Australian Wildlife Conservancy

Welcome to this special edition of our eNews, which celebrates some of the extraordinary flowers that have been on display at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary over the last couple of months.

AWC's science-based land management delivers great outcomes not only for Australia's threatened wildlife, but also for our unique and globally significant flora. AWC properties protect thousands of plant species including hundreds of rare species - many of which only occur on AWC land.

Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary has recently produced an exceptional wildflower display. Here is a selection of flowers photographed on the sanctuary. Some are rare, some are chosen for their beauty and some would be right at home in your garden.

Goodenia species

This goodenia species is new to science and is found only on a few small areas on Mt Gibson. It was collected for the first time in 2015. In years with good rainfall, it forms spectacular yellow carpets in Salmon gum and York gum woodlands.

Hemigenia tichbonii

This rare plant was described for the first time in 2016. It has been named in honour of Michael Tichbon, a man who has dedicated much of his life to the conservation of the flora of southwestern Australia. This plant has only ever been found at a few sites, most of which are on Mt Gibson. It appears to be adapted to harsh conditions as it grows in very shallow soils on granite and greenstone hills. Flower colour ranges from white to dark mauve, and the flowering period extends over several weeks.

Grevillea subtiliflora

This rare grevillea is one of two grevillea species that grow only on a small range of hills that runs through the sanctuary. The same hill range hosts several more rare species, including three acacias, an hybanthus (native violets), an allocasuarina (sheoaks) and a dodonaea (hopbushes). These species are flourishing since AWC removed feral goats from Mt Gibson.

Calytrix plumulosa

This low shrub, listed as a rare species, is found in the York gum woodlands on Mt Gibson. In addition to the striking flowers, they have tiny silvery green leaves, so stands of them are attractive even when they are not flowering.

Dasymalla terminalis (native foxglove)

Dasymallas are only found in Australia. This variety flowers for several weeks and is found on sandy, well-drained soils on Mt Gibson. It is a species that may occasionally be available from plant nurseries.

Grevillea juncifolia (honeysuckle grevillea)

This honeysuckle grevillea can be found throughout arid parts of Australia growing in deep sandy soils. They are pollinated by birds which feed on their nectar, and on Mt Gibson their neat, conical bushes seem to be favoured nest sites.

Hakea francisiana (emu tree)

This hakea is scattered throughout sandy areas of Mt Gibson. It can be cultivated as a garden shrub, but doesn't thrive in areas with wet summers.

Homalocalyx thryptomenoides

Homalocalyx shrubs occur only in Australia and most are found in the southwest of Western Australia. H. thryptemenoides is the most spectacular of them and on Mt Gibson is usually scattered through deep sandy areas that also host spinifex grasses.

Eremophila pantonii

Clusters of these broom-like shrubs grow near the shores of Lake Moore, a saline, ephemeral lake that is 80 km long and forms the eastern boundary of Mt Gibson.

Melaleuca nematophylla (wiry honey-myrtle)

This is a graceful shrub which grows on rocky platforms scattered throughout Mt Gibson. It has been used as a garden plant, and like most melaleucas, it grows readily from seed and produces large amounts of nectar.

Maireana atkinsiana (bronze bluebush)

Bluebushes are succulent plants that are salt-tolerant and grow along the margins of ephemeral lakes and in woodlands on Mt Gibson. Their flowers are hard to see, but their colourful, winged seedpods are striking, and are designed to aid their distribution by wind. The bluebush communities on Mt Gibson were favoured grazing for feral goats that previously roamed the property, but since AWC removed them, this species has thrived.

If you haven't already, be sure to follow us on social media where more flowers will be available to view soon, along with other regular and interesting AWC updates.

Yours sincerely