common beard-heath (Leucopogon virgatus) which is a wiry shrub growing up to 45 cm high with abundant, fragrant flowers, and the urn heath (Melichrus urceolatus) with pricky leaves, named for its urn-shaped flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orchids that were flowering were the golden moth orchid (Diuris chryseopsis) and the leopard orchid (Diuris pardina). Both of these orchids belong to the same genus, which includes over 60 species. The name ‘Diuris‘ refers to the hanging sepals, but this group is also commonly called ‘donkey orchids’ due to the ear-like petals common to all species.

 

The sundews found at Castle Creek differ from those found at Swainsona. Here we have Drosera gunniana with its hairy sepals. The flowers vary from pink to white and again, this plant traps insects with sticky glands on its leaves. The droplets look like dew glistening in the sun, hence the name sundew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A beautiful yellow daisy that has been out in flower is murnong, or yam daisy. There are actually three species known as yam daisy, but this one is Microseris walteri. This plant was once a very important food source for Aboriginal people, and they would cultivate it to harvest the tubers which could be eaten raw or cooked and added to other food. Native bees are often seen having a little snooze inside these flowers!

 

And there has even been some fungi still about during September including white punk (Laetiporus portentosus) growing on a stringybark tree and the bright orange southern cinnabar polypore (Trametes coccinea). You may have also noticed the small fruiting bodies of yellow navel (Lichenomphalia chromacea), which is not your ordinary fungus! This species is what’s known as a basidiolichen, which means a fungus and algae are living in a symbiotic relationship. The fungal component (the mycobiont) of the lichen protects the algae and absorbs minerals and water while the algal component (the phycobiont) provides food for the fungus via photosynthesis. If you look closely at the base of the fruiting body, you will see a green algal mat.

It’s certainly not too late to head out into the parks if you’re interested in seeing some wildflowers, as different species flower at different times and several other species have been spotted this week already! So stay tuned for more on what’s happening in our next edition of ‘Noticing Nature’!