The
flora of AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
comprises a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 20,000
vascularVascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the ferns, clubmosses, flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms...
and 14,000
non-vascular plantNon-vascular plants is a general term for those plants without a vascular system . Although non-vascular plants lack these particular tissues, a number of non-vascular plants possess tissues specialized for internal transport of water....
s, 250,000 species of fungi and over 3,000
lichenLichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s. The flora has strong affinities with the flora of
GondwanaGondwana , originally Gondwanaland, is the name given to a southern precursor-supercontinent. Its final joining occurred between ca. 570 and 510 Ma ago, joining East Gondwana to West Gondwana. It later separated from Laurasia 180- during the breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent that existed about...
, and below the
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus...
level has a highly
endemicEndemism is the ecological state of being unique to a particular geographic location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation, or other defined zone. To be endemic to a place or area means that it is found only in that part of the world and nowhere else. For example, many species of lemur...
angiosperm flora whose diversity was shaped by the effects of
continental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
and climate change since the
CretaceousThe Cretaceous , Latin language for "chalky", usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
. Prominent features of the Australian flora are adaptations to aridity and fire which include
scleromorphySclerophyll is a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon . Sclerophyllous plants occur in all parts of the world but are most typical of Australia...
and
serotinySerotiny is an ecological adaptation exhibited by some seed plants, in which seed release occurs in response to an environmental trigger, rather than spontaneously at seed maturation. The most common and best studied trigger is fire, and the term serotiny is often used to refer to this specific case...
. These adaptations are common in species from the large and well-known families
ProteaceaeProteaceae is a family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, it is a fairly large family, with around 80 genera but fewer than 2000 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia,...
(
BanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
),
MyrtaceaeThe Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
(
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
- gum trees), and
FabaceaeFabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family. The name 'Fabaceae' comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia...
(
AcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
- wattle).
The settlement of Australia by
Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
more than 40,000 years ago, and by
EuropeansThe history of Australia from 1788–1850 covers the early colonies period of Australia's history, from the first British settlement and penal colony at Port Jackson in 1788 to the establishment of other colonies and the spread of settlers....
from 1788, has had a significant impact on the flora. The use of
fire-stick farmingFire-stick farming is a term coined by Australian archaeologist Rhys Jones in 1969 to describe the practice of Indigenous Australians where fire was used regularly to burn vegetation to facilitate hunting and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area.Fire-stick farming had...
by the Aborigines led to significant changes in the distribution of plant species over time, and the large-scale modification or destruction of vegetation for agriculture and urban development since 1788 has altered the composition of most terrestrial ecosystems, leading to the extinction of 61 plant species and endangering over 1000 more.
Origins
Australia was part of the southern supercontinent
GondwanaGondwana , originally Gondwanaland, is the name given to a southern precursor-supercontinent. Its final joining occurred between ca. 570 and 510 Ma ago, joining East Gondwana to West Gondwana. It later separated from Laurasia 180- during the breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent that existed about...
, which also included
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
,
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
,
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
and
Antarctica| style="border-top:solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align:top;" | 14,000,000 km
2 280,000 km
2 13,720,000 km
2 |-! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top;...
. Most of the modern Australian flora had their origin in Gondwana during the
CretaceousThe Cretaceous , Latin language for "chalky", usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
when Australia was covered in subtropical rainforest. Australian ferns and gymnosperm bear strong resemblance to their Gondwanan ancestors, and prominent members of the early Gondwanan angiosperm flora such as the
NothofagusNothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of about 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
,
MyrtaceaeThe Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
and
ProteaceaeProteaceae is a family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, it is a fairly large family, with around 80 genera but fewer than 2000 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia,...
were also present in Australia.
Gondwana began to break up 140 million years ago (MYA); 50 MYA during the
OligoceneThe Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present. As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...
Australia separated from Antarctica, and was relatively isolated until the collision of the
Indo-Australian PlateThe Indo-Australian Plate is a major tectonic plate that includes the continent of Australia and surrounding ocean, and extends northwest to include the Indian subcontinent and adjacent waters...
with Asia in the
MioceneThe Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23.03 to 5.33 million years before the present . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the...
era 5.3 MYA. As Australia
driftedContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
, local and global
climate changeClimate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average...
had a significant and lasting effect: a circumpolar oceanic current developed, atmospheric circulation increased as Australia moved away from Antarctica, precipitation fell, there was a slow warming of the continent and
aridA region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
conditions started to develop. These conditions of geographic isolation and aridity led to the development of a more complex flora. From 25-10 MYA pollen records suggest the rapid radiation of species like
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
,
CasuarinaCasuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeastern Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
,
AllocasuarinaAllocasuarina is a genus in the flowering plant family Casuarinaceae. They are endemic to Australia, occurring primarily in the south. Like the closely related genus Casuarina, they are commonly called sheoaks or she-oaks, they are notable for their long, segmented branchlets that function as leaves...
,
BanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
and the
pea-flowered legumesFaboideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae....
, and the development of open forest; grasslands started to develop from the
EoceneThe Eocene epoch, lasting from 55.8 ± 0.2 to 33.9 ± 0.1 Ma , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoic era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Paleocene epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene epoch. The start of the...
