creatures of the west australian coastal bush

7/28/2019 Creatures of the West Australian Coastal Bush

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CREATURESOF THE COASTAL BUSH

ALBANY, DENMARK & WALPOLE AREAS



This eld guide was produced bySouth Coast NRM with the support ofa Coastwest grant. Coastwest grantsare funded through a partnership

between the Western AustralianPlanning Commission and the AustralianGovernment’s Caring for our Countryprogram.

The format is based on a eld guidedesigned by the Department of FisheriesWestern Australia.

This guide would not have been possible

without the technical support of SvetlanaMicic, Marc Widmer, Kim Beasley, MarkTrue, Anne Bondin, Sylvia Leighton, PeterCollins, Peter Stewart, Katrina Syme, KathGray and Sarah Comer.

The guide includes descriptions of poisonous andvenomous plants and animals. Appropriate precautionsshould be taken to avoid serious harm. South Coast NRMassumes no responsibility or liability for any loss or injury

arising through the use of this guide.

Acknowledgements



Perth Beachcomber Field Guide

The Creatures o the Coastal Bush guide

has been designed as an easy to useidentication tool, describing some of themore common plants and animals youmay encounter while bushwalking along

the South Coast.The living creatures featured in this guideplay important roles in the ecosystem.They switch between predator and prey,

pollinate plants, disperse seeds and sporesand create a habitat, or a home to live.

Every living thing needs the rightcombination of food and protection to

survive.There are many opportunities to see bushland habitats and wildlife on walk trails.

Bushwalking trail advice is offered by:

• Albany Visitor Centre (08) 9841 9290• DEC South Coast Region, Albany

(08) 9845 5000

To get involved in natural resourcemanagement activities contact:• South Coast NRM, Albany (08) 9845 8537

If you see injured wildlife contact:• DEC 24hr Wildcare Helpline (08) 9474 9055• WA Seabird Rescue 0418 952 683

Living things



• Wear clothing to suit the weather,including a hat and sunscreen or jacket.For further information go to:www.sunsmart.com.au.

• Wear good boots and make sure they’rescrubbed clean of soil to prevent thespread of Phytophthora dieback.

• Take plenty of drinking water with you.

• Take a hand lens or magnifying glassfor closer inspection.

• Respect the environment and take any

rubbish safely home with you – recycleor place it in the bin.

• Keep to the track to avoid damagingsurrounding bush.

• Take your camera and capturememories.

• Appreciate and leave life where yound it – each plant and animal is an

important part of the environment.

• Tread lightly - leave only yourfootprints…

It is always importantto be prepared, so you

can make the most of youroutdoor experience.

Getting outdoors



GOLDEN ORB WEAVER

Photo: Sve tlana M i c

i c



This spider is knownfor building golden webs up to

1m long. The webs are spun by thefemale using the wind to assist and areconstantly repaired. These spiders are

harmless to humans and eat moths,grasshoppers, beetles, bees, locustsand can even catch small birds. Thelarge female can grow up to 24mm, has

colourful banded legs anda silver-grey body.

GOLDEN ORB

WEAVER Nephila edulis

HousematesThe golden orb allows quicksilverspiders to live in its web. The

quicksilver spider eats the small

insects that become trapped andkeeps the web clean.

P h o

t o : A l a n

D a n k s

P h o t og raph y



MOUSE SPIDER

P hot o: Alan Danks P ho t o

g r a p h y



This is a type oftrapdoor spider which means

it lives in an underground burrow witha trap door. These burrows are often nearwater and can be up to 30cm deep. The

spider eats mainly insects (including otherspiders), small animals and snails. It isan ancient and primitive spider as it hasdownward pointing parallel fangs. This

is why it rears up in anaggressive manner

when it isthreatened.

MOUSE SPIDER Missulena spp.

Wrong name?

The mouse spider was namedbecause people mistakenly

thought it created very deep

burrows like a mouse.

P h o t o

: A l a

n D a n k

s P h o t og raph y



CHRISTMAS SPIDER


g r a p h y



This spider has sixspines which project from its

heavily armoured back. It is sometimessocial and can build large communalwebs. The ying insects caught in the web

are shared by many spiders. It is calleda Christmas spider because it usuallyappears in the bush in the summermonths leading up to Christmas.

