'Australian Plants' Vol.10 No.80 September 1979 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | The text in this file has been extracted from 'Australian Plants' Vol.10 No.80 September 1979.| | | | Please note that the file was compiled from a scan of the original document. As successful | | scanning is dependent on the quality of the original, there may be errors in the text where | | the scanning software was unable to recognise particular words. | | | | PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW THE ACTUAL, ACCURATELY FORMATTED | | JOURNAL, INCLUDING ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS: | | | | https://anpsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Australian-Plants/Australian-Plants-Vol10-80.pdf | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Registered for posting as a periodical-—Category B September, 1979 Vol. 10, No. 80 75c @@@ 2 @@@ STAGHORNS and ELKHORNS Please turn to page 189 for information on the cultivation of these excesptional plants.—Editor. WILDFLOWERS FOR HORTICULTURE Editor Are the wildflowers of Australia suitable for horticulture? Without a doubt there are hundreds of plants that would compete with the best of the world’s flora in beauty and presentation. What are thes factors that have limited their wider use in garden display? Propagation of the Best Forms of Australian Plants! Many are not easy to propagate in commercial quantities and this applies especially to the reliable propagation of goocd forms. This is one area where the society with the scientist and the horticultural trade has still much to do and record. See the excellent articles on pages 176 and 178. Reliable Cultivation of the Best Forms of Australian Plants! Here is the major problem. It would seem we know so little; or rather we have recorded a lot over the twenty years of this periodical, but we are still no nearer the production of a guide to the reliable cultivation of the best forms. Articles by field observers and persistent cultivators are needed and this is the reason for the prominence given to Les Norton’s article opposite. Verticordia have not proved reliable in cultivation but their horticultural potential is enormous. Will readers pleasz contribute notes on their ex- periences, or grow and report on these beautiful plants. The Best Forms of Australian Piants! It is vital that we propagate from and cultivate the best forms. This Society instigated ths formation of the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority with the objective of properly recording the best garden plants evolved from the Australian Flora. | personally agree with the comments of Merv Roberts, page 175. The development of horticultural plants from the best forms of true species would appear to me to offer the greatest promise. For instance Banksia canei ‘Celia Rosser’ is a selection of a plant by Alf Salkin which could be a most attractive rockzry or tub plant. The selections by Bill Molyneux of good forms cf species and registered in this issue as Austra- flora cultivars is a trend in the trade to be encouragsd and supported. CONTENTS: Verticordia—As | See them (Les NOrton) .........ccccccoviiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiieeiiiiiieisesesnsnaeee 151 Australian Plant Cultivars (Australian Cultivar Registration Authoritv) .................. 185 Grevillea Poorinda cultivars: Adorning, Ann=ztte, Beulah, Blondie, Diadem, Emblem, Empress, Enchantment, Gemini, Hula, Jeanie, Royal Carpet, Silver Sheen, Stephen & Vivacity. Austraflora cultivars: Grevillea ‘Austraflora Copper Crest’, Grevillea ‘Austra- flora Pendant Clusters’, Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’, Acacia amblygona ‘Austraflora Winter Gold’, Crowea exalata ‘Austraflora Green Cape’, Yardenbergia violacea ‘Austraflora Aspiraticn’ & Spyridium parvifolium AGSraflora NIMDUS .. ..5.cissrsssotnszsionssoasessoasspsssissosasotssseessessasisesiisesssvess 167 Howie cultivars: Baeckea virgata ‘Howie's Feathertips’, Baeckea virgata "Howle’s: Swoeet MIdget Sl isimese v s ivimiiisis 1ivissy o588t starasnssssssssnsny 170 Special selections: Grevillea obtusiflora ‘Little Thicket’, Acacia pravissima 'Golden Carpet’, Banksia canei ‘Celia Rosser’, Correa ‘Bett's Red’, Helichrysum brac- teatum ‘Hastings Gold’, Hypocalymma cordifolium ‘Golden Veil’, Kunzea ‘Badja Carpet’ & Anigozanthos flavidus ‘Werite Woorata’“. Another David Gordon selection—Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’. Germination of some Banksia Species (M. R. Heslehurst) Aerial Rooting of Native Plants (Leo Hodge) .................. The Genus Platycerium in Australia (G. J. Goudey) Cultivaticn of Staghorns & Elkhorns (L. P. Butt) COVER PLATE: Platycerium superbum The cultivation of this staghorn and other specizs of Platycerium is presented on pages 189 and 190. Page 150—Vol. 10 @@@ 3 @@@ Verticordia As | See Them by Les Norton Introduction by the Editor | was fortunate enough to have a chat with Les Norton and enjoy a stroll in his garden. He is most anxious to shars his methods of propagation and cultivation based on many years of experience. His fondest memories ere of many years ago when he was fortunate enough to accompany the late Charles Gardner on an occasional field trip. The following article is based upon notes prepared during 20 years of careful observation of the plants in the wild and cultivation in his garden, and Les Norton offers them to you with full apology for his limited botanical competencs (which in practical terms is really quite extensive), but loaded with practical knowledge gained as an inveterate ‘bushie” and old-time “sand groper”. He is now a keen propagator and gardzner. Propagation the Les Norton Way Les does not have any secret msthods. They are so practical, yet productive, that | felt the reader may like to share what | saw. Les refers to his methods, but they are cso obviously commonsense to him that he has not considered it necessary to give precise details. All his propagation is done in the opzn with protaction from shrubs. His cuttings get morning and evening sun, shade during the day, but not heavy shade, protection from persistent draughts and wind, but very free, even breezy, air circulation. His seed is in a sand bad 10 cm deep sitting on top of the ground. The seed is sown in rows just as you would sow lettuce or poppics. His cuttings are in about 15 cm containers or pots set in a coarse sand racovered from a clean sunbleached rain-water gully or drain. Unlike most other successful propagators | know, he prefers heel cuttings. These are 10-15 cm long and are placed in the cutting medium at a 45 degree angle. He acknowledges that he often gets rooting from other nodes (places where a leaf has been removed) that are below soil level and feels his angular planting could be a factor. His plants are all quite vigorous in a raised sand garden. He does not “poison” them with fertilizer, but mulches heavily with Casuarina needles. Verticordia — Those Magnificent Flowering Plants of the West To me the most bzautiful flowering plant is a Verticordia. These magnificent plants are found only in Western Australia; on the sand heath plains of the Darling Escarpment, in the unique floral areas of the south wast, and upwards with even a faw in the tropical north west. If | can encourage a more determined effort to study cultivation needs and reliable propagation techniques before it is too late, before my belovad Verticordia are exterminated, | will be infinitely rewarded. Survival in the Wild! Consider the hazards of survival of new plants in their natural habitat. The genus has evolved to contend with the problems of nature itself. Droughts &fter an early germination, disease, pests of inssct nature, fires, animals trampling and eating, and flooding are some of the hazards facing the uphill fight of nature. But! Can these plants survive the onslaught of civilisation for long with roads and tracks bzing made through virgin bush, the devastation of bulldozers, and especially stock, the increased frequency of fire and the introduction of weeds and pests. There is a vital need to re-establish plants of all species in secure colonies before it is too late. Page 151—Vol. 10 @@@ 4 @@@ d -] Q o & o1 I < 2 i (=] @@@ 5 @@@ Verticordia chrysantha Photography by J. Glass The Golden Verticordia There are a number of species of yellow flowered Verticordia similar to Verticordia chrysantha above. Another, Verticordia grandiflora, is featured in colour on page 181 where its characteristic change in colour to red of the flowers as they die, is hinted at. Other yellow flowered species are V. acerosa where the flowers are a pale yellow with an orange centre, V. chrysostachys which is a tall growing species with numerous flowers of deep yellow, V. helichrysantha where the yellow flowers are distinguished by their very long styles (they may be distinguished from V. hughanii and V. humilis with their prominent styles as these very similar species are an orange coloured bronze). V. lepi- dophlla also a tall growing plant but with minute foliage and small lime/yellow flowers in spikes, V. preissii with large yellow flowers on a small bush with linear foliage, V. nitens which is a narrow erect shrub with beautiful large heads of orange blossum and V. serrata with heads of golden blooms of a very small size on a sparsely foliaged bush, very similar to V. nitens but with longer stamens. Verticordia monadelpha (plant and flowers opposite) Photography by Brian Grafters Excellent photographs of a beautiful shrub. I may have had even better photographs but these are from a plant growing in a garden proving that cultivation of these magni- ficent shrubs is possible. These shrubs are a real challenge to a gardener. The best chance for a break through is by propagation from plants growing in gardens. Who will nurture the world’s horticultural Verticordia? —Editor. Page 1563—Vol. 10 @@@ 6 @@@ Shires should train their personne! to identily these precious and rare plants and take evasive action to prevent their destruction wherever possible. Also, the ignorance of the public in general of our fortunate position in having these beautiful plants should be borne to them wherever possible, especiaily migrants and new Australians; so they in turn can convey their interest and knowledge to conservation and its aspects. What a terrible sight to go along a road in several shires where previously Verticordia densiflora, V. huegeli, V. chrysantha and Xmas Tree (Nuytsia floribunda) flourished among other beauties like Hypocalymma robustum and H. angusti- folium, Hovea trisperma and the Paws, Anigozanthos viridis and A. manglesii aboundzd, to see it all dozed flat, the entire vergs to stock fences, etc. Just plain ignorance or deliberate devastation to thousands of acres of natural flora, whereas half could have been saved. And then the shire has the audacity to put up a sign in the next street or lot against picking a flower, or removal of a bit of soil. It makes one wonder! Notes on Propagation Nature’s way of sowing seed takes advantags of the structure of the feathered petals. These are distributed by the wind, which is very strong at times on these plains, and flowers in their dry condition can be wind-borne over long distances. Wherever they fall or are obstructed they will lie and eventually be pinned down by sand or refuse and the calyx covered sufficiently for the seed to germinate when the autumn rain comes. Hence a new area is propagated. How can we achieve this artificially? Our first problem is getting good seed. One has to remember that owing to man’s intrusion with his animals, machinery, burning, etc., the whole natural environment of these plants has been altered. The usual pollinators in the form of bird or inszct have in many cases been depleted. Hence a largs quantity of certain varieties of Verticordia are not bzing fertilized in their normal manner, and a lot of seed may be necsssary in the hope that a few percent have managed to be fertilized. In an attempt to copy nature | sow sced in a sand bed on the ground in my garden. Success is very variable. With difficult seed | have tried fire treatment. This is done by layering liberal quantities of seed on a sand bed and covering it with 3 mm of sand. Next cover sand with another layer 5 cm thick, consisting of straw, Casuarina needles, etc. This is then fired and later the area is lightly sprayed with water. If this procedure is carried out correctly it will assist in the germination of the seed. Propagation by cuttings has been more successful and reliable. | use node or heel or tip cuttings for propagation. The following points are to be remembered. The location of the cutting or seed beds? Do not attempt to strike cuttings under glass or in hot-houses, as high humidity is usually fatal to them. They require a dry atmosphere as found on dry sand plains, etc., for the greater part of the year. The cuttings should be of modest size, say 10-12 cm long, szt in well drained sandy mediums with free air circulation (note: not draughty position) for best results. Continued on page 179 where Les Norton gives notes on cultivation and descriptions of the species as seen by a genuine ““sand groper™. Editor's Note: This interruption of articles and continuing them in back pages of the issue is unfortunate but necessary. Colour plates may be placed on only certaiq pages, principally near the front of the issue. It is essential that some of the new cultivars to be described be supported by colour plates. All cultivar descriptions should have an accompanying colour plate for adequate presentation but suitable colour slides are not available. Some of the cultivers to be described here have been developbed and formally registered for their general landscapping value and a colour photograph of a flower would give a quite unimpressive picture of the real value of the plant. A photograph of such an established plant usually fails to present the impact of the plant with no detail showing up, and the surrornding scene is lost. You will just have to accept the descriptions, purchase a plant and see how it enhénces vour garden. . The Austraflora cultivars from page 167 are excellent examples, plants resulting from selection and trials by one of Australia’s leading horticulturalists. Bill Molyneux. National Botanic Gardens cultivars such as Grevillea obtusiflora ‘Little Thicket’, and Kunzea 'Badja Carpet’ are impressive character piants that defy the camera, so go to the gardens to see them for yourself. Page 154—Vol. 10 @@@ 7 @@@ Australian Plant Cultivars An official release by the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority. The following cultivars using plants from the Australian Flora have been registered in accordance with international rules. The Grevillea ‘Poorinda’ cultivars originated by Mr. Leo Hodge are continued, previous registrations being published in Australian Plants Vol. No. 73. Other cultivars formally registered follow. