Desert Plant ID

Submitted: Saturday, Aug 31, 2013 at 21:41
ThreadID: 104131 Views:2583 Replies:2 FollowUps:12
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Hi there,

I spotted a plant that stuck out amongst the spinifex and anthills in the GSD.

I'm not really big on plants normally, but as this one was the only one I saw of this type I was wondering if someone could do an ID check for me please.




Thanks
Alan



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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 00:31

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 00:31
Hi Alan, checked in a desert plant book I've got and I think that the plant may be the 'Black Bluebush - maireana pyramidata'

cheers

Dunc.

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Follow Up By: equinox - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 01:09

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 01:09
Hi Dunc,

Thanks for that, I'll check the name out.

I should have mentioned that this was in the northern section of the GSD, bordering on the western Tanami.

Actual co-ords were: 20 26 21.678S 127 48 51.9804E about 20 kms south of Gunnawarrawarra Rockhole.

Cheers
Alan


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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 09:57

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 09:57
I sort of concur with Dunc but I am not 100%. The difficulty is comparing a photo where colours can vary and no flower / fruit to help

I most likely used the same reference "A Guide to Plants of Inland Australia" by Philip Moore.

I spent some time going through the book and hovered over the black bluebush ..with no real alternative coming up.....and decided to wait out for some one else opinion....

my take is that it is the closest match in the book but not a good match?

cheers

Graeme



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Follow Up By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 10:46

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 10:46
Hi Graeme the book I'm using is "A Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Outback Australia" by Denise Greig

Pocket sized book but unfortunately small pictures and small writing.

cheers

Dunc
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Follow Up By: equinox - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:06

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:06
Thanks Graeme,
So two different books and the somewhat of a consensus.
Here's a picture of the flower, though quality is poor with zooming.



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Alan

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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:08

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:08
Hi Dunc

My book is normal size (paper back size but a glossy quality book...) and has photos about 75 x 75 of each plant.....but still not easy to pick...still no one else has an alternative from your seuggestion as yet
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:17

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:17
mmmmm!...back to the book it seems...my book shows a yellow flower

"Densely branched dull blue-grey shrub to 1m high with densely to sparsely woolly branchlets. LEAVES: fleshy, subterete, 2-5cm long, short, hairy, tip pointed. FRUIT: green turning pale brown, drying black, tube tapering slightly, sparsely hairy below wing and forming a raised hairy projection above it; wing horizontal, 10-15mm diameter, entire or with a radial split

make sense of that!
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Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 21:05

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 21:05
Hi Bungarra,

I have no idea what the bush is but I can advise that the description that you have given in no way matches the photo. "Subterete" means almost cylindrical - the leaves in the photo are regular flat leaves, and their tips are not pointed. Colour is not blue-grey and the branches don't seem to have a woolly covering.

Overall it just doesn't look like a bluebush (Maireana)

Its hard to say if the photo that Rockape has posted is of the same plant - I doubt that it is, as that plant seems to have seed pods and small, possiibly cylindrical leaves. Really need a close-up image to be sure.

Sorry that I cant offer more positive comments.

Cheers,

Val.
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, Sep 02, 2013 at 11:54

Monday, Sep 02, 2013 at 11:54
Hi John & Val

I agree with your comments which is why I pasted the comments out of the book to assist all those showing interest.

No identification still remains the best rather than an incorrect one...but still frustrating to not know...initially for Allan but a few more of us!

cheers
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Reply By: Rockape - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 05:55

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 05:55
Alan,
This photo was taken on a tabletop hill overlooking Lake Harry not far from the Birdsville track.

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Follow Up By: equinox - Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:08

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 at 11:08
Thanks for that - looks similar, hard to tell.


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Follow Up By: Teraa - Tuesday, Sep 03, 2013 at 20:05

Tuesday, Sep 03, 2013 at 20:05
I don't know what the top plants but this one is a twin leaf theres a couple have a look in ur book. If you don't find it give me a cooee as I am just being lazy and not getting my book
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Wednesday, Sep 04, 2013 at 08:38

Wednesday, Sep 04, 2013 at 08:38
such a helpful observation and comment...why bother to post?
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Follow Up By: Teraa - Wednesday, Sep 04, 2013 at 21:34

Wednesday, Sep 04, 2013 at 21:34
Not sure why the boohoo but the 2nd plant is a twin leaf what's wrong with that ?
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