Category: Plant of the Month

Sticky Daisy-bush Olearia glandulosa is a bushy erect shrub, often single-stemmed from the base.  Mauve, pink or white flowers occur in terminal clusters from December to February. It is scattered along the coastline from SA to NSW. At Venus Bay it occurs along the coastal dunes and makes a statement during the flowering time. Read more about Sticky Daisy-bush Olearia glutinosa (PDF)

Coast Spear-grass Austrostipa stipoides is another of our attractive native grasses. It is a densely tufted tussock with narrow, prickly, inrolled leaves and flowering stems or culms to 80 cm high. The flowers form a narrow panicle from October to March and the hairy seeds have a long awn up to 4 cm long. The common name of Spear-grass for this genus is from the sharp, pointed seeds that can penetrate the skin, mouths and eyes of stock. At Venus…

Tussock Grass Poa labillardierei is a large densely tufted tussock with leaves usually at least half as high as the culms or flowering stems. The dull green leaf blades have a rough feel, grow up to 80 cm long and are channeled or sometimes flat. Flowering heads occur in an open pyramid shape up to 25 cm long, from October to February. Tussock Grass is common on moist soils throughout most of Victoria. Coast Tussock Grass Poa poiformis also grows…

Coast Pomaderris Pomaderris paniculosa ssp. paralia is a compact shrub growing 1-2 metres high and the same wide. Branchlets are softly hairy, giving a pale or rusty appearance. It is the coastal subspecies of Pomaderris paniculosa, distinguished by the large leaves, 1.5 to 5 cm long and 1-2.5 cm wide, with a smooth, shiny upper surface and a paler, densely hairy lower surface, the hairs usually extending around the margin of the leaf. Cream or greenish flowers without petals occur…

Hop Goodenia Goodenia ovata is a fast growing, erect shrub, with yellow flowers in the leaf axils. It occurs at Venus Bay in the Cape Liptrap Coastal Park and surrounding areas. Read more about Hop Goodenia Goodenia ovata (PDF)

Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina is a delicate scrambling herb that has small mauve pea-flowers held in racemes, from August to February. At Venus Bay it is found in Cape Liptrap Coastal Park at Point Smythe and along Anderson Inlet. It occurs in all states except Northern Territory.  Read more about Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina (PDF)

There are two Gnat orchids found at Venus Bay: The most common is Cyrtostylis reniformis Gnat orchid and the other Cyrtostylis robusta Large Gnat orchid. They are both tiny deciduous terrestrial orchids that often form large colonies in our coastal scrub. Read more about Gnat Orchid Cyrtostylis reniformis (PDF)

Shrubby Glasswort Tecticornia arbuscula is a rounded, many-branched shrub, growing to 2 metres high by 1-2 metres wide. The succulent and segmented branches are grey-green with reddish tinges. The tiny white flowers occur in a spike, in fused bracts in axils of the end stem segments (called articles), from July to December. Shrubby Glasswort is a component of the saltmarsh community of Anderson Inlet at Venus Bay and is also found in estuarine and coastal areas of the southern states…