Indigenous Plants @ Merri Station

Recently, students at Northcote High School accessed the Victorian Flora website to put together some descriptors of some of the indigenous plants we've reintroduced to Merri Common over the past couple of years. Here are a few specimens you might encounter walking through the Indigenous Garden on the north-east corner of the station precinct. These can make stunning features in your home garden too, and are available from a range of indigenous nurseries in our area.

Spiny-Headed Mat Rush



Botanical Name
Lomandra longifolia
Common Name
Spiny-headed Mat-rush
Family Name
Xanthorrhoeaceae
Description
Large tussock forming plant with strap-like leaves.
Habitat
Woodland
Endangered
Common
Plant Type
Rush
Comments
A commonly used plant in the landscape.
Plant size
0.5-1m x 0.5-1.2m
Foliage
Smooth tough bright green strap-like leaves to 12 mm in width. Leaf tips have 2 or 3 teeth.
Flower
Numerous clusters of sessile, scented yellowish flowers with purpulish bases, arranged in whorled panicles to 15 cm length. Male and female flowers are on separate spikes. Flower from September to December.
Aboriginal Use
The leaves were used to weave bags and baskets.
Information Source
Flora of Melbourne
Fruit
Shiny greenish brown or brownish-orange capsules that remain on plant for most of the year.
Growth Rate
Fast
Tolerances
Wet Dry Shade


  

Black Anther Flax-Lily


Botanical Name
Dianella revoluta
       Common Name
Black-anther Flax-lily
Family Name
Liliaceae
Description
A robust spreading tufted perennial with strap-like leaves.
Habitat
Plains Grassland and woodland.
Endangered
Common
Plant Type
Lily
Comments
Widely used in revegetation work, this plant is a very useful and attractive drought tolerant plant for the garden.
Plant size
0.3-1m x 0.5-2.5m
Foliage
Linear, dark green strap-like leaves up to 70cm in length. The leaf margins are recurved and finely serrated.
Flower
Blue flowers with yellow stamen are held in a loose to dense panicle on branching stems to 1m in height. Flowering from August to May.
Aboriginal Use
The berries were eaten when ripe and the berries were also used to make a dye. The leaves were made into string.
Information Source
Flora of Melbourne
Fruit
Small, shiny dark blue berries are produced.
Growth Rate
Medium
Tolerances
Wet    Dry    Coastal    Shade    

Hop Goodenia


Botanical Name: Goodenia ovata
Family: Goodeniaceae
Size: 1-2.5 × 1-3m
Form & Flowers: Open, sprawling shrub with shiny, light-green leaves. Bright-yellow asymmetrical flowers appear in spring and summer.
Situation: Protected position, semi-shade, moist soils.
Comments: Fast-growing ornamental plant. Hardy, tolerant of drought, poor drainage, full sun and full shade.
Straggly growth can be overcome by pruning.
Wildlife: Food plant for insect-eating birds.

Drooping Sheoak













Botanical Name: Allocasuarina verticillata
Family: Casuarinaceae
Size: 4-11 × 3-6m
Form & Flowers: Erect tree with slender, weeping, greyish-green foliage. Dense yellow-brown spikes of male flowers and tiny red female flowers appear in autumn through to spring. Flowers are followed by oval seed cones.
Situation: Open position; full sun; dry, well-drained soils.
Comments: Fast-growing, ornamental, hardy tree.
Tolerant of drought, poor drainage and semi-shade.
Attractive when in flower, and effective in group plantings. A
useful windbreak tree.
Wildlife: Food plant for seed-eating birds.

Blue Devil

Botanical Name   Eryngium ovinum
Family Name         Apiaceae
Description            A stiff prickly perennial herb with ribbed stems and metallic blue flowers.
Habitat     Plains grassland
Endangered Common
Plant Type     Herb
Comments     A hardy and useful plant for its interesting foliage and floral display.
Plant size 10-60cm x 30-50cm
Foliage  Prickly basal leaves long and finely divided to 10-25cm in length. The stem leaves are shorter than the basal leaves.
Flower   The flower heads are rather globular in shape to 25mm in width with rigid, sharply pointed bracts. The flowerheads are metallic blue to purple in colour. Flowering from August to February.