CHRISTMAS SPIDERGasteracantha sp.

The Christmas spider’s web hasuffy balls of silk scattered over

the surface of its anchor threads.These are thought to alert animals

and prevent them from destroying

the web. The rest of the web isvirtually invisible.

Silent signals

P h o t o

: A l a

n D a n k

s P h o t og raph y



KANGAROO TICKIxodes australis

A tick is notactually an insect but a

small arachnid which lives offof the blood of mammals, birds and

sometimes reptiles. It climbs into foliageat the edge of animal paths and transfers

itself onto animals or humans as theypass. It imbeds itself into the skin of itshost with its barbed mouth and feeds onits blood. It normally lives on kangaroosand wallabies but can survive for months

without feeding. To avoid ticks stay awayfrom areas where kangaroos have beenresting. Tucking your trousers into your

socks and keeping yourself coveredwill help keep these blood

suckers away.

Photo: Marc W id m e r




g r a p h y

CENTIPEDEChilopoda

If you go for a walk after it’s beenraining, you may see a centipede,

especially if you look in the leaf litter orunder stones and dead wood. A centipede

can have 20 - 300 legs and has one pairof legs per body segment. It needs a moisthome, because it doesn’t have a waxy layeron its body like insects and spiders. This

causes it to lose moisture very quicklyand is the reason why it hides underthings. Centipedes always have an odd

number of pairs of legs - 15 or 17pairs, but never 16.



This ightless dusty-blue beetle can be

found under logs and shedding bark ontrees, particularly eucalypts. It forageson the ground at night eating decayingvegetation. It takes water from its food and

may also collect it from the built-in gutteraround its body. This ange protects itfrom predators particularly redback

spiders and Carabidae beetles.

PIE-DISH BEETLEPterohelaeus spp.

Photo: Sher yn P r i o r



WEEVILSFamily Curculionidae

A weevil has a long snout like an elephant,a black and ochre striped middle and isabout 15mm long. It likes to eat eucalyptsand chews around the edges of leaves – a

large group can strip a tree completely. Ifyou disturb a weevil, it will play dead bytucking its legs tight beneath itself and

drop from the leaf it was eating orresting upon.


g r a p h y



CRUSADER BUGSFamily Coreidae

The crusader bug is also known as theholy cross bug because of the distinctcross marking on its back. The crusader

bug has a big body and a little head andeats plants and grains, especially duringsummer when it is most active. Look

out if you disturb one, as it mayspray you with stinking uid.

Photo: Rob Ho r l e r



STICK NEST ANTSIridomyrmex conier

This is a scavenging ant which formshighways to its food sources and builds

bulky nests above the ground from sticks.It releases a special chemical when injuredwhich alerts other ants to potential danger.Spiders can detect these chemicals and

prey on the injured ants. The stick nest antwill attack sick or injured animals, yetwhen a colony of them leaves a nest,

it often becomes a home for smallanimals and reptiles.

P hot os: Alan Danks P h o t o

g r a p h y

P h

o t o

: A

n d r e a

D e e

g a n



BULL ANT Myrmecia

A bull ant is known for its aggressivebehaviour and powerful sting. It has

large eyes which let it track intruders fromup to 1m away. An adult will eat mainly

nectar and honeydew but the ant larvae iscarnivorous and eats small insects brought toit by the hunting worker ants. Bull ants makenest mounds up to 1m across, which they

decorate with stones and plant fragments.If you look closely at its nest you willsee where the insect dumps soil from

excavations, unwanted waste andeven dead ants.


g r a p h y



WOOLLY BEARCATERPILLAR Spilosoma glatignyi

This caterpillar begins life as a white egg

on a leaf. When it hatches it is white with ablack head, later it becomes very hairy anddark brown with rows of pale yellow spotson its back and sides. It feeds at night and

is not fussy about which plants it eats.The caterpillar emerges from its cocoonas an adult moth, which has black and

white wings approximately 6cmwide and a black and scarlet

ringed body.

P h o t o : M a r c W i d m e r



SPITFIRE SAWFLYPerga afnis

Sawylarvae are called

spitres and congregate inlarge groups on eucalyptus treesduring the day and at night spread out

to feed. They prefer young trees and candefoliate an entire tree before moving

along the ground to the next tree. Onceit is ready to pupate it goes into a cocoonunder the ground where it stays for up tothree years before it emerges as an adult

wasp. A spitre stores eucalyptus oilsfrom the leaves that it eats in a specialpouch which it regurgitates when it

feels threatened. This has a strongsmell and deters the birds

that try to eat it.