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA ADORNING’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Adorning’ is said to be a seedling resulting from a form of Grevillea juniperina from New South Wales. Description: It is a low spreading shrub growing to a height of about 1 m. The pungent leaves are long and narrow and about 25 mm long by 2-3 mm wide. The upper surface is shiny green, whilst the underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The very woolly flowers are formed into dense clusters and are produced terminally on short side laterals. The perianth is bright pink and about 16 mm long, and the styles are about 25 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from most forms of Grevillea juniperina, as it has bright pink flowers instead of the usual for the species of red, orange or yellow flowers. Colour Coding: Perianth and Style: red-orange 52A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardsns 66. Cultivar received by the Authority: November 1968. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA ANNETTE’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Annette’ is said to bs a hybrid between Grevillea juniperina and a small flowered form of Grevillea alpina. (Colour pl. 75:293.) Description: It is a compact shrub growing to a height of 1 m by about 75cm wide. The leaves are entire, finely pointed and 15-20 mm long by about 3 mm wide. The upper leaf surface is rough while the underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The leaf edges are rolled to the underside. The flowers are formed into terminal clusters. The 5 mm long perianths are apricot in colour while the deep pink styles arz about 10 mm long. This liybrid is said to be sterile. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from Grevillea juniperina in its broader and less hairy leaves and less pointed leaf tips. It is different from Grevillea alpina in its more pointed and less hairy leaves. Also the perianths and styles are longer than those usuelly szcn in Grevillea alpina. Colour Coding: Perianth: Yellow-orange 20c. Style: Red 51 B. Reference Specimen: ' ‘ Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 67. Cultivar first received by the Authority: November, 1968. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. Descriptions continued on page 158. FOOTNOTE BY THE EDITOR: With this formal publication of = registered cultivars it is not possible to include additional informaticn on the plants, many of which are worthy of further descriptive advice on appearance and application. Readers are invited to submit short articles on plants worthy of wider cultivation. Page 155—Vol. 10 @@@ 8 @@@ o - Vol. Page 156 @@@ 9 @@@ The Grevillea hookerana ‘Poorinda . . .” Cultivars . . . i Grevillea hookerana, the magnificent plant illustrated above, has provided many fine cultivars. The species itself is quite veriable and many forms could become separate species eventually. It is a reliable plant in cultivation lending itself to development of good horticultural forms as well as for hybridization. A comment on the above colour plate by R. D. Royce, then Curator of the Western Australian Herbarium, was: ““The plant shown is not really typical but must be called Grevillea hookerana at this time. The flowers above are obviously glabrous whereas those of G. hookerana are hirsute flowers."” Leo Hodge advises that the form of Grevillea hookerana that he used to develop his cultivars differed from that illustrated above, the leaf divisions being somewhat shorter than those shown above. Leo Hodge advises that there were only three uncrossed seedlings of Grevillea hookerana that he retained for horticultural development, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ all described in this issue and mentioned below. Others were seedlings of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ as mentioned below. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ — top left Photograph by P. Tully. As mentioned in the description on page 158, and as shown opposite, this plant differs considerably from the parent Grevillea hookerana. The flower colour shown is a little redder than it should be, the yellow styles prompting the name ‘‘Blondie’”. Other seedlings of Grevillea hookerana selected for horticulture and described in this Issue are Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ which is a smaller compact plant than its parent being similar to it in other respects except that in this case the flower styles (bristles of the tooth- brush), are pink; and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ where the fine grey hairs on the upper leaf surface give the plant a silvery sheen. Seedlings of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ are Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’, which has fewer lobes in the leaves and pink styles, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Enchantment’ which has more lobes on the leaves than its parent and mauve styles, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Regina’ and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Miriam’, the latter two not being described or registered here. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Vivacity® (left) Grevillea ‘Poorinda Stephen’ (right) in the colour plate at bottom of the opposite page). These cultivars are hybrids between Grevillea speciosa (the red spider flower of the Sydney region) and Grevillea oleoides also a reliable and showy plant in the garden. As described on page 166 a feature of these plants is their small stature, delightful shrubs to one metre high. In Grevillea ‘Poorinda Stephen’ the red flowers are borne in leaf axils along short branchlets whereas with Grevillea ‘Poorinda Vivacity’ the flowers are formed into clusters and borne on the ends of branchlets as well as from leaf axils. Page 157—Vol. 10 @@@ 10 @@@ GREVILLEA '‘POORINDA BEULAH’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’ is said to be a seedling resulting from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. Description: It is a dense shrub growing to a height of about 1.5 m by 2 m wide. The leaves are often up to 100 mm long and are usually lobed. The width of the leaves at their widest is about 30 mm. New growth is an attractive bronze colour, whilst the upper surface of the older leaves is dark shiny green. The underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The flowers are of the “toothbrush” type and are borne terminally on short branches. Occasionally flowers are produced cn the stem opposite a leaf. The perianth is smoky-pink with a prominant style which graduates to yellow at the tip. Flowers are 10 mm long and styles 25 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its stated parent in leaf shape and colour of style. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’ has an averags of three lobes per leaf compared with an average of 14 for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. The perianth colour of both cultivars is the same, however the styles vary from pink in Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’ to yellow in Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. Colour Coding: Inner perianth tube: greyed-purple 187D. Outer perianth tube: near greyed-purple 186 C. Style red 49A. Limb: greyed-orange 172 B and C. Reference Specimen: Accession numbezr: National Bolanic Gardzns, 75. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA BLONDIE’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ is said to be a seedling resulting from Grevillea hookerana. See page 156 for a coiour plate. Description: It is a large shrub growing to a height of about 4 m by 5 m wide. The leaves are long and narrow and very deeply lobed. Each lobe is pungent. The average number of lobes per leaf on the specimen examined is 14. The leaves are about 120 mm long and up to 40 mm wide across the lobes. Occasionally entire leaves are produced. New foliage exhibits an attractive bronze colour whilst the older foliage is dark green on the upper surface and grey on the underside with a covering of silky hairs. The flowers are of the “toothbrush” type and are borne terminally on short branchlets. The perianth is about 8 mm long and is covered with dense hairs. The prominent yellow styles are about 20 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its stated parent in leaf shape and colour of styles. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ has wider, about 4 mm, and shorter, about 10 mm, lobes than Grevillea hookerana, which had on the specimen examined lobes 2 mm wide and up to 40 mm long. This cultivar has yellow styles compared with red for Grevillea hookerana. See page 157. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ is different from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’ in number of lobes per leaf and colour of styles. This cultivar has an average of 14 lobes per leaf, compared with an average of three for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’, and has yellow styles compared with pink for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Beulah’. The perianth colour is the same. Colour Coding: Inner perianth tube: greyed-purple 187D. Outer perianth tube: near greyed-purple 186C. Style: near yellow-orange 21C. Page 158—Vol. 10 @@@ 11 @@@ Relerence Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens 80. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA ‘'POORINDA DIADEM’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’ is a szedling selection from Grevillea ‘Poor- inda Leane’. (See page 236 of No. 73 issue.) Description: It is an upright shrub reaching a height of 2-3 m. Colour plate, page 161. The entire leaves are about 30 mm long, about 8 mm wide and end in a fine point. The upper leaf surface is shiny green while the underside is grey being covered with short silky hairs. Colour plate on page 161. The flowers ars formed into clusters and are borne in the leaf axils. The perianths are buff-apricot, up to 18 mm long, the yellow styles 24 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’ in size of plant, leaf size and flower colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’ is not as tall nor does it spread as wide as Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’. The leaves are shorter but wider, about 30 mm long by 8 mm wide compared with 40 mm long by 4 mm wide. The flower colour is less orange and the styles are yellow compared with red for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb; greyed-orange 165D. Style: yellow-orange 23C. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 83. Cultivar received by the Authority: 4th November, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA EMBLEM’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Emblem’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea caleyi and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Peter’. Descripticn: It is a large shrub growing to a height of about 3-4 m by the same width. The leaves are very deeply lobed and are about 250 mm long and about 80 mm wide across the lobes. Individual lobes are pungent and about 7 mm wide. The upper leaf surface is dark shiny green, whilst the underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The leaves arch downwards and tend to twist to one side. The new foliage is very densely covered with copper- coloured hairs. The flowers are of the ‘“toothbrush” type and are borne terminally on short branches and occasionally on the main stem opposite a leaf. The perianth is purple-red and about 12 mm long, and the styles, also purple-red, are about 30 mm long. Diagnosis: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Emblem’ is different from Grevillea caleyi in its leaf shape and less hairy foliage and stems. The leaf lobes are more pointed than those of Grevillea caleyi. Flower colour is not significantly different. It differs from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Peter’ in flower colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Emblem’ has a dark red perianth, while Grevillea ‘Poorinda Peter’ has a dark purple perianth. Colour Coding: Inner perianth tube: greyed-purple 187A. Outer perianth tube: near greyed-purple 186D. Style: greyed-purple 187D. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens 77. Cultivar received by the Authority: 8th September 1974. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. Page 159—Vol. 10 @@@ 12 @@@ Page 160—Vol. @@@ 13 @@@ Grevillea ‘Poorinda Diadem’ (above) This is_a seedling selection from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’ that was described in Issue No. 73 and illustrated in colour on page 236. This plant is smaller with shorter but wider leaves, the flowers being yellow with less orange tinting. See page 159. Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ (opposite) Mr. David Gordon, who introduced the now famous plant Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ (illustrated in colour and formally published in Issue No. 59, dated June, 1974), now presents this fine plant. The parents are the robust Grevillea sessilis and that magnificent plant from Queensland, Grevillea pteridifolia as illustrated on the rear cover. Grevillea pteridifolia would be one of the finest of the many magnificent Grevillea of which Australia may be very proud. The bush is graceful, upright with slender often silvery leaves; not dominating a landscape but lending grace and character. The yellow flowers are thrust out in large plumes of colour demanding admiration and respect. To have crossed this plant with the more hardy Grevillea sessilis Is genius that even nature has recognised and Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ could well rival Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ for a place at the peak of horticulture excellence. Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ is a bush very similar in form to Grevillea pteridifolia of Central Queensland but instead of having the flowers arranged in a head with the flowers on one side only like a hair brush as shown on the rear cover, the flower head is complete, bottle-brush-fashion, as shown opposite and as with the other parent, Grevillea sessilis. With Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ there will inevitably be a range of plants and forms. We look to the nursery trade to develop the best and most reliable form and until then there could be some disappointments. Nurserymen, where are the plants you have devel- oped as the best? — Editor. Page 161—Vol. 10 @@@ 14 @@@ GREVILLEA ‘POORINDA EMPRESS’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Empress’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea hookerana and Grevillea caleyi. Description: It is a large compact shrub growing to a height of 3-4 m. The leaves are extremely deeply lobed and about 120 mm long by about 55 mm wide across the lobes. Individual lobes, which are pungent, are narrow, being about 3 mm wide. The upper leaf surface is dark shiny green, whilst the underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The edges of the lobes are rolled under. The flowers are of the ‘“toothbrush” type and are borne terminally on branchlets and occasionally on the main stem opposite a leaf. The perianth is red to purple and 10-12 mm long, and the deep pink styles about 30 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its stated parents in width and shape of the leaf lobes. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Empress’ has wider lobes than Grevillea hookerana but narrower lobes than Grevillea caleyi. It has pointed lobes resembling Grevillea hookerana but unlike Grevillea caleyi which has distinctly rounded lobes. See pags 157. The styles are the same colour as Grevillea caleyi, but darker than Grevillea hookerana. Ceclour Ceoding: Inner perianth tube: purple 79A. Style: red-purple 61A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, 85. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA ‘'POORINDA ENCHANTMENT" Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Enchantment’ is sz2id to be a seedling originating From Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. See pagz 158. Description: It is a tall and open shrub growing to a height of 4 m by 2-3m wide. The leaves are very deeply lobed and about 90 mm long by about 45 mm across the lobzss. Individual lobes are pointed and narrow being 2-3 mm wide. The upper leaf surface is shiny dark green while the underside is covered in short silky heirs. The leaf edgass are rolled under. The flowers are of the ‘“‘toothbrush” type and are produced terminally on short branches and cccasionally on the main stem opposite a leaf. The perianth is pale pink to purple and about 8 mm long whil2 the mauvs styles are up to 25 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar differs from its stated parent in its vary much finer foliage and colour of styles. The numbzr of lobes per leaf differs from about 22 for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Enchantment’, compared with about 14 lobes per leaf for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondiz’. The lobas are about half the width of those of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Enchantment’ has the same coloured perianths as Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondi2’ however the colour of the styles is significantly different. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Enchantment’ has mauve (which colour codes to a red-purple group) styles compared with rich yellow styles for Greviilea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. Colour Coding: Inner perianth tube: red-purple 72A. Outer perianth tube: near greyed- purple 186C. Style: red-purple 73C. Page 162—Vol. 10 @@@ 15 @@@ Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 78. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodgs. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA GEMINI’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gamini’ is said to bz a sesdling of Greavillea hooke- rana. See page 157. Deszcription: It is a small shrub growing to a height of about 1 m. The leaves are deeply lobed and about 130 mm long by about 45 mm wide. Individual lobes are pointed, and narrow bzing about 3 mm wide. The upper surface is dark shiny green while the underside is covered with dense silky hairs. The deep red flowers are of the ‘‘toothbrush” typs and ere produced terminally on short branchlets and occasionally on the main stem opposite a leaf. The perianths are about 8 mm long and the pink styles are 20 mm long. Diagnosis: This cullivar differs from its stated parent in size of plant. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ grows to a height of about 1 m whereas Grevillea hooke- rana usually attains a height of approximately 2 m. The differences in . leaf size and flower colour are not significant. It differs from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ which is also said to be a seedling szlection of Grevillea hookerana in colour of styles. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ has pink styles compared with red for Grevillea hooksrana. Colour Ceding: Inner perianth tubz: greyed-purple 187B. Style: red 55A. Reference Specimen: Acczassion numbzr: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 102. Cultivar received by the Authority: 9th September, 1976. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA HULA’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Hula’ is said to bz a hybrid between Grevillea trinervis and Grevillea linearifolia. Description: It is a smail dense shrub growing to a height of about 1 m. The pointed leaves are entire and 15-35 mm long by about 3 mm wide. The uppzar leaf surface is shiny green with 3 distinct vzins while the under- side is covered with silky hairs, particularly on new growth. The flowers are produced in terminal clusters on short branchlets. The rich deep pink perianths are 7 mm long while the persistent styles are initially bright pink and batween 12-14 mm long. They later turn green. Diagnosis: This cultivar differs from Grevillea trinervis in flower size. The perianth is about half the length of that usually seen in Grevillea trinervis. It differs from Grevillea linearifolia in size of plant. Grevillea linearifolia usually grows to ebout 3 m in height compared with about 1 m for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Hula’. Colour Cecding: Pearianth tube and limb: red-purple 67B. Style: red-purple 67B. Persistent style on daveloping capsule: red-purglz 61B. Reference Specimen: Accession numbzr: National Botanic Gardens, Canbzrra 70. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA JEANIE’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Jeanie’ is szid to be a hybrid between Grevillea alpina and Grevillea juniperina. Page 163—Vol. 10 @@@ 16 @@@ Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’ One of the parents of this hybrid, Grevillea laurifolia is widely cultivated as a ground cover, the deep green entire leaves of this prostrate plant providing a rich blanket to dress the ground especially in those exposed sunny parts of a garden that need a cloak of green. The deep red flowers are of the tooth-brush type. Grevillea willisii belongs to the group of “’holly-leaved’* Grevillea found in Victoria near Omeo. It has a grey foliage and terminal flower heads of cream to white and is more fully described in our No. 73 issue, page 222. Description of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Jeanie’ It is an upright shrub growing to a height of about 2 m. The leaves are entire and 15-20 mm long by about 3-5 mm wide with slender points. The upper leaf surface is slightly hairy, particularly when young, while the underside is at all times densely hairy. The leaf edges are rolled under. The flowers are formed into small clusters borne on short branchlets. The perianth is red and about 12 mm long while the style is the same colour but about 20 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from Grevillea alpina in having much less hairy leaves and stems. The leaves are also sharp pointed .The perianths and styles are larger and longer than those usually seen in Grevillea alpina. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Jeanie’ differs from Grevillea juniperina in having wider and hairy leaves. The flowers are broader than those of Grevillea juniperina. Colour Coding: Perianth tube: red 47B. Perianth limb: red 48D. Style: red 47B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 89. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. Page 164—Vol. 10 @@@ 17 @@@ GREVILLEA ‘'POORINDA ROYAL CARPET’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea laurifolia and Grevillea willisii. Description: It is a prostrate plant with long stems spreading up to 6 m. The leaves vary from entire to lobed and have pointed tips. The entire leaves are between 60-70 mm long by about 20 mm wide. The lobed leaves are about 80 mm long and about 25 mm wide across the lobes. The upper surface is smooth and dark green while the underside is grey with a dense covering of silky hairs. The flowers are of the “toothbrush” type and are borne in the leaf axils. The 10 mm long perianths are maroon, while the prominent red styles are 25 mm long and have a yellow-green stigma. Diagnosis: This cultivar differs from its stated parents in leaf shape and in compar- ison with Grevillea willisii, in flower colour. The leaves vary from Grevillea laurifolia in that some are lobed. The entire leaves are similar. The lobed leaves of this cultivar are very much less lobed than those of Grevillea willisii. Leaf colour is dark green compared with grey-green for Grevillea willisii. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’ has maroon flowers compared with cream for Grevillea willisii. Flower colour is not significantly different between Grevillea laurifolia and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb: greyed-purple 187D. Style: red 53D. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 79. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA ‘'POORINDA SILVER SHEEN’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ is said to be a seedling of Grevillea hookerana. See page 157. Description: It is an upright shrub to a height of 2-3 m with a spread to 2m. The leaves are deeply lobed and about 90 mm long by about 30 mm wide. Individual lobes which end in a small point are about 4 mm wide. The upper surface has fine grey hairs which give a silvery sheen, while the underside is grey being covered with dense silky hairs. The flowers are of the ‘“‘toothbrush” type and are borne in the leaf axils. The deep red perianths are 5 mm long while the prominent light orange styles are 25 mm long. Diagnosis: This cultivar differs from its stated parent in leaf shape and size and colour of style. The leaves are shorter, about 90 mm long, compared with about 130 mm for Grevillea hookerana. The styles are light orange in colour compared with red for Grevillea hookerana. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ is also a seedling selection from Grevillea hookerana. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ differs from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’ in flower and style colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ has deep red perianths compared with maroon for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. The styles vary in colour from pale orange for this cultivar compared with yellow for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Blondie’. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ is another seedling selection from Grevillea hookerana. It differs from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Silver Sheen’ in size of plant and style colour. This cultivar grows to a height of up to 3 m compared with only 1m for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Gemini’ and it has pale orange styles comp- ared with pink for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Geminf’. Page 165—Vol. 10 @@@ 18 @@@ Colour Coding: Outer perianth tube and limb: near red 54C. Inner perianth tube and limb: red 53A. Style: near orange 29A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canbzarra 103. Cultivar received by the Authority: 9th September, 1976. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA 'POORINDA STEPHEN’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Stephen’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea speciosa and Grevillea oleoides. See page 156 for a colour plate. Description: It is a small shrub growing to a height of about 1 m. The narrow pointed leaves are entire and about 20 mm long and 3 mm wide. The upper surface is pale green with prominent veins while the under- side is grey and covered with dense silky hairs. The flowers are formed into clusters and borne in leaf axils along short branchlets. The deep pink perianths are about 14 mm long while the styles are about 25 mm long. The flowers are said to be sterile. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its parents in size of plant and when compared with Grevillea oleoides in leaf length and width. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Stephen’ grows to a height of about 1 m compared with the usual heights of approximately 2 m for both parents. It differs from Grevillea olecides in leaf size. This cultivar has leaves about 20 mm long by 3 mm wide compared with leaves 100 mm long by 7 mm wide. Colour Coding: Perianth tube: red 52 between A and B. Perianth limb: brown 200C. Style: red 52A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 86. Cultivar received by the Authority: 21st October, 1975. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. GREVILLEA ‘POORINDA VIVACITY’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Poorinda Vivacity’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea speciosa and a large leafed form of Grevillea oleoides from Hotham Heights in Victoria. See page 158 for a colour plate. Description: It is a small shrub growing to a height of 1 m with an equal spread. The leaves are entire with a small point. Each leaf is about 30 mm long and about 8 mm wide. The upper leaf surface is grey-green and faintly hairy with prominent veins while the underside is grey being covered with denss silky hairs. The flowers are formed into clusters and are borne terminally and in leaf axils. The perianths are deep rose in colour and up to 12 mm long. The red styles are up to 30 mm long. The flowers are said to be sterile. Diagnosis: This cultivar differs from its stated parents in habit and leaf shape. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Vivacity’ does not grow as tall as Grevillea oleoides. It also has a denser habit. The leaves are larger and have more hairs on both sides than Grevillea speciosa, however they are not as long as those of the large leafed form of Grevillea oleoides. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb: red 50A. Style: red 45B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 50. Cultivar received by the Authority: 7th April, 1964. Applicant: Mr. L. Hodge. Page 166—Vol. 10 @@@ 19 @@@ More Australian Cultivars including those from Austraflora, Howies and The National Botanic Garden. GREVILLEA 'AUSTRAFLORA COPPER CREST’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Austraflora Copper Crest is said to be a spontaneous hybrid bstween Grevillea aquifolium and Grevillea acanthifolia which arose at “Austraflora Nurseries” at Montrose, Victoria in 1975. Description: It is a dense mainly prostrate shrub reaching a width of 3-4 m but also tends to produce upward arching branches to a height of about 600 mm. These branches give an unusual saucer shape ot the plant. The leaves are deeply lobed and up to 90 mm long by about 40 mm wide. Individual lobes which are pointed, are up to 7 mm wide. The upper leaf sur- face is green with prominent veins while the underside is greyer with very prominent veins. A feature of the plant is that new growth is copper-coloured. The flowers are soft pink and produce in the leaf axils. They appear throughout the year with the main flowering period in late spring to summer. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its stated parents in the copper to bronze leaf colouring. Colour Coding: Young leaves; near greyed-purple 187C. Older leaves; yellow-green 196A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 132 .Cultivar received by the Authority: 31st August, 1977. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd. Description previously mentioned in “Your Garden” September, 1977. Footnote: It is reported that this cultivar is fast growing and will tolerate most soils. Will tolerate wetler soils than most grevilleas. GREVILLEA "AUSTRAFLORA PENDANT CLUSTERS’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Austraflora Pendant Clusters 'is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea chrysophaea and Grevillea baueri. It occurred spontaneously at “Austraflora Nurseries” at Montrose, Victoria in about 1973. Description: It is an open growing plant to a height of 2m by 1.5 m wide. The leaves are pointed, up to 35mm long by up to 6 mm wide. The upper surface is green and somewhat rough to the touch while the underside is covered in dense silky hairs. The leaf edges are rolled under. The flowers are grouped in pendant clusters. Individual flowers are yellow-cream and about 9 mm long while the deep red styles are about 20 mm long. The old flowers turn black. The plant often flowers throughout the year. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its stated parents in its pendant clusters. It is also taller than is usual for Grevillea chrysophaea. The older flowers turn black which is not the case with flowers of Grevillea chrysophaea. It is differ- ent from Grevillea baueri in flower colour. This cultivar has yellow flowers compared with red for Grevillea baueri. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb: near yellow 9C. Perianth tube sometimes blushed with red-purple 59C. Old flowers: black 202A. Style: red-purple 59C. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 133. Cultivar received by the Authority: 31st August, 1977. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries. Page 167—Vol. 10 @@@ 20 @@@ GREVILLEA 'AUSTRAFLORA FANFARE’ Origin: Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea X gaudichaudii and Grevillea longifolia. The plant arose as a spontaneous seedling in the garden of Dr. Ann Warren of Warrandyte, Victoria. Description: It is a plant exhibiting a generally prostrate habit with a spread of 4.5 m. The leaves are deeply lobed and up to 150 mm long by up to 45 mm wide across the lobes. Each lobe is about 10 mm wide and ends in a point. On the specimen examined there were up to 18 lobes per leaf. The leaves are dark green on the upper surface with a sparse covering of long silky hairs when young. These hairs are lost as the leaf matures, however the under- side retains a dense covering of silky hairs much longer. The dark flowers are of the ‘“toothbrush” type and are produced in the leaf axils. Individual flowers are about 8 mm long while the dusty pink styles are about 25 mm long. The colour of the style is the dominant flower colour. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from Grevillea longifolia in habit and leaf shape. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ is generally prostrate compared with a height of up to 5m for Grevillea longifolia. The leaves and lobes of Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ are wider than those of Grevillea longifolia. The leaves of Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ are 45 mm wide at the widest point comp- ared with up to 20 mm wide for Grevillea longifolia. The width of individual lobes varies from 10 mm for Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ to 5 mm for Grevillea longifolia. This cultivar is different from Grevillea x gaudichaudii in shape of leaf. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ has longer; 150 mm, and narrower; 45 mm wide leaves compared with leaves up to 85mm long and up to 65 mm wide for Grevillea x gaudichaudii. Two similar registered cultivars with lobed leaves and a prostrate habit are Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet and Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ is different from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’ in leaf shape and style colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’ has both entire and lobed leaves. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ does not have entire leaves and they are also longer and wider than those of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ has dusty pink styles compared with deep pink styles for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Carpet’. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ is different from Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ in size of plant, leaf shape and style colour. Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ has both entire and lobed leaves. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ does not have entire leaves. lts leaves are also longer and wider than those of Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’. Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ has dusty pink styles compared with deep pink for Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb: between brown 200D and greyed-orange 177A. Style: grey-purple 186B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 172. Cultivar received by the Authority: 2nd February, 1979. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd. Page 168—Vol. 10 @@@ 21 @@@ GREVILLEA OBTUSIFLORA ‘LITTLE THICKET" Origin: Grevillea obtusiflora ‘Little Thicket’ is a naturally occurring form of the species from near Braidwood, N.S.W. This form was brought into cultivation at the National Botanic Gardens, Canberra in 1972. Description: Individual plants are 1 m high by about 1 m wide however dense thickets are formed due to the growth of neighbouring suckers. Tufts of new shoots appear along surface shoots up to 5m from a main stem. The leaves are green on the upper surface and silvery on the under- side due to dense hairs. They are up to 18 mm long and 3 mm wide. The leaf edges are rolled under. The pale yellow flowers which have a red tinge are 8 mm long while the yellow styles are 20 mm long. The flowers are produced in small terminal clusters. On occasions the flowers do not always form, but abort at an early stage. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from known naturally occurring forms of the species in its low suckering habit. Colour Coding: Perianth tube: near yellow 4C blushed with red 47B. Perianth limb: red 47B. Style: near yellow 4B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 106. Cultivar received: 11th January, 1977. Applicant: National Botanic Gardens. GREVILLEA ‘'SANDRA GORDON’ Origin: This cultivar is said to be a hybrid between Grevillea sessilis and G. pteridifolia. It resulted as a spontaneous seedling about 10 years ago on Mr. David Gordon’s property, ‘Myall Park’, at Glenmorgan, Queensland. Description: Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ is described as being a very hardy and robust small tree producing yellow flowers in profusion over a long period. Leaves are shiny green on the upper surface but densely covered with silvery hairs on the underside. Individual leaves are long, about 20 cm, very deeply lobed and fine in appearance. Each lobe is 1.5-4 mm wide. Occasion- ally the lobes are sub-divided into two. All the leaf edges are rolled under. Flower heads are bright yellow, about 12 cm long by about 8 cm wide and are produced terminally. The very woolly perianth tube is about 8 mm long. The styles, which are the colourful parts of the inflorescence, are about 3 cm long. See page 160 for colour plate of plants and flowerhead. Diagnosis: Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ can be distinguished from its parents in that the flower colour is lighter than that usually seen in Grevillea pteridifolia and a much richer colour than is usual in Grevillea sessilis. The foliage is inter- mediate between the two parents with perhaps a greater affinity to Grevillea pteridifolia. Colour Coding: Perianth tube and limb: near yellow-orangs group 16D.; style: yellow- orange group 15A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, 114. Cultivar received by the authority: 15th September, 1976. Applicant: Mr. D. Gordon. ACACIA AMBLYGONA ‘AUSTRAFLORA WINTER GOLD’ Origin: Acacia amblygona ‘Austraflora Winter Gold’ is a seedling which arose spontaneously in a batch of normally upright Acacia amblygona seed sown about 1973 by Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd., Montrose, Victoria. Page 169—Vol. 10 @@@ 22 @@@ Description: This cultivar reaches a height of about 300 mm and spreads about 2 m. The phyllodes taper to a sharp point from a broad base. They are up to 10 mm long by 4 mm wide. A number of prominent veins are visible. The rich yellow flower clusters are borne on flower stalks 10 mm long. The “pom-pom” or globular flower head is about 5 mm in diameter. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from the known normal forms of the species in its prostrate habit. Acacia amblygona normally reaches a height of 1.5 m. Colour Coding: Filaments and anthers: yellow-orange 17C. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 131. Cultivar received by the Authority: 31st August, 1977. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd. ACACIA PRAVISSIMA ‘GOLDEN CARPET’ Origin: Acacia pravissima ‘Golden Carpet’ is a chance seedling which arose in a batch of normal Acacia pravissima seedlings. The seedling was selected about 1969. Description: It is a prostrate plant that will reach a height of about 400 mm and attain a spread of about 6 m. The phyllodes are triangular, being about 10 mm long by about 8 mm wide. The lower edge of each phyllode ends in a sharp point. The yellow flowers are produced in profusion. Each globular head of flowers is 4 mm in diameter. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from the known normal forms of its parent in its completely prostrate habit. Acacia pravissima is normally a tall shrub or small tree. Colour Coding: Filaments and anthers: yellow 8A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 137. Cultivar received by the Authority: 7th September, 1977. Applicant: Mr. D. L. Jones. BAECKEA VIRGATA 'HOWIE'S FEATHERTIPS’ Origin: Backea virgata ‘Howie’s Feathertips’ is a seedling variant which arose spontaneously in a batch of seed of the Brisbane form of Baeckea virgata. Description: It is a small densz shrub growing to a height of about 500 mm by 1 m wide. The leaves are up to 10 mm long by 1 mm wide. The white flowers are grouped in small clusters towards the outer edges of the branchlets. Individual flowers are about 6 mm wide. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from the known normal forms of its parent in its lower height, fine foliage and weeping habit. In all other respects it is similar to its parent. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 147. Cultivar received by the Authority: 30th November, 1977. Applicants: S. & J. Howie. Page 170—Vol. 10 @@@ 23 @@@ BAECKEA VIRGATA 'HOWIE'S SWEET MIDGET’ Origin: Baeckea virgata ‘Howie’s Sweet Midget’ is a seedling variant which arose in a batch of ssed of the Brisbane form of Baeckea virgata. Description: It is a small compact plant reaching a height of about 300 mm by about 600 mm wide. The leaves are up to 10 mm long by 1.5 mm wide. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from other known forms of its parent in its compact dwarf habit. Baeckea virgata usually grows to a height of 3 m. It is different from Baeckea virgata ‘Howie's Feathertips’ because of its dwarf habit. Baeckea virgata ‘Howie's Feathertips’ grows to a height of about 500 mm, compared with about 300 mm for Baeckea virgata ‘Howie’'s Sweet Midget’. In all other respects it is similar to its parent. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 150. Cultivar received by the Authority: 15th December, 1977. Applicant: S. & J. Howie. BANKSIA CANEI ‘'CELIA ROSSER’ Origin: Banksia canei ‘Celia Rosser’ was a chance seedling which arose in a batch of approximately 100 seeds which were extracted from a cone collected at the type locality of Banksia canei at Wulgulmerang in Victoria. Description: It is a low spreading plant with deeply lobed leaves. The leaves are 60 mm long by 15mm across the lobes. Both sides of the leaves are covered with long hairs when young, however as the leaves mature the hairs become less prominent on the upper surface. The hairs are retained on the lower surface giving a silvery appearance. On the lower surface the mid-vein is prominent and covered with brown hairs as are the younger stems. The yellow flowers are about 40 mm long and 30 mm wide. Diagnosis: Banksia canei ‘Celia Rosser is different from other known forms of Banksia canei in its deeply lobed leaves and prostrate habit. Banksia canei will reach a height of up to 2 m. See colour plate on page 188. Colour Coding: A fresh flowering specimen has not been sighted. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 153. Cultivar received by the Authority: 29th March, 1978. Applicant: Mr. A. Salkin. CORREA '‘BETT’'S RED’ Origin: Correa ‘Bett’s Red’ is a spontaneous hybrid which has affinities with Correa ‘Mannii’ and red flowering form of Correa reflexa. The cultivar has bzen grown by Mr. W. Ogden of Frankston, Victoria, since about 1968. Description: It is a large open shrub growing to a height of about 1.5 m by about 2m wide. The leaves are up to 20 mm long by 10 mm wide. The upper surface is rough tc the touch while the underside is rusty to light green in colour and covared with matted woolly hairs. The younger stems are aiso rough. The deep pink flowers are tubular and 35 mm long. The colour is slightly paler at the tips. The tips of the floral tube are partially reflexed. The style and stamens protrude about 5 mm beyond the rim of the floral tube. It is reported to flower freely from March to October. Page 171—Vol. 10 @@@ 24 @@@ Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from its assumed parents in size of plant, flower colour and roughness of leaves, stems and flowers. Correa ‘Bett’s Red’, growing to a height of about 1.5m, is larger than Correa ‘Mannii’ which usually grows up to 500 mm. Correa ‘Bett’s Red’ has darker pink flowers than Correa ‘Mannii’ and the roughness of the leaves, stems and flowers of Correa ‘Bett’'s Red’ is much greater than that shown by Correa ‘Mannii’. Correa ‘Bett’'s Red’ is different from Correa reflexa in flower colour and shape of the floral tube. Correa ‘Bett's Red' has deep pink flowers compared with red and/or green for Correa reflexa. The floral tube also does not reflex to the same extent usually seen in Correa reflexa. Colour Coding: Corolla or floral tube: red 53C to D. Corolla tips: near red 49A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 160. Cultivar received by the Authority: 5th October, 1978. Applicant: Mr. W. H. Ogden. CROWEA EXALATA 'AUSTRAFLORA GREEN CAPE’ Origin: Crowea exalata ‘Austraflora Green Cape ’is a naturally occurring form of the species found growing at Green Cape on the South Coast of N.S.W. Propagated and distributed by Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd., since 1969. Description: It is a prostrate plant reaching a height of about 150 mm but with a spread of about 800 mm. The leaves are up to 20 mm long by 3 mm wide. Oil glands are clearly visible on the underside of the leaves. The mauve flowers are produced in the leaf axils on semi-mature growth. After flowering the petals change colour to white then green. They remain green and protect the seeds while they mature. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from known normal forms of Crowea exalata in its prostrate habit. The usual height attained is 1-2 m. Colour Coding: Petals: purple 75A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 155. Cultivar received by the Authority: 2nd February, 1979. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries. HELICHRYSUM BRACTEATUM ‘HASTINGS GOLD’ Origin: Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Hastings Gold’ is a naturally occurring form of the species found growing at Hastings Point which is on the coast east of Murwiliumbah, Northern N.S.W. Description: It is a perennial herb growing to a height of about 250 mm. When in flower another 200 mm is added to the height as the flowers are held above the foliage. Individual plants reach 700 mm across. The leaves are green on the upper surface and grey-green underneath due to a covering of stiff silvery hairs. The leaves are up to 140 mm long by up to 30 mm wide. The papery flowers are bright yellow with a darker centre and measure 50 mm across. They are borne on stems about 200 mm long. It is reported that this cultivar flowers most of the year in Brisbane with a peak during spring and summer. Page 172—Vol. 10 @@@ 25 @@@ Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from Helichrysum bracteatum in size of plant and its perennial habit. Helichrysum bracteatum usually attains a height of 600 mm compared with an overall height of 450 mm for this cultivar. It is also different from other registered perennial cultivars of Helichry- sum bracteatum. It is different from Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Diamond Head’ in size of plant and size of flower. Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Diamond Head’ grows to a height of 160 mm. The flowers are 50 mm in diameter compared with 30 mm for Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Diamond Head’. It is different from Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Dargan Hill Monarch’ in size of plant and flower. Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Dargan Hill Monarch’ grows to a height of 600-800 mm and has flowers with a diameter of 70-90 mm. Colour Coding: Ray florets: yellow 13B. Inner florets: near yellow-orange 23B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 159. Applicant: G. & R. Thomas, Everton Park, Queensland. Cultivar received by the Authority: 15th September, 1978. HYPOCALYMMA CORDIFOLIUM ‘GOLDEN VEIL’ Origin: Hypocalymma cordifolium ‘Golden Veil’ is a variegated form of the natural species. This variegated form was selected by Mr. Meyer of Croydon North, Victoria, In 1968. Description: The cultivar can be expected to grow to a height of about 1 m, with a spread of about the same. The small variegated heart-shaped sessile leaves are about 8 mm long and wide. They are produced opposite each other on minutely winged stems. These stems are bright pink, while the new growth is young. Diagnosis: Hypocalymma cordifolium ‘Golden Veil’ is different from the natural specles In its leaf variegation. The leaves have an irregular cream margin. The centre of the leaf Is green. Colour Coding: Leaf variegation: leaf margin: yellow 4D; inner portion: near green 138B. Reference Specimen: Accession number: Canberra Botanic Gardens 148. Cultivar received by the Authority: 15th December 1977. Applicant: Bushy Park Nurseries, Croydon North, Victorla. KUNZEA ‘BADJA CARPET’ Origin: Kunzea ‘Badja Carpet’ is a naturally occurring form of species from Mount Badja in S.E. New South Wales. The species has some affinity to Kunzea capitata and was brought into cultivation at the National Botanic Gardens, Canberra in 1974. Description: It is a dense prostrate plant spreading up to 4 m and reaching a height of 600 mm. The dark green leaves are small being up to 7mm long by 3 mm wide. New stems are dark red in colour. The white flowers are produced terminally in small clusters on short branchlets. New growth originates from the centre of the flower clusters. Page 173—Vol. 10 @@@ 26 @@@ Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from the known normal forms of Kunzea capitata in its prostrate habit and white flowers. Kunzea capitata is usually an erect or rounded shrub to 1.5 m in height with mauve flowers. Colour Coding: Petals and filaments: white 155B. Anthers: yellow 9C. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 167. Cultivar received by Authority: 17th November, 1977. Applicant National Botanic Gardens. Cagy| SPYRIDIUM PARVIFOLIUM ‘AUSTRAFLORA NIMBUS’ Origin: Spyridium parvifolium ‘Austraflora Nimbus’ is a naturally occurring form from the Nadgee area of S.E. N.S.W. Cuttings were first collected in 1968. Description: It is a dense prostrate shrub growing to a height of about 10 mm with a spread of about 2 m. The small round leaves are up to 8 mm long by 6-8 mm wide. The leaf tip is often indented. The green upper leaf surface has distinct veining while the underside is silvery and covered with long silky hairs. New foliage is distinctly grey. The small and insignificant flowers are borne in clusters at the end of the branchlets. Diagnosis: This cultivar is different from other forms of Spyridium parvifolium in its prostrate habit. Colour Coding: Calyx tube: yellow-orange 19D. Bracts: greyed-orangz 173A. Petals: white. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 118. Cultivar received by the Authority: 15th April, 1977. Applicant: Molyneux Nurseries Pty. Ltd. Previocusly mentioned in “Your Garden” April, 1977. ANIGOZANTHOS FLAVIDUS “WERITE WOORATA’ Origin: It is asserted to be a mutant form of Anigozanthos flavidus. Description: The branched flower spike is approximately 50 cm high. The dominant colour of the flower is dark red to burgundy. Diagnosis: The floral tube is reduced from the normal Anigozanthos flavidus and the petals are lengthened into finger like processes. Colour Coding: Pedicel: near greyed purple, 185A. Perianth: near greyed-green, 191A. Reference Specimen: Accession number: National Botanic Gardens, Canberra 95. Cultivar received by the Authority: 4th February, 1976. Applicant: H. R. Howes. Page 174—Vol. 10 @@@ 27 @@@ CULTIVARS? WHY NOT GOOD SPECIES? From a letter by MERVYN ROBERTS, Mitchell Court, Marengo, Apollo Bay, Vic. Hybrids occur naturally in the bush of course, but they are not common. Garden hybrids, especially Grevillea, are plentiful and certainly have their place, but | wonder whether they merit the space devoted to them in Issue No. 73. Australian plants in their native state is the heritage we are all determined to preserve, and down the years the number grown in home gardens undoubt- edly has done a great deal to impress the public of the wealth of colour and variety of form that is theirs to enjoy and protect. To take the point to an absurd extreme, it would be calamitous if our gardens were filled with horticultural crosses and no true natives. I know best the sandstone flora around Sydney, some of which is becoming increasingly rare because of land development and bushfires. Certainly our Society rightly aims to encourage conservation by cultivation in gardens, but it seems to me that members could also help, if only in a small way, to re-establish some of the most rare and beautiful species in our national parks. Let us grow the best form of true species. Gardening with Australian Plants by Thistle Y. Harris. This is the title of a series of excellent books by Australia’s “Wildflower- Lady”, Thistle Harris. There are now two in the series each available from the Editor — Australian Plants for $25.00, including postage titled. Shrubs — Gardening with Australian Plants Small Plants and Climbers — Gardening with Australian Plants For the first book on shrubs | had prepared the following review: GARDEN WITH AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—SHRUBS An excellent reference book, 256 pages (26 x 18 cm). Anyone who has been interested in wildflowers will know of the books by Thistle Harris. | know when | first started over 20 years ago, her books were my reference. In fact, they were the only reference. This new book has maintained the same high standard. The introducing chapters headed — “‘Using Australian Shrubs’, ‘“Caring For The Garden” and ‘“‘Plent Breeding’’ provide a very excellent guide to the setting up and care of wildflowers. In your garden. The bulk of the book is the section “Australian Shrubs Described”” where the plants are so very simply presented, alphabetically. The sketches by Susan Heins are excellent for identification. In addition to the usual details of shrub, leaves, flowers, fruit, etc., the descriptions provide information that gardeners want ta know such as hardiness, drought or frost resistance, where it is found and the climatic conditions it has evolved in its natural habitat. A very fine book by a very noble lady who has done so much over so many years for the preservation and cultivation of our Australian flora. Recent issues have recorded our deep appreciation for the work of pioneers in the cultivation of our Australian Flora. Thistle is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the history of our nation and there are so many of us deeply indebted to her for her work and dedication.