DICOTYLEDONS
PLANTAGINACEAE - Plantain Family
Mostly annual or perennial herbs, this cosmopolitan family contains about 270 species. There are five species native to Western Australia, and four naturalised ones. Plantago(plantains) are annual or perennial herbs whose leaves have prominent longitudinal veins and grow in a basal rosette. The inflorescence is a spike of tiny, wind-pollinated flowers. There are several native species, mostly found in arid areas. In disturbed sites, suspect the introduced species. P. coronopus(buckshorn plantain) is a hairy annual with linear leaves, often with numerous narrow lobes. It flowers in early summer. A weed of disturbed ground, including saline areas, from Geraldton to Ravensthorpe. Native to Europe. |
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P. cretica(Cretan plantain) is quite distinctive. It is a densely tufted perennial with narrow-linear, upright leaves to 15cm. The inflorescences and short flowering stalks are densely brown-hairy, curling downwards after flowering to form a dense mass at the base of the plant. Found at Toodyay. Native to the Mediterranean. |
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P. lanceolata(ribwort plantain) is a slightly hairy annual or short-lived perennial with ribbed stems to 1m high in favourable locations, but often shorter. The leaves are lanceolate and usually held erect. The inflorescence is a brown cylinder, up to 7cm long. Common on disturbed areas such as sports ovals and roadsides from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe and Asia. P. major(great plantain)is a short-lived perennial with broad leaves with prominent veins. The green inflorescences are up to 20cm long on stems to 30cm tall. A weed of gardens and disturbed wetlands, Perth to Albany. Native to Europe. |
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PLUMBAGINACEAE - Statice Family
A family of some 400 perennial herbs, shrubs or lianes, occurring worldwide, very often in saline areas. In Western Australia there are three native species and three naturalised ones.Limonium(statice, sea lavender) are annuals or perennials with leaves in a basal rosette and small flowers held on stiff stems in a one-sided inflorescence. Most cope well with saline soils. There are some 300 species of statice in the Mediterranean and central Asia, and three are naturalised in Western Australia. L. companyonis (blue mist) is a perennial with cylindrical, unwinged stems and inflorescences with tiny purple flowers in loose spreading spikelets. It has a rosette of spoon-shaped leaves about 5cm long and flowers in early summer. Garden escape, Perth and Eneabba. L. lobatum(was L. thouinii) (winged sea lavender) is a short-lived perennial with a rosette of lobed leaves from 5-30cm, depending on the conditions. When present, the stem leaves are linear and are continued down the stems to form broad wings; the stalk is also very broadly winged just below the inflorescence. Flowers in spring, with white petals surrounded by blue bracts. Garden escape, northern and eastern wheatbelt. |
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L. sinuatum(perennial sea lavender, perennial statice) grows to 50cm and is covered with stiff hairs. It has a rosette of lobed basal leaves, but the stem leaves are linear, and are continued down the stem as wings, usually narrower than L. lobatum. The flower stalk is also winged, but not broadly. The flowers, although small, can be very colourful, as the calyx may be white, yellow, purple or blue, while the petals are white or yellow. It flowers in early summer. A garden escape, it may be a horticultural variety of the true species. It is widespread on wasteland and roadsides from Geraldton to Esperance, especially on the margins of saline soils near settlements and cemeteries. |
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POLYGALACEAE - Milkwort Family
A cosmopolitan
family containing some 750 species of herbs, shrubs, vines
or trees. There are 26 native species in Western Australia,
plus two naturalised ones. Polygala(milkweed,
butterfly bush)are shrubs with pea-shaped flowers, but the
lowest petal has a forward-pointing, brush-like crest. They
are often planted as ornamentals. The two species
naturalised in Western Australia can be distinguished by the
shape of their leaves. |
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