P hot o: Alan Danks P ho t o g r a p h

y



BLUE BANDED BEE(Native bee)

Amegilla cingulata

This Australian native bee is veryimportant to the production of food and

is very effective at pollinating crops which

honey bees cannot, such as tomatoes,eggplants and chillies. It has distinct bluebands - the male ve and the female four. Ithas six sticky legs and a long tongue to help

extract nectar. It clings onto owers andvibrates powerfully causing the pollen toshoot out. It is a solitary creature and

does not create a hive. It can stingbut is not as aggressive as

other bee species.

P h o t o : K i m C B e a s l e y



WESTERN HONEY BEE(Feral bee)

Apis melliora

Although this is the best known bee inAustralia it was actually introduced from

Europe in about 1822. Swarms of these

bees have escaped from commercial honeyhives - some settle in tree-holes and takeover the homes of native birds that nestthere. When a colony becomes crowded,

the queen bee will leave to nd a newhome. New virgin bees then ght tothe death to see who will be the next

queen. The surviving queen takesover and mates to maintain

the colony.


g r a p h y

P h o t o: M a l G r a y



WESTERN BANJO FROG(Pobblebonk)

Photo: Syl via Le ig h t o n



This frog only lives in thesouth west of WA. It has pale

brown markings with large black or darkbrown patches and a pale cream striperunning down its back. It also has brightred markings under its legs. It eats insects,worms or anything it can capture. During

July to December a single “plonk” noise canbe heard from the male similar to the sound

of a banjo string being plucked.

WESTERN BANJO

FROGLimnodynastes dorsalis

The female produces a large foam

nest which oats on the water tolay her eggs into. During mating, the

female traps air with her hands, whichshe passes between her legs. The air

bubbles become trapped in the jelly andeggs emerging from her body. The eggsare then fertilised by the male and the

foam nest oats away.

P h o t o : Ange l a S a n d e

r s

Unusual mating



QUACKING FROG


g r a p h y



This is a ground dwelling frogwhich grows up to 4cm long. Its

back pattern is dark brown, light tan andgrey and it has a distinctive red patch underthe back legs. Its call is similar to a duckquacking. During winter it may be foundnear temporary pools at granite outcropsand during summer and autumn it may behibernating under rocks and logs.

QUACKING FROGCrinea georgiana

Try this...

In the wet winter months whenbreeding, calling male frogs will

respond to human “quacks” by“quacking” back with the same

number of calls. You will need to standstill and let the frogs settle rst.

P h o t o :

A n g e

l a S a n d e

r s



KING’S SKINK


t g r a p h y



This is a glossy, black bodiedskink which grows up to 55cm long.

It generally eats soft plant matter but canalso eat insects and eggs. It doesn’t lay eggslike other reptiles but, gives birth to twoto eight live young. It can be seen on theMiddleton Beach boardwalk. It is known asthe Yandy in Noongar.

KING’S SKINKEgernia kingii

Mythbuster! It is commonly thought you won’t

come across a snake in areas where

there are king’s skinks. Unfortunatelythis myth has just been busted! Carpetpythons actually eat king’s skinks.

P h o t o : A n g e

l a S a n d e r s



CROWNED SNAKE

P h o t o : S h e r y n P r i o r



This is a common snake inthe Albany area. It is olive-grey/

brown in colour and can grow up to 70cmlong. It has a distinct bluish grey head anda dark broad band across its neck. In latesummer to autumn, the snake gives birth tolive young which measure 12 to 15cm longand are perfect mini adult replicas. It givesbirth when there are lots of skink hatchlings

about to feed its young.It sometimes

makes its homein abandoned

stick antnests.

CROWNED SNAKEElapognathus coronatus

Misty days

This snake is mostly nocturnal,but can be seen on overcast andmisty days. This may be because their

favoured prey of frogs and lizards areabout and moving slower.

