Category: Plant of the Month

Coast Spear-grass Austrostipa flavescens is a fine, tufted grass that flowers from October to December in coastal locations of the southern States, including at Venus Bay. It is salt tolerant and a useful soil binder for sandy soils. Red-browed Finches love to swing on the flower heads while eating the seed. Read more about Coast Spear-grass Austrostipa flavescens here (PDF).

Bracken, or Austral Bracken Pteridium esculentum is a robust native fern with rigidly erect fronds, spreading from a vigorous rhizome or underground stem. Bracken is the most common and widespread fern in eastern Australia, often dominating the understorey in forests and woodlands. It is an aggressive coloniser of disturbed areas and is stimulated by fire. It is naturally occurring in areas of Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower. Read more about Bracken Pteridium esculentum here (PDF)

Although locally common along the fringe of the coastal saltmarsh on Anderson Inlet, Marsh Saltbush is classed as rare in Victoria. It is fire-resistant, drought and salt tolerant and excellent for soil erosion control. Read more about Marsh Saltbush Atriplex paludosa (PDF)

Angled Lobelia Lobelia anceps is a spreading perennial herb that spreads from the nodes, which may grow to 30 cm or form a matted ground cover. It has small pale blue to violet flowers and provides colour to a damp site. Angled Lobelia grows in moist sheltered areas in Venus Bay, Point Smythe and along Anderson Inlet. It grows in a range of vegetation communities but mainly on the edges of water and seepage lines of coastal cliffs. Read more…

This month we feature Coast Bitter-bush Adriana quadripartita, a shrub growing on the coastal dunes at Venus Bay. It’s leaves may be glossy or downy in different forms. It has been listed as threatened, therefore it is an important shrub that should be preserved wherever it is found. Read more here about Coast Bitter-bush Adriana quadripartita (PDF)

Prickly Moses Acacia verticillata is an erect shrub or small tree with yellow flowers  held in a cylindrical spike, from June to December. it is found at Venus Bay, mainly at Point Smythe. Read more about Prickly Moses Acacia verticillata (PDF)

Grass Daisy Brachyscome graminea is a perennial herb with bright green, grass-like fleshy leaves. Single flowers are white to mauve, to 2 cm wide, from September to May.  Grass Daisy is found in moist brackish areas such as along Anderson Inlet and is part of the saltmarsh community. It is also found in all the south-eastern States.

Streaked Arrow-grass Triglochin striata is a semi-aquatic perennial herb, with leaves forming tufts along the rhizome or underground stem. The leaves in those found locally are rounded, although there is also a flat leaved form. The inflorescence is a spike to 18 cm long with 20-200 tiny greenish flowers, on an erect stem, from August to May.  At Venus Bay Streaked Arrow-grass is found in saltmarsh vegetation along Anderson Inlet. Read more about Streaked Arrow-grass Triglochin striata (PDF)

Creeping Monkey-flower Thyridia repens is a succulent matting perennial herb. Violet flowers occur throughout the year, peaking from September to April. It is found in all Australian states in swampy sites and on the edges of coastal and inland saltmarsh. At Venus Bay is found along Anderson Inlet and beside the Tarwin Lower Venus Bay bike path. Read more about Creeping Monkey-flower Thyridia repens (PDF)

Bidgee-widgee Acaena novae-zelandiae is a prostrate, hairy, stoloniferous perennial herb. It is a common ground component at Venus Bay and is also widespread in Victoria and from South Australia to Queensland. Read more about Bidgee-widgee Acaena novae-zelandiae (PDF)