—Editor. For the second book on small plants and climbers | am even more impressed. It is a complete book not needing the possession of the earlier book on shrubs. SMALL PLANTS AND CLIMBERS—GARDENING WITH AUSTRALIAN PLANTS by Thistle Harris. The first section of the book is especially valuable in the competent way advice is given on the establishment of a wildflower garden with special reference in this case to rock gardens or small display gardens. The 500 small plants described in the second section in such clear simple terms are carefully selected by Thistle based on her many years experience. These are not pretty picture books; in fact the many colour plates are chosen not for their photographic excellence but to give an honest pictorial indication of how the plants will look in the garden. This is the whole theme of the books, practical advice on setting up the garden and competent advice on the way to plant and grow a wide range of plants based on years of experience and careful observation all with the Thistle Harris touch. Page 175—Vol. 10 @@@ 28 @@@ Germination of some Banksia species By M. R. HESLEHURST, Queensland Agricultural College, Lawes, 4345 An investigation of the germination characteristcs of Banksia integrifolia L.f., B. serrata L.f. and B. aemula R.Br. (syn B. serratifolia) has shown marked and differing sensitivities to the temperature regime of germination, but no significant response to light exposure, seed coat and substrate treat- ments. These temperature requirements were defined using a thermogradient bar incubator and the data treated after the method of Thompson (1970). The sensitivity of incubation periods to temperature is demonstrated in figure 1, with B. integrifolia responding to cool temperatures, B. aemula requiring warm conditions and B. serrata an intermediate temperature regime. Germination in response to various alternating day/night temperatures is shown in figure 2, where combinations within the contour lines produce 50 or 90% levels of potential germination. These species germinate readily without any pretreatment; simply place the seed in a moist, sandy medium (avoid the use of fertilizers) and either select an appropriate controlled temperature or use planting dates which will give an adequate environment. A summary of temperature requirements is given below: B. integrifolia B. serrata B. aemula (serratifolia)} Response type cool intermediate warm Daily Optima (°C) 18-21 21-28 24-33 Night Optima (°C) 14-20 20-23 20-28 Constant Temperature Optima (°C) 18-23 20-28 28-32 Incubation Period* (Days) 50% germination Alternating regime 12 16 12 Constant regime 12 20 12 * Add 5 days for seedling appearance at soil surface. Double figures for complete germination. Geographical Distributions Coastal—North Herberton Noosa Proserpine South Sth. Victoria Sth. Victoria Sydney Probable Planting winter spring/autumn summer Times spring/autumn avoid summer cold frame spring/autumn avoid summer avoid winter avoid winter Common Environments for 50% establishment alternating 18-26°C Day — 10-24°C Night constant 18-23°C AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS by John Wrigley The offer which went out with our June issue has been extended to September 30th, 1979, because of dzlay in the delivery of the June issue of of this journal. Page 176—Vol. 10 @@@ 29 @@@ (a) NIGHT 10°C (b) NIGHT 1°cC. © NGHT 2°¢ » Lo % s 5 5 e 25 w] L ae 20 20] 20f 15 154 I SN 10 0 10 5 € Sk 0 o ul 0 30 ) 50 10 20 E) ) 50 v 0 2 £ DAY TEMPERATURE °C DAY TEMPERATURE® € 1% TEMPRATURE S © {d) NIGHT 28° C () CONSTANT DAY = NIGHT 25 25 S, ” s Jae int 20 20 15) 15} 10p 10 Ve 5 5 W o 4 2 E9 0 EY g 10 2 E] w0 50 o DAY TEMPERATURE ° C CONSTANT TEMPERATLRE ° ¢ % [ o) 90% POTENTIAL GERMINATION . (b) 50% POTENTIAL GERMINATION & s « 43 0] 3 & i SHS o, < X lae ‘\.‘ \ . .l L . © 30| P e ” " o A a N 10 20 E) «w b 0 20 0 0 NIGHT ~ TEMPERATURE °C NIGHT TEMPERATURE® € FIG. 1. Incubation periods to produce 50% potential germination for various temperature regimes. (B. integrifolia A, B. serrata @, B. aemula@®) FIG. 2. Contour graphs of temperature combinations producing 90% and 50% potential germination. (the shaded section represents common environments for establishment). (B. integrifolia A, B. serrata g, B. aemulae) Page 177—Vol. 10 @@@ 30 @@@ Aerial Rooting of Native Plants By LEO HODGE, Poorinda, Mt. Lookout Road, Bairnsdale, Vic. This is the method | used in the aerial rooting of my cultivars and other native plants which | wished to retain for a native garden in my new locality, Bairnsdale. | fully realised that it would be impossible to obtain all my plants from other propagators or nurserymen, and | wished to make sure that the original line of plants was maintained without room for error. Here is a method of propagation you can do yourself—reproducing the plant you really want. Materials required are clean moss, with no other vegetable matter which is likely to grow. Transparent plastic—it can be doubled if necessary for strength. The transparency permits you to observe the root growth. This Is essential. String for binding. | usually selected upright limbs with a fork about 15-20 cms below where | wanted to do the aerial rooting. This allowed me to tie the two limbs together over the completed job to prevent movement or interference. | found that about 30 cm below the tip of the branch was the most suitable place. It is essential that the plant be growing vigorously at the time. Carefully cut around the stem with a sharp knife, through the bark only, then strip this down for about 5 cm. | found it was not good to scrape the stem, as this hinders the upward flow of sap, which is necessary so that sufficient food supply will return to induce root growth. As our flowering plants, including eucalypts, overgrow very readily, | used plastic string or fine, soft copper wire to bind the barked stem for about 1 cm. This | did about 1.5 cm below where the bark was cut through. Take a good handful of damp moss and place it evenly around the stem from 2-3 cm above the barked area to about 8 cm below it. Put the plastic around the moss, overlap well to prevent evaporation, all the lower part firmly on to the stem below the moss, then tie the top not so firmly, above the moss, to allow for watering. The moss must always be kept damp. | used a little plastic bottle with a pointed nozzle for the purpose. Now tie the two limbs together as mentioned previously. Do not do this work in a wind or in hot sun, and be sure it is always protected from the midday hot sun. When the roots start to grow they are visible inside the plastic. When they are about 8 cm long, and not quite to the lower tie, it is time to cut your new plant off. I found it best to get a tube of clear plastic, about 15 cm wide and 20 cm deep, filled with soil, etc. and tied at the bottom. Remove the plastic wrap from your plant but not the moss, and carefully place it in the prepared pot, making sure the soil comes up over the moss. Support the plant and the bag so there is no movement. When the roots are visible near the bottom of the bag and have white tips of new growth, it is time to plant out into the garden, where it should be staked to prevent movement. A stake at a triangle is best. Sometimes | found a large callous formed instead of roots. It is best to discard this and try another limb. Growing Native Plants — Vol. 9, 1979 National Botanic Gardens. This is the latest in a series of 24-page booklets available from the National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, or by mail from the Australian Govern- ment Publishing Service. This issue is of special interest: Plant Nutrition — A special four page article describes the nutritional needs of Australian plants and the use of fertilizer. Plants featured are Acacia adunca, Callistemon phoeniceus, Eucalyptus rupicola, Homoranthus flavescens, Pultenaea villosa, Albizia lophantha, Boronia deani, Melaleuca cuticularis, Clematis aristata, Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ and the following to which | would like to draw special attention to: Grevillea longistyla. A very fine hardy Grevillea that is illustrated so well in colour with a photograph of the flower and an excellent one of the bush — just how a species should be illustrated. Hypocalymma cordifolium ‘Golden Veil’. This cultivar is announced in this issue but | was not able to get a suitable photograph. —Editor. Page 178—Voi. 10 @@@ 31 @@@ Cultivation of Verticordia — Continued from page 154 Verticordia in their natural habitat like a dry atmosphere, as found on the sand heath plains of the Darling Escarpment and other areas of Western Australia. When planting out, Verticordia are likely to do best in a free soil where they are able to stretch their roots out. Do not try to force them with fertilizers, etc. Decomposed peat moss, bush mould, etc., are to be used instead of organic mixtures which will encourage chlorosis and slow starvation. I hope that people throughout Australia who have had experience in the cultivation of Verticordia in their area will now add their bit to the accumulation of knowledge vital to the survival of “my’” Verticordia. Verticordia acerosa. A shrub to 1 m with flowers a pale yellow with orange centre. The flower appears to be cupped inside the calyx. A form 0.5 m growing in the Lesmurdie area and on the Darling escarpment has tiny flowers later turning a bronze colour. Another form may be found between the 116 and 118 mile pegs on the right-hand side of the Coast Road just before the turn-off to Jurien Bay. A large plant to 1 m with orange flowers was found on the gravel road which turns off the bitumen road past the West Dandaragan Service Station. Flowering is from August to October. Verticordia brachypoda (syn. V. stylotricha, syn. V. fimbripetala) is a small shrub to 0.5 m. It flowers from November to late December in the irwin, Coolgardie and Avon districts, where it is found in loamy areas around granite rocks. The plant is narrow in habit, approximately 25 cm wide, fairly open but leafy. The leaves are approximately 2.6 mm long, 1 mm wide and dull green in colour. The pinkish to light red flowers are 1 cm across, flat and fringed, in flower spikes to 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide at the end of the branches. It is a very showy plant. Verticordia brownii. A few stemmed and much branched plant, it is a spreading, leafy, dense umbrella-sheped shrub approximately 0.5 m high and 0.8 m across. The flowers are minute, creamy/white in corymbs on the top of the branches. The leaves are small, linear, and light green. Its habitat is open plains on white sand and it is common around Coorow and neighbouring towns, where it must have good drainage. The plant is com- monly called Cauliflower Bush. Verticordia chrysantha, 2 varieties, both upright. One reaches 0.8 m or more in height. The foliage is bright green with longish, rounded leaves 2.5 cm or more. The plant is slightly branched and sparsely covered with fully feathered dark yellow flowers which turn slightly crimson as flowering progresses for a few weeks. This plant favours gravelly soils through parts of the Darling Escarpment, mainly Gingin, Chittering and Bindoon areas. The other variety seldom reaches 0.3 m high and has bigger, fleshier leaves, is rounded and has less branches. Flowering is the same and occurs during the middle of spring. Both plants occur in the same localities and blooms are reasonably large (but not as large as those of V. grandiflora). V. chrysantha is also prominent in the Lake Grace area. Verticordia chrysostachys (formerly V. chrysostachya). One variety, a large tree-like shrub of rigid form which carries spikes of beautiful golden blossom is commonly found growing towards the coastal areas of the Murchison. The leaves are rounded and bright green, like the myrtles. It is a deep rooted plant to approximately 1.8 m when fully grown. It Es best propagated by slips and treated the same as myrtles. Anothe.r 'vanety of V. chrysostachys is a tall, thin shrub to 2 m growing in the vicinity of Hutt River Province and parts of Kalbarri. It is a very showy plant in flower. The flowers are a lovely shade of deep yellow and very numerous in spikelets all over the plant. Flowering occurs during December and January. The rooting is mainly surface. This form also grows on the red sand-dune Page 179—Vol. 10 @@@ 32 @@@ country in the Carnamah to Three Springs area. In the same area is V. lepidophylla, with which it is often confused. Although V. lepidophylla is also a tall shrub to 2 m, it has very minute foliage and smaller flowers in spikes all over the plant. The flowers are lime/yellow and flowering is from August to December. The plant is also shallow, surface rooting in habit and very showy in flower. Verticordia cunninghamii. From the Hann, King Leopold Range district, this is a tropical species which grows to 3 m and looks like a small tree. The flowers are cloudy/white. It is not in cultivation as yet, as material and seed are scarce and locations are hard to reach and locate. Verticordia densiflora. This is a very common shrub throughout the metropolitan area of Perth, extending to nearly every shire north and south. Growing very bushy, to a little over 1 m high and nearly 2 m wide, it is lightly rooted and mainly surface feeding, although a slight tap-root is prominent. It inhabits edges of depressions on roads where water collects during winter months and drains off during summer, leaving soft, loose sand and humus, which is slightly moist down deeper. It has dense heads of minute dark pink blooms. As flowers age, the pink fades and the plant loses its freshness. It seeds freely and propagates readily under ideal conditions. It nearly always grows in company with V. lindleyi. Verticordia drummondii. This shrub to 0.5 m also likes a swampy area and is common in numerous locelities, even in low lying, clayey areas around Coolgardie down to Bullfinch. The flowers are a very dark pink. Foliage is obovate, oblong. The flowering time is around late December. It is very similar to V. lindleyi, but has larger foliage, larger flower spikes and more blossoms. Verticordia etheliana. A small shrub, semi erect in habit, growing to 1 m or a little higher, it has very small dull grey, orbicular leaves. The flowers are lightly spiked and a pale shade of red. The petals are almost as long as the calyx lobes; the style is approximately twice the length of the petals and bearded, close below the stigma. The habitat is from the Murchison River to Arrino and across to Mullewa. It is fairly common on the sand heaths along the plateau of the Murchison; further east, approxi- mately 110 km inland, is V. mitchelliana. Verticordia fastigiata (syn. V. conferta). Found near