P h o t o : S h a

u n W e l s h



CARPET PYTHON

P h o t o

: A l a n

D a n k s

P h o t o g r a

p h y



This python can be found inmany habitats including banksia and

eucalypt woodlands. It constricts its preyof birds, mammals or reptiles in its jawsbefore throwing coils around it. When dead,it swallows its prey head rst. The femalelays her eggs inside a log and coils aroundthem for 60 days. If the temperature dropstoo low she will shiver to generate heat and

keep the eggs warm.

CARPET PYTHON Morelia spilota imbricata

Big mumma! The female carpet python can weigh

up to four times more than a male.

Some snakes have been recorded at4.5kg in weight and 4m long.

P h o t o

: A l a

n D a n k

s P h o t og raph y



RED-EARED FIRETAIL


g r a p h y



If you look closely in densevegetation you may see the red

tail of this bird hopping around theground collecting seeds for food. During thecourting season in spring, the male sits uphigh with a blade of grass in his red beakand calls the female. He then displays thisto her, which shows her he can provide.Listen for the piercing oating “ooee” of this

secretive bird.

RED-EARED FIRETAIL Stagonopleura oculata

Hot spots

These birds prefer wet areas withthick vegetation and can be seen

around the Ellen Cove Boardwalk,Little Grove, Lake Seppings and Two

Peoples Bay.

P h o t o : A n d r e

a D e e g a n



NEW HOLLANDHONEYEATER

P h o t o : A n d r e a D e e g a n



These birds can be seenchasing each other near blossoms

as they search for nectar to eat. Theyhave black and white streaks with a yellowpatch on their wings and a black headand can grow up to 20cm long. They buildnests of twigs and grass in shrubs includingwoolly bush and banksia. The birds are veryimportant for pollinating plants especially

banksias and acacias,transferring the

pollen whichends up

on theirforehead.

NEW HOLLAND

HONEYEATERPhylidonyris novaehollandiae

Listen and learn

A warning call from a New Holland

honeyeater may tell you when there’sa snake about. It has a different callwhen it spots a bird of prey nearby.

P h o t o

: A l a

n D a n k

s P h o t og raph y



PIED OYSTERCATCHER


y



This bird can be

seen on sandy coastlinesand estuaries running backwards and

forwards with the tide eating exposedmolluscs, worms and small sh. It uses its

especially adapted bill to stab at shellshand sever the muscle that closes the shell– it then eats the body parts. It is easy toidentify with its black and white belly,scarlet bill and red legs. It nests in open

areas and producestwo to three eggs

in a clutch.Please give

these birdsspace fromAugust to Januarywhen

they maybe nesting.

PIED

OYSTERCATCHERHaematopus longirostris

Sooty or pied?

The distinctive white patches

on the pied oystercatcherdifferentiate it from the sooty

oystercatcher which has a totallyblack body. The pied inhabits sandy

beaches whereas the sooty prefersand is more camouaged on, rockycoastlines where it hunts its food.

P h o t o

: A n d r e a

D e e g a n



PACIFIC GULL


y



This bird has a wing span of upto 1.5m and a distinctive yellow bill

with a red tip. It can be seen ying alongdunes or following shing boats. Listenfor it shouting “ow, ow” or “auk, auk”. Iteats mainly sh and molluscs but will alsohunt at night and take the young of otherseabirds. It breeds during September toDecember on offshore islands or in a hole

lined with seaweednear the beach.

This bird isunusual as it

takes threeto fouryears todevelopits adult

colours.

PACIFIC GULLLarus pacifcus

Hot spots

Try places like Emu Point, TheGap and the Blowholes to see

these birds. Watch them as they risevertically 15m into the wind to dropmolluscs on to the rocks to breakthem.

P h o t o : Andr

ea De e g a n



OSPREY


g r a p h y



This graceful bird of prey canbe seen around beaches, estuaries

and upstream. It dives for sh and canoften be seen in a tree eating its catch. Ithas a distinctive dark brown mark throughits eye and a wingspan up to 1.7m. Anosprey call sounds like a “pee-ee” squeal.These birds mate for life and breed fromApril to July, having two to three eggs in a

stack of sticks high ina tree.

OSPREYPandion cristatus

Have you seen one?

Look up high into the top branches oftrees and you may see the huge nest

of an osprey. These nests are addedto each year with all sorts of things

including sticks, seaweed and rope.

