Plant of the Month – King’s Lomatia

Our remarkable Aussie bush never ceases to amaze with species that go against all the norms. Such a species is the almost incredible Kings Lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica) from Tasmania. At a casual glance, this appears to be just another shrub or low tree, but look more deeply: it is very rare, with only 300-500 species spread across a 1.2 km zone in the Southwest National Park of Tasmania; it has been around for at least 40,000 years and possibly more than 100,000 years; and individual…

Plant of the Month – Kuta

This month we consider an interesting plant that turned up in our wetland and looks a bit like a cross between a rush and a small, leafless bamboo. Species name: Eleocharis sphacelata, also known by the common names of Bamboo Sedge and Tall Spike Sedge. Family: Cyperaceae Origin and Distribution: Endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand Status: Relatively common in still or slow-moving fresh…