the Barrens in eastern swampy areas as a rigid and erect low shrub with leaves, linear or obtuse and densely crowded. The flowers are pinkish and small. It resembles in habit V. drummondii, which is also flat topped. Found in coastal to inland areas of the extreme south to south east breakaway country in open places in loam it is a single stemmed, much branched, dense, leafy, dome-shaped shrub to 0.3 m wide and 0.5 m high. The leaves are terete, less than 1 mm in diameter, 2.8 m long, flattened on the top side, succulent and flexible and a dull bluish/green colour. The flowers are roughly cup shaped, 3 mm in diameter and half as thick, fringed, an intense rad, single, axillary on 2 mm stalks on the last cm of the branches and almost cover the plant. Flowering is in late summer and autumn, and good drainage is required. Verticordia fimbrilepis is an erect plant with slender branches to 0.6 m. The linear to obtuse leaves are in various shapes and are clustered on the lower branches. The flowers are small, light pink in small, leafy terminal corymbs. The style is very short and glabrous. It is found in the Stirlings on the plains and in odd clumps through the Barrens, also in the Coolgardie and Eyre districts; flowering is from September to November. Verticordia forrestii is a bushy shrub to 2 m. The flowers are red to maroon, similar to those of V. grandis, but much smaller. The leaves are a fleshy green and semi elliptic. It flowers heavily in September. It may be found in the Kennedy Ranges to the Ashburton district. Page 180—Vol. 10 @@@ 33 @@@ Verticordia grandiflora Photograph by M. Hody. Verticordia grandiflora (syn. V. heliantha, syn. V. nobilis). The large growing form from near the Murchison River is up to 0.5 m high. It has more foliage, the leaves being thicker and longer, linear up to 2 cm. The slightly smaller (than other forms) gold flowers do not bi-colour, but form bigger heads. The smaller growing form, a shrub to 0.3 m, is located at Dandaragan, Badgingarra, through the plains to Mogumber, Wannamal. It has much larger blooms turning from gold to bi-colours, red blushes and lilac forming after the blooms have nearly finished. It has short, fleshy green leaves up the stems at sparse intervals and is much smaller in stature and width than the plant on the Murchison sand plain heaths. | think the plant has been confused with V. multiflora. Verticordia grandis. Its location commences approximately 130 km north of Perth and extends inland about the same distance. The flowers are large, scarlet and carried on short spikes. The large flat, roundish, grey fleshy leaves about 1-2 cm across are stem clasping. This Verticordia can grow to 2 m, but is normally seen in smaller stature, probably being burned back by fires at various intervals. This causes the plant to act more vigorously in regrowth and serves as a severe pruning. It can be propagated from seed, but seed is not always viable and fertile. The surest method of propagating is by means of heel slips or root divisions; fleshy young pieces of stems are the best, as they are always the pieces which carry the blooms. It is fairly plentiful on heath sand plains at Cockleshell Gully. Verticordia habrantha (syn. V. umbellata, syn. V. brachystylis). This Is a slender shrub which reaches 0.5 m. The flowers are small, pink or white. The calyx lobes are slightly feathered and partially hidden by the petals. Leaves are green, obtuse. It is usually located in clayey areas and well distributed in the south west. Flowering is from September to December. Page 181—Vol. 10 @@@ 34 @@@ Verticordia harveyi is a slender shrub to 70 cm with linear leaves and corymbose pink flowers, growing in deep sand on open heaths. It grows in stony areas in the Eyre district, flowering in September. Verticordia helichrysantha is a shrub to 1 m with long, linear green leaves. The flowers are yellow, with very long styles. Found in the Eyre district, flowering in October. Verticordia helmsii (syn. V. picta var. youngii, syn. V. adenocalyx). This is an erect little shrub usually to 0.5 m high. The flowers are white and the leaves are small, orbicular. It is similar to the white flowering V. plumosa. Flowering can occur anytime between January and August. This one grows in the Telfer Gold Mine area, Laks Landing, in the Patterson Ranges. It grows in red sand in the Carnegie District and also occurs in the Austin district. Verticordia huegelii (syn. V. fimbripeta'a). A sma!l ground hugging plant with tiny, fleshy greyish leaves which form little clusters at intermediate intervals on the thick, woody scraggy stems. It is seldom over 15 cm high. The large, fluffy, feathered blooms are a creamy/yellow at first, turning to a beautiful crimson/pink later as flowers gest older. Its habitat is granite or extremely heavy loamy soils, some actuzlly surviving in cracks and fissures of granite outcrops. Found in the Darling Rangzss, where moisture has been held during winter rains and turning what little soil there is, practically rock hard in the heat of summer. A scraggy plant, but the blooms are very refreshing. Verticordia hughanii is similar to V. humilis, but the flowers are orange coloured bronze. The plant is practically totally prostrate and looks like small mats of green when it is vigorous in growth. This plant is very seldom found and is prectically extinct. Its locality is south west in the vicinity of the Barren Rangszs, but it was also found in the Coolgardie district, flowering in December. Verticordia humilis is also found in the vicinity of the Barrens. It has very prominent styles protruding from bronze coloured flowers. Especially suitable for rockeries, the plant is very small (approximately 10 cm high) and has practically no foliage except a few sparsely set leaves, also very small. Similar in stature to V. huegelii, it flowers in October. Verticordia insignis (syn. V. compta). A scraggy type of shrub of 2 varietics. One is a low diverse shrub with fleshy, flat, pale green leaves. The large, fluffy pink flowers are ot two shades, the inside cup dark pink, lighter outside. Location is the Gooseberry Hill escarpment, where it is gztting rare, as this plant has been torn away from road verges by shire bulldozers. It is extremely hard to find. It has a vigorous growth (when in season) from ground level, where it will send upwards anything in the vicinity of 20 stems, the tops of which are covered with bzautiful two-toned pink and slightly fluffy flowers. A very showy plant. The other variety grows in the Gosnells area in granite and quartz outcrops, and also in the Gillingarra area. An upright shrub almost to 1 m high, it is branched and has heavy, woody stems and little foliage. It has darker, greener leaves than the other variety. Flowers are also a darker pink outside to nearly red in the centre. It is easy to cultivate. The small root system is mainly surface rcoting. Verticordia lehmannii is a pink flowering species found betwezn the Augusta and Margaret River areas. Ustally 30 cm tall, of upright habit and with linear, semi-ovate leaves, its flowering times are November to January. It is usually growing in swampy areas, sometimes in company with V. dzansiflora. Also found in the Warren district. Verticordia lepidophylla. One form is found in the same area as V. chrysostachys in the same vicinity of Hutt River and Kalbarri. It is a tall shrub to 2 m with vary minute foliage and small lime/yellow flowers in spikes all over the plant. Flowering is from August to December. It is shallow, Page 182—Vol. 10 @@@ 35 @@@ surface rooting in habit and very showy. Its habitat extends to the Arrino area. Often mistaken for V. chrysostachys, the other form of V. lepidophylla grows away from the coastal area, more inland from Geraldton and upwards as far as the Murchison. A small tree-like branching form growing up to 2 m, this plant has smaller leaves than V. chrysostachys, and although also rounded, some are tiny linear. The leaves are a bright green. The flowers are spiked, but of a different colour, a lemon/green/yellow. The rcoting system, etc., is similar to V. chrysostachys. Propagation is from seed or tip or heel cuttings. Verticordia lindleyi is a small, scraggy type of shrub with very minute obtuse leaves. The flowers form small spikes of various shades of pink colours. It is fairly common and always in the vicinity of V. densiflora, occurring throughout the Perth area and to the north and south. It is easily c.liivated, is a free seseder and propagates well under good conditions. V. lindleyi makes an attractive show. Verticordia minutiflora is found in the Esperance district. Verticordia mitchelliana. This is a similar shrub to V. etheliana and is getting very hard to find. Plants are up to 1 m high, with spreading branches. The flowers are only a little smaller than the scarlet flowers of V. grandis, being pendulous and woolly with exceptionally long styles up to 3 cm long. The leaves are a greyish/green colour, linear 1-2.5 cm long, and close to the woody stems of the plant. They are similar to the leaves of V. nitens, but much shorter and thicker. This Verticordia should be propa- gated, as we are in danger of losing it forever. It is found on the sand heaths between Dowerin and the Johnson Lakes, but more common on red sand near the Johnson Lakes, and also near the rabbit-proof fance on the cross-roads to Southern Cross. Flowers are from September to November. Verticordia monadelpha (syn. V. callitricha), is a small shrubby bush to just over 1 m. It rangses from the Murchison in the north down to the Carnamah/Three Spirings area in the south. The bush grows arches to the ground, forming a rounded appearance, and when in bloom is covered with fluffy, rosy/pink flowers. This Verticordia has a strong rooting system. It is best propagated by slip cuttings of smaller stems and tips. A very spactacular plant when covered with blossom, which gives one the impression of soft, fluffy down and must rank as one of the showiest of our verticordias. It hzs longsr, rounded needle-like leaves more like the myrtles. Verticordia muellerana may bz found growing south of Geraldton in the Three Springs area, but going back towards the coast. It is another variety with purple flowers, very similar to V. spicata, but not as large. It has round, grey, orbicular foliage. Growing further north from Port Gregory to the Murchison River and eastwards are two other species of Verticordia with grey foliage, but with red flowers, V. etheliana and V. mitchelliana. Verticordia multiflora. It is another beautiful shrub forming rounded bushes growing near the mouth of the Murchison River. The flowers are yellow to gold, with a red stigma. The leaves are terete to 2 cm long. Flowering is in November/Deczmber in the Coolgardie and Avon districts. The shrubs are danszly covered with rich goldan blcoms , broad, and has a red triangular design on its back. It has a voracious appetite. Regular spraying with methylated spirits and water has always been my protective agent against the pests and diseases that trouble this lovely epiphyte. In cultivation, Platycerium superbum has no equal to create a tropical atmosphere around a home, and the finest specimens are those collected or spore grown and secured to a tree while vary juvenile. The nest fronds wrap around the host tree, and quickly anchor to the tree surface giving a permanent hold against wind or scrambling tree animals. Securing a mature plant often has its problems bscause of the often considerable weight of some specimens. One such specimen of mine, torn from a large Melaleuca during a storm had a nest or “belly” of about 1.5m diameter and fertile fronds of nearly 2m length. | have aiso found that most of the cultural problems associated with Platycerium superbum do not occur with Platycerium veitchii, P. bifurcatum Page 190—Vol. 10 @@@ 43 @@@ and P. hillii. These are known here as elkhorn ferns and are easily grown, thriving in cultivation, although sometimes subject to attack of scale insects Platycerium bifurcatum and similar elkhorns can be grown by division of a mature clump in early spring. Cut sections from a large mature clump preferably with about two growing crowns and making sure an ample layer of peat is left as a backing. The division can be mounted on a wooden board until it secures itself. However, preference should be given to a suitable place on a firm-barked tree. Large pieces should be tightly secured to the tree with nylon cord, or plastic covered wire, never raw wire! Care should be taken that no foreign securing band crosses the central crown or growing points. The plant back section can be shaped to blend to the shape of tree ensuring a close union. The practice of nailing the edges of these plants to their host initially should only be used on board plaques or cement walls, never on a live tree! Small immature stags or elks are possibly the best material to cultivate, as a tiny Platycerium can bes smeared with a glue like aquadhere and pressed onto the tree with a stocking band until the glue sets. | am told that araldite glue is best, but | have never used this medium myself. The baby ferns will develop quickly and the closer union and tighter bond that occurs will give you a fern that will never slip or come off even in a cyclone. As a cultural feeding prcgramme, every piece of fern, be it tiny or a divi- sion from a largs plant can be immersed in a nutrient fertiliser and allowed to dry before putting your plant to its tree or other medium. Here in Queens- land | use a trace element liquid fertiliser with a long feeding habit and good nutritive value of nitrogen. There is one brand that seems to be a straight hormone fertiliser put out by Warner laboratories and it is very successful. In the case of the Platycerium superbum, vegetable or fruit table scraps placed in the top and behind the apex nest frond will provide a good mul- ching value if it is activated by a light watering of a soluble foliar fertiliser. Study Group: A new group is being formed by Len Butt, author of the above article. 