P h o

t o : A n d r

e a D e e

g a n



QUENDA(Southern brown bandicoot)


g r a p h y



The quenda has coarse darkgrey to brown fur and grows up

to 45cm long including its tail. It hassmall round ears and a short tail which issometimes broken off from ghting. Aninquisitive creature, it spends a lot of timedigging in the topsoil for food includingarthropods, tubers and fungi. It lives indense vegetation in high rainfall areas.

QUENDA(Southern brown bandicoot) Isoodon obesulus

Have you seen? Although you may not see this

nocturnal creature, you may noticeit’s been around, as it leaves behind

conical shaped diggings fromsearching for the tubers that it eats.


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HONEY POSSUM


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This tiny marsupial growsup to 18cm long including its long

muzzle and tail. On average it weighsabout 8 grams and has three long brownstripes running from behind its ears to itstail. It eats only pollen and nectar, so it isessential it lives in an area where there is aplant owering every evening of the year,such as banksia-rich heaths. The honey

possum plays a vitalrole in transporting

pollen so plantscan reproduce.

HONEY POSSUMTarsipes rostratus

Not a possum at all

The honey possum is not actually apossum at all but the sole survivor of

a group called Tarsipedidae. Its longpointed snout, three long body stripes

and tiny teeth make it different fromother small marsupials. It also has thelargest testicles for its body weight ofany mammal on the planet.

P h o t o

: A l a n D

a n k s P h o

t o g r a p h y



MARDO(Yellow- footed antechinus)

P h o t o : A l a n D a n k s P h o t o g r a p hy



SHORT NOSEDECHIDNA

P h o to: Ma l Gra y



The echidna has lived onthe Australian continent for more

than 150 million years. You may seeone ambling along or you can look forhalf-moon-shaped scratchings at thebase of termite mounds. Its snout is veryimportant for nding food, digging andsquashing worms and larvae. Its hearing isso sensitive it can sense vibrations from ants

and termites workingunderground. It is

a monotreme,which means

it is one ofonly twomammalswho layeggs.

SHORT NOSED

ECHIDNATachyglossus aculeatus acanthion

What’s in a name?

The name echidna comes from theGreek goddess Ekhidna who was

half snake (reptile) and half woman(mammal).

P h o t o : S h

er yn Prior



WESTERN RINGTAILPOSSUM


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WESTERN RINGTAIL

POSSUMPseudocheirus occidentalis

Spotlight

Albany has a healthy colony ofwestern ringtail possums whichyou can see on the Mt

Clarence coastal trailsif you venture outat night with aspotlight.

This nocturnal animal lives insmall family groups and in dense

shrubbery and thickets. It makes a wovennest of leaves 20 to 30cm wide called adrey. It leaps between branches eatingleaves, owers and fruit and it especiallyloves peppermint trees. It grows up to80cm long including its tail which has awhite tip. It has dark brown fur on top and

cream underneath. Itis threatened by

clearing of thebush and

predatorssuch asfoxes.

P h o

t o : A l a n

D a n k s

P h o t og raph y



SOUTHERN RIGHTWHALE

Photo: Ma l G r a y



A southern right whale swimsslowly and was the ‘right’ whale to

hunt as it oated on the surface whendead. They were almost hunted to extinctionbut can be seen along the South Coast fromMay to October. This whale likes to play atthe surface basking for long periods, lobtailing, rolling and ipper slapping. It comesinto sheltered bays and harbours to mate

and calve.

SOUTHERN RIGHT

WHALEEubalaena australis

Look out for this whale withv-shaped blows and no dorsal n. Italso has white callosities on its head ina pattern unique to each whale, which

can identify individual animals. Aerial

photographs are used to determine howmany southern rights visit our shores.

Is it a southern right?

P h o t o : S h e

r y n P r i o r



AUSTRALIANSEA LION

P h o t o : A l a n D a n k s P h o t o g r ap hy



The rarest sea lion in theworld, this endangered animal is

only found on the coastline of SouthAustralia and from the south of WesternAustralia to the Abrolhos Islands. Adultmales are larger than females and canweigh up to 300kg. Each breeding islandis made up of closely related individuals,aunts, daughters and cousins. It is agile for

its size and can leap,surf, gallop, climb

and walk on allfours.

AUSTRALIAN

SEA LIONNeophoca cinerea

Unusual breeding strategy

Unlike other species which givebirth at a similar time every year, the

Australian sea lion breeds on averageevery 17.5 months. Dominant maleswill guard females for the right tobreed with them when they come

into season.

