Australia So Much to See

Sources used for identification of wildflowers shown on these pages and regions where they occur see Credits

These pages will feature some of the wildflowers I have photographed in Western Australia, and where possible, identified. If you are able to help identify further flowers, or correct any I may have wrong, please contact us.

Information given for each species will give botanical name, known common names, describe the flower, give time of year it flowered, and where it was photographed, and the areas it occurs in. Names have been matched to Florabase which has also been used to show distribution.

See some of these wildflower in larger sized photos on our Flickr pages.

Home > Lists and Links > Nature in Australia > Alphabetical Wildflower Index > Wildflowers P-1

Patersonia occidentalis Purple Lily, Purple Flag, Long Purple Flag, Blue Flag, Grass-leafed Patersonia, Native Iris, Komma, Koma.
Purple, three petals, smooth strap-like leaves. The shorter stemmed varieties are subspecies of Patersonia occidentalis.
Late Winter through to early Summer and photographed September-November

Bridgetown, South West region, Western Australia and found from Kalbarri to Esperance and areas to the southwest of this line.

The Patersonia at left was photographed near Port Gregory in the Mid West region in Spring, and has broader and lightly crinkly petals and a more mauve shade than the specimens from the South West shown above.

Possibly sub species of Patersonia occidentalis.

Patersonia babianoides, Rib-leaved Patersonia
Purple-blue, three petals, only two ridged strap-like leaves. Some hairs or spines evident on the leaves photographed. The base of the short flower stem has a furry sleeve
October.
Bridgetown, South West region, Western Australia and found from Perth and through the South West and along the south coast near Albany

Paracaleana nigrita, Flying Duck Orchid

This is a tiny plant and an orchid modified to mimic a female thynnid wasp, to assist pollination by attracting male thynnid wasps.

Description from Wikipedia:

The flowering stem is wiry, dull brownish maroon and bears one to a few flowers each on a stalk, each with a small leaf-like bract.

The dorsal sepal and the two lateral petals are similar in size and are narrow linear in shape with pointed or club-shaped ends. The dorsal sepal points downwards and is pressed against the column. The lateral sepals and two petals usually spread obliquely downwards and sideways. The dorsal sepal and petals are attached to the base of the column where it joins to the ovary.

As is usual in orchids, one petal is highly modified as the central labellum. Duck orchids have an unusual, insect-like labellum which flicks over when touched. The labellum is attached to the column by a flexible "claw" which bends under the weight of a pollinating wasp. The labellum is flask-shaped, narrowing near the end with the narrow end covered with small raised calli or glands which are usually black, but may be maroon or greenish.

Glands on the labellum emit pheromones which are sexual attractants for male thynnid wasps. The sexual parts of the flower are fused to the column which has broad wings along its length, forming a cup-like basket.

Paracaleana nigrita, Flying Dick Orchid. Genus may be known as Caleana or Sullivan some states.
A tiny orchid which occurs in sandy soils, with a short reddish brown stem from a small base leaf at ground level. These can be seen above left, and the surrounding moss gives a size comparison

September - October

Bridgetown, and occurs in the Perth region, extending north into the Mid West, through much of the South West, the lower Great Southern, and into the Goldfields around Esperance