25 Ortive Street, Yeronga, Old, 4104. New members needed. MAGAZINES, BOOKS, BROCHURES, CATALOGUES, PRICE LISTS, OFFICE STATIONERY AND ADVERTISING LITERATURE * Consistent Quality and Service with reasonable cost, will remove most of your problems. SURREY BEATTY & SONS PTY. LTD. 43 Rickard Road, Chipping Norton, N.S.W. 2170 Telephone (02) 602-7404, 602-3126 Page 191—Vol. 10 @@@ 44 @@@ NINDETHANA SEED SERVICE LARGEST SELECTION OF NATIVE SEED IN AUSTRALIA SEND 20¢ STAMP FOR FREE CATALOGUE AVAILABLE IN 50¢ pkts, gram lots or kgs. ADDRESS: NINDETHANA, NARRIKUP, W.A. 6326 BODDY’S — EASTERN PARK NURSERY Large range of popular and rare varieties in tubes. S.A.E. for Catalogue. Specialists in despatch. Lot 2, Farm Road, Cheltenham, 3192 Phone (03) 550-5987; A/H 509-2804 NATIVES NEWCASTLE REGION NORTHRIDGE NATIVE PLANT NURSERY (049) 87-2397 RANGERS ROAD on the Western Shore of the Grahamstown Dam Turn East off The Pacific Hwy. 4 km North of the Town COTTAGE RAYMOND TERRACE, 2324 BANKSIA NURSERY Waratah Highway, Elliott, 7325 Phone: 36-3128 (Prop.: RON MURRAY) SITUATED 100 YDS. NORTHSIDE OF ELLIOT STORE, FIVE MILES FROM SOMERSET — OPEN 7 DAYS WEEK GROWER OF AUSTRALIAN NATIVE FLORA AND LAND- SCAPE ACCENT PLANTS SEND S.A.E. FOR CATALOGUE FLORAGLEN PROPAGATION NURSERY Lot 2, Lyppards Road, Cranbourne Vic. 3977 TUBES A WIDE RANGE OF QUALITY NATIVES AVAILABLE IN 2" TUBES PRICED FROM 17c¢ Ph.: (0593 78-2581 or 783-8312 A.H. BOOKS ON NATIVE PLANTS LARGE SELECTION—SEND S.A.E. FOR LIST TO Gatton Newsagency & Bookshop Railway Street, Gatton, Q. 4343 Phone: (075) 62-1057 ‘“SEEDS OF THE WORLD" Indigenous and Exotic Seeds P.0. Box 1037, East Nowra, NSW 2540 1,200 varieties of unusual native seeds, palm seeds and exotic seeds from all over the world. Available in $1 packs. Send $1 to cover list and postage, this entitles sender to a free $1 bonus pack on first order. [ e ] Westrail You really see the flowers on Westrail's Unbelievable 6 Day Wildflower Study Tours of W.A. Aug-Sept-Oct A Qualified Botanist Accompanies Every Tour ® Includes motel accommodation & meals ® Picnic lunches & teas ® Bookings: Westrail Travel Centre, City Arcade, Perth. 326 2811 ® Authorised Travel Agents. Western Australian Government Railways WIRREANDA Wholesale Nursery QUALITY—VARIETY—VALUE Over 20,000 Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs & Indoor Plants Public and Trade Welcome Open 7 days — Send S.A.E. For List 169 Wirreanda Road, Ingleside, 2101. Phone 450-1400 Page 192—Vol. 10 @@@ 45 @@@ ) MOLYNEUX NURSERIES Pty Ltd Belfast Road, Montrose, 3765. Phone: 728-1353 trading as AUSTRAFLORA NURSERY Open 7 Days a Week MON.-SAT., 9 a.m.-5.30 p.m.; SUNDAY, 10 a.m.-5.30 p.m. The widest range of Australian Plants is also avallable through our Agencies ADELAIDE: CANBERRA: Lawry’s Native Nursery Rodney’s Nursery Star and Arrow Road 24 Beltana Road COROMANDEL, EAST. PIALLIGO, A.C.T Phone: (08) 388-2118. Phone: (062) 73-2635. SYDNEY: WERRIBEE: Yallaroo Gardens Grevillea Nursery R.M.B. 5179 Wattle Tree Road Derrimut Road HOLGATE Via GOSFORD. WERRIBE Phone: (043) 67-7023. Phone: (03) 741-3100. WODONGA: Mann’s of Wodonga Garden Centre 116-126 High Street WODON Phone: (060) 24-1066. AUSTRAFLORA IS AUSTRALIAN PLANTS Generally 150-200 species available, many rare Open Wed. to Sun. 10am to 5pm and by arrangement. Cedar Wattles Native Plants 89 BLUES POINT RD. NORTH SYDNEY. PHONE 929-6583 DEANES ORCHID NURSERY Speclallsing In Australlan Natlve Orchlds Please send for descriptive list. Plants sent anywhere. Nursery open every weekend — Weekdays phone (02) 651-1798 29 HEMERS ROAD, DURAL, N.S.W. 2119 JOHN and ANNA TOPP NATIVE PLANT NURSERY Lot 58, Cranbourne-Frankston Rd., Cranbourne Sth., Vic.—Ph.: (059) 78-2288 (300 metres east of Hastings-Dandenong Road intersection) WIDE RANGE OF GOOD QUALITY PLANTS AT NEAR WHOLESALE PRICES Closed Tues. and Wed. — Wholesale and Retail LAKKARI RUSSELL and SHARON COSTIN, Retail & Wholesale grawers of AgaltiveFTrees,PSIhrubs.c Gn‘)!undl Sovcr;lund reepers — Also Ferns, Palms, Cycads, Indoor Plants NATIVE PLANT Specialists in Honey Flora NURSERY Many selected Natives uniq Q land as well as new cultivars and hybrids. (Lakkari means Banksla 477 REDLAND BAY ROAD, CAPALABA, QLD. 4157 Integrifolia) Open 6 days (closed Sat. only) — Ph: Bris. 206-4119 CLEARVIEW NURSERY, W. Cane, Box 19, Maffra, Vic. 3860. Specialist in developed plants TASMANIAN FOREST SEEDS Suiport nurssryman e : 1": WALDUCK o, S ‘““Summerieas Farm’’, Kingston, Tas. 715 e H All Tasmanlan Tree gSpecles and advert|5|ng n Ornamental Shrubs. Send S.A.E. for free list. AUSTRALIAN PLANTS Sales by packet or In bulk Page 193—Vol. 10 @@@ 46 @@@ PRESERVATION BY CULTIVATION FI.ORALANDS KARIONG, vla GOSFORD, N.S.W. 2250 — Prop. Brlan & Lyn Parry A large varlety of the most popular natlve plants at nursery PHONE: Gosford 40-1142 Closed Tuesdays Send $1.50 for descriptive catalogue. UTIMGU NATIVE PLANT NURSERY WHOLESALE AND RETAIL Suppliers of: TREES, SHRUBS, GROUNDCOVERS, FERNS AND HANGING BASKETS. 37 Sorbiston Street, Wellers Hill, 4121 Open 7 days—Phone: (07) 397-5706 PARSONS NATIVE PLANT NURSERY Trees, Shrubs, Ground Cover, Climbers Speclallsing In Grevilleas Open Thur,, Frl.,, Sat., 9-5; Sun., 9-1 Warrandyte Road, Research, Vic. 3096 A FOREST ® NATIVE Bl NURSERY CATALOGUE AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS FOR N.S.W. GARDENS $3.50 posted 9 Namba Rd., Duffy’'s Forest, N.S.W. 2084 (beslde Waratah Park), (02) 450-1785 MICHIE’'S KENTLYN NATIVE PLANT NURSERY Speclallsing In Australlan Plants Beth & Bob Michle Invite you to call 96c George's Rlver Road, Kentlyn, 2560 Phone: Campbelitown 25-1583 Closed Tuesday and Wednesday only Cranebrook Native Nursery R23 Cranebrook Rd., Cranebrook, NSW 4 mlles north of Penrith, between Tadmore and Taylor Rds. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Sundays. (047) 77 4256 — No Mail Orders CLOVERDALE PARK NURSERY 57 CLOVERDALE ROAD, DOOLANDELLA, 4077 (D. HANGER) QUEENSLAND Hakea fraseri, Guilfoylia including: Kunzea flavescens, Buckinghamia celsissima, NATIVE PLANTS Cryptocarya laevigata v. monostylis, archeriana, Microcitrus australis. Bowei, Ervatamia angustisepala, Jasminum volubile, Lagerstroemia DAVID & MARGARET'S NATIVE FLORA We have thousands of plants for your selection. Set amidst acres of land- scaped garden areas. Located two miles past Woori Yallock at Braeside Drive Launching Place, Vic. (059) 64-7631, THURS. to SUN. (Established 1974) WIRRIMBIRRA “ume HIlghway, between Tahmoor and Bargo, N.S.W. 2574 AUSTRALIAN PLANTS Wide Range — Phone: Bargo 84-1112 OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK &?\3\\)\@3% 1 Huge selectlon from ground rare and the T‘QEEE cflustlfalls (C;g‘:r:\c:ri :Ii::' large or small couecrors NURSERIES ke Ry " Cnr BELLEVUE CRES and SEAFORD RD SEAFORD Open Saturday and Sunday Vic. 3198 (Closed Mon. and Tues.) BELBRA NURSERY In the heart of the Gramplans LARGE RANGE OF AUSTRALIAN NATIVES Closed Wednesday only B0OX 12, HALL'S GAP, VIC. 3381 NAROOMA NATIVE NURSERY (H. & N. RYAN, Proprietors) 15 TILBA ST., NAROOMA N.S.W., 2548 'PHONE 132 Good varlety of Natlve Plants — Open all week except Sunday morning. First Class Hollday Accommodation avallable at Nursery slte. Write for Brochure NANGANA NATIVE PLANT NURSERY COCKATOO-WOORI YALLOCK ROAD 6.4 km from Cockatoo, Vic. Large range;smcludlng over 100 Grevilleas cm to bucket size PHONE: (059) 68-8337 Open every day except Tues. and Wed. (also closed June and July) GRASSTREE NATIVE PLANT NURSERY BROWN'S RD., ROSEBUD SOUTH, 3939 (Opposite Hyslops Rd.) 10 a.m. to 5p.m. — Wed. to Sun. Inc. Over 1000 Specles In Propagation. Nursery In Natural Bushland Setting. Page 194—Vol. 10 @@@ 47 @@@ Past Issues of ‘‘Australian Plants’’ Available Because of the vast wealth of our flora there is very little repetition, each volun.e becoming a valuable reference book in itself. Each volume has a separate abridged index, but a composite index for volumes 1-8 incl. will be available shortly as a separate book from the Editor for $2.00 including postage. It is intended to maintain all volumes in print in bound hard-cover form, beautifully presented with gold-lettered green vinyl covering. Each volume has bound with it another Society book as indicated below. The retail price is $15.00, but they are available by mail from the Editor at $12.00 each up to 1-1-80. Postage 50c per vol. No. 1. Issues 1-12 — to be reprinted in 1980. Watch for announcements. . 2. Issues 13-20, no longer avallable—to be reprinted in 1980. VOLUME No. 3. Issues 21-28, bound W|th ‘Catalogue of Cultivated Australian Plants". VOLUME No. 4. Issues 29-36, with ‘“West. Aust. Plants for Horticulture—Part 1. VOLUME No. 5. Issues 37-44, bound with ““The Language of Botany’. VOLUME No. 6. Issues 45-52, with ‘“West. Aust. Plants for Homculture~Part LB VOLUME No. 7. Issues 53-60, bound with ‘““North Australian Plants”. VOLUME No. 8 Issues 61-68, bound with “The Cradle of Incense’” VOLUME No. 9. Issues 69-76. Each issue to date available at $1 .00 post free. VOLUME No. 10. Issues 77-84. Each issue to date available at $1.00 post free. Other Books Published by the Society: “AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS ORCHIDS”, by A. W. Dockrill, $30.00 including postage. The only complete reference to Australian epiphytic orchids and tropical terrestrials. ““WEST AUSTRALIAN PLANTS®, ‘A descriptive catalogue’ by Dr. J. S. Beard, $7.50 plus 60c postage. The only complete reference to the flora of Western Australia. ""WEST AUSTRALIAN PLANTS FOR HORTICULTURE", Parts 1 & 2, by K. Newby, each $7.50 plus 60c postage. A valuable guide to the plants with horticultural potential. “NORTH AUSTRALIAN PLANTS”, by Jenny Harmer, $7.50 plus 60c postage. The most comprehensive reference to plants of the Darwin area available. ““CRADLE OF INCENSE", ‘The Genus Prostanthera’ by G. W. Althofer, $12.00 plus 60c postage. The only reference to our Mint Bushes. “THE LANGUAGE OF BOTANY”, by C. N. Debenham, $3.90 plus 60c postage. An outstanding reference to botanical terms, with examples from Australian flora. “AUSTRALIAN PLANT INDEX—Vols. 1-8". A comprehensive index to all species, authors etc. $2.00 including postage. Not avallable until July, 1979. “A HORTICULTURAL GUIDE TO AUSTRALIAN PLANTS". Large colour plates of species with descriptions, etc., on rear for filing as issued in a D-ring binder. Sets of 32 sheets in each of 1-4 at $2.50 per set, plus 50c postage; binder $2.00 plus 80c postage. The whole series, sets 1-4 with binder — $10.00 plus $1.60 postage. "“"ACACIAS OF NEW SOUTH WALES", by |. Armitage. All N.S.W. wattles described and illustrated by sketches and colour. $7.50 plus 50c postage. The Society for Growing Australian Plants The Society is for people interested in the Australian flora, its preservation and cultivation in the wild, in parks, and in public and private gardens. Preservation of our magnificent flora will, in the long term, depend on the knowledge accumulated, on its cultivation under a wide range of conditions. We hope to learn more about this by cultivating wildflowers in the garden, encouraging research on this aspect, and to record this in ‘‘Australian Plants". The Society offers many services in all States, such as meetings, instruction, shows, field outings, seed, propagating aids and friendship, much on a mail basis for those who cannot or do not wish to attend meetings. Enquiries for membership should be directed to: SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—N.S.W. REGION. President: Mr. Hugh Stacy, 16 Booyong Avenue, Lugarno, NSW 2210 Secretary: Mr. Ray Page, 21 Robb Street, Revesby, S.W., 221 SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—QUEENSLAND REGION' President: Mr. L. Smith, Lot 29, Vores Road, Petrie, Secretary: Mrs. R. Reid, P.O. Box 809, Fortitude Valley, Qld., 4006. SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGION (Inc.): President: M. W. Pybus, 41 Harrow Road, Somerton Park, S.A., Secretary: yn M. Spier, Box 10, P.O., Blackwood, S.A., 5051. SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN 'PLANTS—TASMANIAN REGION: President: Mrs. Sib Corbett, 35 Pillinger Drive, Fern Tree, Tas. 7101. Secretary: Mrs. Chris Howells, ““Gwastadnant,”” Sandfly, Tas. 7104. SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—VICTORIAN REGION: President: Mr. R. G. McDonald, P.O. Box 9, Upper Ferntree Gully, Vic., 3156. Secretary: (Sister) E. R. Bowman, 4 Homebush Crescent, Hawthorn East, Victoria, 3123. Please do not call at private home—enquiries by telephone or mail only. SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS—CANBERRA REGION: President: David McKenzie, 46 Cockle Street, O'Connor, 2601. Secretary: Wendy Davidson, 28 Pambula Street, Kaleen, 2617. WEST AUSTRALIAN WILDFLOWER SOC. (Inc.): President: Dr. N. Marchant, P.O. Box 64, Nedlands, W.A., 6009. Secretary: Miss B. Britton, P.O. Box 64, Nedlands, W.A., 6009. “AUSTRALIAN PLANTS” IS AUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL PRESERVATION JOURNAL (A non-profit making venture, produced quarterly, dedicated to preservation by cultivation) PUBLISHING SECTION FOR SOCIETIES—Produced as a non-profit venture. Managing Editor: W. H. Payne, assisted by P. D. Leak; Despatch by E. Hubner, H. Jones. Do not telephone or call at private home—enquiries by mail only. NON-MEMBERS: You may receive the next 4 issues direct to your home by forwarding an annual subscription of $3.00. Overseas subscrlpt:on $4.20 Aust., £2.80 in English currency or $6.50 U.S. Send to The Editor, ““Australian Plants’’, 860 Henry Lawson Drive, Picnic Point, N.S.W., 2213. COPYRIGHT — AIl material copyright as directed by authors. Page 195—Vol. 10 @@@ 48 @@@ Photography by M. Hodge. Grevillea pteridifolia Known as ‘“‘Golden Grevillea” in Townsville where it occurs naturally in heavy soils, this magnificent large shrub or small tree is proving to be most reliable in Townsville gardens. Its growth and finely divided silvery green foliage make it an attractive plant but the masses of brilliant orange tooth- brush flowers in the cooler months there make it an outstanding horti- cultural plant for warmer climates. It has been used with another Queensland plant to produce a fine garden cultivar illustrated on page 160. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Printers