P h o

t o : A l a n

D a n k s P h

o t og raph y



MARRI

P h o t o : E m m a E v a n s



This large tree belongs to thegroup of gum trees known as the

Bloodwoods. It is also called a red gumbecause of the red effusions that you seeon wounds on its trunk. This gum is calledkino. It has one the largest seeds of anyof the eucalypts/corymbias, these seedsare contained in the woody, urn-shapedfruits which we call honky nuts. It is a

very adaptable treewhich can grow

in a variety ofenvironments.

MARRICorymbia calophylla

Who’sbeen eating

my honky nuts? The seeds inside honky nuts are a

favourite food for many birds includingparrots and cockatoos. The long-billed

black cockatoo and the red-cappedparrot are both skilled at removingthe nutritious seeds without breaking

open the honky nut.

P h o

t o : A l a n D

a n k s P h o

t og raph y

P h o t o: S h e r y n P r i

o r



JARRAH

P h o t o : S h e r y n P r i or



This tree grows

up to 40m tall with a trunkup to 3m across. It has rough grey/

brown bark that sheds in long at strips.Its leaves are shiny dark green on top and

paler underneath. It has white owers inearly spring and summer. It has deep roots(up to 40m) that can draw groundwaterin a drought. It also has a lignotuber

which stores carbohydrates

underground so thatit can regenerate

after re.

JARRAHEucalyptus marginata

The great provider Jarrah trees provide food and

shelter for birds, insects andmammals. Its owers produce

nectar - food for animals. Hollowsformed in the trunk are used by

birds and possums to breed. When thetree falls, it provides food for fungi,

lichens, mosses and insects. Fallentrunks and branches are also habitat formarsupials, lizards and snakes.

P h o

t o : A l a n

D a n k

s P h o t

o g r a p h

y

P h o t o: S h e r y n P

r i o r



PEPPERMINT TREE

P h o t o : W i ldfower Socie t y o f WA - A l b

a n y



This plant can be a manystemmed shrub or a stately tree with

spreading branches and weeping foliage.It can grow up to 10m tall and has whiteowers from September to December whichare pollinated by many different insects. Itsleaves smell like peppermint when they aretorn or crushed. It is a favourite food andhabitat for western ringtail possums. Look

out for their scat (poo)under the trees.

PEPPERMINT TREE Agonis exuosa

Full o bendsThe name fexuosa is Latin for ‘full

of bends.’ It gets this name because

the stem of the plant creates a zigzagpattern as it changes direction atevery leaf node.

P hot o: Wild fo w e r s S o c i e t y

o f W

A - A l b

a n y



COASTAL WATTLE

P h o t o : W i ldfower Socie t y o f WA - A l b

a n y



This is

a dense shrub whichgrows in a domed shape if exposed

to the wind or as a small tree in moreprotected sites. It has at, broad seed podswhich twist to release the seeds duringwarm days or at the end of summer.The twisted pods remain long after theseeds have gone. Instead of leaves it hasphyllodes up to 10cm long. Bright yellow

clusters of round owerheads are produced

from earlyspring to late

summer.

COASTAL WATTLE Acacia cyclops

Bloodshot eye?

This plant is also called red-eyedwattle because of its distinctive

seeds. Each black seed is surroundedby a bright red seed stalk (aril). Thisattracts birds and insects which forageunder the plant for fallen seeds whichthey spread widely in the landscape.


a D e e g a n



SHOWY DRYANDRA

Photo: Emma E v a n s



This is a medium-sized shrubwhich grows up to 1.3m tall. Its large

yellow/orange owers are best fromSeptember to December and provide nectarfor birds and honey possums, which in turnhelp pollinate the ower and is necessaryto develop the seed. The dark, hard follicleshold the seed open during hot weatheror when a bushre occurs, allowing the

winged seed to fall out.

SHOWY DRYANDRABanksia ormosa

Ahandsome plant?

The name ormosa comes fromthe Latin word ormosus, whichmeans handsome or beautiful and

refers to the overall appearance of theplant. Latin is the main language used

in botany because its words are stableand their meaning doesn’t change.

P h o t o :

A l a n D

a n k s P

h o t o g r a p h y



GIANT BANKSIA


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This banksia can be a tree ora shrub and only grows in the south

west of WA. It owers from Octoberto January and provides important nectarfor marsupials, birds, bees and ants. Each

follicle contains one developed seed andone ‘empty’ seed which are either side of awinged ‘separator’. Once the follicle opens,in bushre or hot weather, the separatorholds the seed in position until it becomes

wet through rainfall.The separator

then swellsand pushes

the winged

seed out tofall to thegroundandhopefullygerminate.

GIANT BANKSIABanksia grandis

A sweet tongue

The elusive honey possum(Tarsipes rostratus) needs to eatits own body weight in nectar each

day to survive. Its diet is made upexclusively of nectar and pollen, whichit collects with its long brush-tippedtongue.

P hot o: Wild fo w e r S o c i e t y o

f W A

- A l b

a n y



COASTALWOOLLY BUSH




This is a large shrub with softgrey/green foliage that grows up

to 5m tall. It has red/orange owersfor most of the year which attract nectarfeeding birds, although the owers can behard to nd. The coastal woolly bush canbe found growing within the dune systemwhere it protects the sand from wind andwater erosion. It can be used as a native

Christmas tree becauseof the soft grey

foliage.

COASTAL WOOLLY

BUSH Adenanthos sericeus

Albany’sown

Albany has its own subspecieswhich grows around King George

Sound and extends west to Torbayand east near to Cape Riche. The

second subspecies grows some 300kmto the north-east at Cape Le Grand inEsperance.

P h o t o : R o

b H o r l e r



HEART-LEAF POISON




This is a bushy shrub whichoccasionally grows up to 4m tall.

From August to December it producesclusters of yellow/orange pea-owers atthe end of its branchlets. It gets its commonname because the leaves have two lobes atthe end like a heart. Once its owers havebeen pollinated, small black seeds, with awhite aril are formed. These seeds are held

in a pod which opensand releases them

over summer.These fall and

are gatheredby antswhich takethem backto their

nest.

HEART-LEAF POISONGastrolobium bilobum

1080 Poison

This plant producesmonouoroacetic acid which is the

main ingredient of 1080 poison.Native animals like possums and

kangaroos are able to eat this plantsafely but it is toxic to livestock andintroduced animals like foxes, dogs

and cats.

P h o t o : S

h e r y n P r i o

r



STICKY TAIL FLOWER




This is a shrub which can growup to 4m tall and has white/cream

owers from winter, through spring tosummer. It has a distinct smell which youmay notice before you see the plant whichsome people think smells like jasmine. Theleaves also have a sticky feel to them. Whatdo you think it smells like?

STICKY TAIL FLOWER Anthocercis viscosa

Homemaker This plant likes to grow near

granite rocks and is able to establishits root system in the tiniest of cracks.The roots and fallen branches of the

plant trap soil and organic matter, whichcreates a site for other plants such as

mosses, ferns and orchids to grow. Asthese moss beds develop, they help

hold moisture which would otherwiserun off the rock surface.

P h o t o :

A l a n D a n

k s P h o t og raph

y



PARASITIC OLAX

Photo: Emma E v a n s



This is a small shrub whichgrows on the slopes of limestone

dunes and in the hollows in-between. Itcan be recognised easily from a distance, asits drooping grey/green leaves sway heavilyin the wind. It has small white owers thatbloom on and off throughout the year. Thisis a hemi-parasitic plant, which means itcan extract water and nutrients from nearby

host plants. It doesthis by latching

on to their rootsystems.

PARASITIC OLAXOlax phyllanthi

Bull ant sting? Next time you have a bull ant sting

try this: parasitic olax was traditionally

used to treat stings from bull ants byrubbing the leaves on the skin.

P h o t o : S h

e r y n P r i o r



COASTAL DUNE WATTLE




This is a dense, strong smellingshrub which grows up to 3m tall

and has yellow owers from August toNovember. If you look closely you will seeeach ower ‘ball’ is actually an inorescencemade up of 8 – 15 tiny owers. The namelittorea means ‘growing near the coast’. The

leaves look like theshape of a shark’s

tooth, but arethey really a

leaf?

COASTAL DUNE

WATTLE Acacia littorea

Not a true lea

Look closely near this plantand you may see seedlings

growing. When young, these seedlings

have pairs of small divided leaves, but asit grows the leaf stems start to atten outand become a phyllode, with the originalsmall leaves falling off. This phyllode loses

less moisture through transpiration andallows the plant to survive in its harshenvironment. Can you nd these leaflook-a-likes?

P h o

t o : A l a n D

a n k s P h

o t o g r a p h y



COASTAL SWORD SEDGELepidosperma gladiatum

This is a dense plant that can befound growing in clumps on sand

dunes and also under peppermint trees.It can grow up to 1.5m tall and has at

leaves. It has a black/brown inorescencemade up of hundreds of tiny owers. Itsdense growth provides a great home forburrowing animals which

can hide from largerpredators.

P h o t o : W i l d fower Societ y o f WA - A l b a n

y

P h o t o: S h a u n W e

l s h



KNOTTED CLUB RUSHFicinia nodosa

This is a tough plant found growingon sand dunes close to the water. It

only has leaves at the base of the stemand grows up to 90cm high. It has brown

ball-shaped owers at the end of the stemsfrom November to March. It grows froma rhizome, which means part of its stemis found underground. The rhizomes and

root systems help to hold the sand dunestogether.

P h o t o : S h e r y n P r i or

P h o t o : W i l d f o w er S o c i e

t y o f W

A - A

l b

a n y



GRANITE BUNNY ORCHIDEriochilus pulchellus

This is a very small orchid thatgrows to a maximum of 15cm. It has

a small leaf near the base of the owerstem and owers during April and May.

This early owering enables it to set fruitquickly, then for the rest of the growingseason it is replenishing its undergroundbulb, ready for next year. In Albany it is

unusual because it grows on limestone,generally it grows on exposed graniteoutcrops near the coast, amongst moss

beds.

P h o t o : S h a u n W e l s h



SUNDEWSDrosera

Theseare carnivorous

plants which lure, captureand digest insects using sticky

glands that cover their leaves. Theycan grow for up to 50 years in areas

where there is a lot of sunlight. They

use enzymes to dissolve insects thatbecome trapped and then absorb thenutrient soup through their leaves. Thishelps them supplement their requirementswhen growing in nutrient poor soils. The

sundews either have large at leaves onthe ground or more delicate climbing

stems with the small, gland coveredleaves held out, ready to catch a

y or mosquito.

P h o t o : An d r e a D e e gan

P h oto: R o b H o

r l e r



ORANGE BRACKET FUNGIPycnoporus coccineus

Orange bracket fungi is very common

and produces fruiting bodies on deadwood. Like other saprotrophic fungi, thisspecies breaks down dead organic matter,returning the nutrients to the soil, where

they become available to other organisms.Bracket fungi were traditionally used bypeople to cure sore mouths by sucking

them or rubbing the fruiting bodieson their lips.

Photo: Katrina S y m e



THE NATIVE OYSTERMUSHROOMPleurotus australis

The native oyster mushroom grows inearly to mid-winter in coastal areas. In

Western Australia, it is commonly found

fruiting on the trunks of peppermint trees,gaining its nutrition from the heartwoodand also by trapping nematodes on itsspecialised hyphae. Beware - the native

oyster mushroom can be difcult todistinguish from the poisonous, luminousghost mushroom (Omphalotus

nidiormis) so keep it out of yourcooking pot.




VERMILION GRISETTE Amanita xanthocephala

This colourful, very commonspecies produces fruiting bodies(mushrooms) over an extended

period. It has an orange/yellow capand contrasting white gills. The name

xanthocephala comes from Greek foryellow head. Vermilion grisette forms asymbiotic relationship with various plants(including eucalypts), via the fungal

mycelium contact with the plant roots. Thefungal mycelium passes moisture andnutrients to the plants in exchange for

carbohydrates and can also protectthe plant from pathogens.




Lichens consist of asymbiotic relationship between afungus and a photosynthetic partner.

This lichen lives on tree bark, particularlypeppermint trees. The thallus (body) of

the lichen is creamy-white and lives abovethe surface of the bark. The fruiting bodies(apothecia) look like orange discs. It is acrustose lichen which means it grows at

on a surface. The tree provides the habitatfor the lichen. Many minute creaturesincluding insects, arthropods and

spiders use the lichen for food oras a home.

creatures of the west australian coastal bush

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