. Collision with the
Eurasian PlateThe Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
also led to additional South-east Asian and
cosmopolitanIn biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is a state of being found almost anywhere around the world. A cosmopolitan biological category, e.g. genus, may be called a cosmopolite.Examples of cosmopolitan species:* Humans* House dust mite...
elements entering the flora like the
LepidiumLepidium is a genus of plants in the mustard family Brassicaceae. It includes about 175 species found worldwide, including cress and pepperweed; additional common names include peppercress, peppergrass, and pepperwort...
and
ChenopodioideaeThe Chenopodioideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, formerly treated as a distinct family, Chenopodiaceae, and comprising all of the genera formerly included in this family except for those transferred to the subfamilies Salicornioideae and Salsoloideae...
.
The development of aridity and the old and nutrient poor soils of the continent led to some unique adaptations in the Australian flora and evolutionary radiation of genera – like
AcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
and
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
– that adapted to those conditions. Hard leaves with a thick outer layer, a condition known as
scleromorphySclerophyll is a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon . Sclerophyllous plants occur in all parts of the world but are most typical of Australia...
, and
C4C
4 carbon fixation is one of three biochemical mechanisms, along with C
3 and CAM photosynthesis, functioning in land plants to "fix" carbon dioxide for sugar production through photosynthesis...
and
CAMCrassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is an elaborate carbon fixation pathway in some plants. These plants fix carbon dioxide during the night, storing it as the four carbon acid malate. The is released during the day, where it is concentrated around the enzyme...
carbon fixation which reduce water loss during photosynthesis are two common adaptations in Australian arid-adapted dicot and monocot species respectively. Rising aridity also increased the frequency of fires in Australia. Fire is thought to have played a role in the development and distribution of fire-adapted species from the
Late PleistoceneThe Late Pleistocene is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. The beginning of the stage is defined by the base of Eemian interglacial phase before final glacial episode of Pleistocene 126,000 ± 5,000 years ago. The end of the stage is defined exactly at 10,000 Carbon-14 years BP...
. An increase in charcoal in sediment around 38,000 years ago coincides with dates for the inhabitation of Australia by the
Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
and suggests that man-made fires, from practices like
fire-stick farmingFire-stick farming is a term coined by Australian archaeologist Rhys Jones in 1969 to describe the practice of Indigenous Australians where fire was used regularly to burn vegetation to facilitate hunting and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area.Fire-stick farming had...
, have played an important role in the establishment and maintenance of sclerophyll forest, especially on the east coast of Australia. Adaptations to fire include
lignotuberA lignotuber is a starchy swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem by fire. The crown contains buds from which new stems may sprout, and a sufficient store of nutrients to support a period of growth in the absence of...
s and epicormic buds in
Eucalyptus and
Banksia species that allow fast regeneration following fire. Some genera also exhibit
serotinySerotiny is an ecological adaptation exhibited by some seed plants, in which seed release occurs in response to an environmental trigger, rather than spontaneously at seed maturation. The most common and best studied trigger is fire, and the term serotiny is often used to refer to this specific case...
, the release of seed only in response to heat and/or smoke.
XanthorrhoeaXanthorrhoea is a genus of flowering plants native to Australia and a member of family Xanthorrhoeaceae. The Xanthorrhoeaceae are monocots, part of order Asparagales. There are 28 species and five subspecies of Xanthorrhoea.-Description:...
grass trees and some species of orchids only flower after fire.
Vegetation types
Australia's terrestrial flora can be collected into characteristic
vegetationVegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
groups. The most important determinant is rainfall, followed by temperature which affects water availability. Several schemes of varying complexity have been created, the most recent scheme developed by the
Natural Heritage TrustThe Natural Heritage Trust was set up by the Australian Government in 1997 to help restore and conserve Australia's environment and natural resources....
divides Australia's terrestrial flora into 30
Major Vegetation Groups, and 67 Major Vegetation Subgroups.
According to the scheme the most common vegetation types are those that are adapted to arid conditions where the area has not been significantly reduced by human activities such as land clearing for agriculture. The dominant vegetation type in Australia is the hummock grasslands that occur extensively in arid Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It accounts for 23% of the native vegetation, the predominant species of which are from the genus
TriodiaTriodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are commonly known as spinifex, although they are not a part of the coastal genus Spinifex. There are currently 65 recognised species Triodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are...
.
ZygochloaZygochloa is a monotypic genus of grass endemic to Australia. Its only species is Zygochloa paradoxa. It occurs in extremely arid areas such as the Simpson Desert.-References:*Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 1992 onwards...
also occurs in inland sandy areas like the
Simpson DesertThe Simpson Desert occupies approximately 776 500 square kilometres of central Australia. It is located within, and near the common boundaries of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland states of Australia...
.
A further 39% of native vegetation is covered by a combination of:
- Eucalypt woodlands found at the transition between hummock grasslands and higher rainfall areas where conditions still limit tree growth; the woodland may have a grass or shrubby understory. The most common species is Eucalyptus camaldulensis which occurs along the majority of inland waterways and creeklines in Australia. The largest area is in Queensland.
- Acacia forests and woodlands that occur in semi-arid areas where tree growth is stunted. The dominant Acacia species varies with the location, and may include lancewood, bendee, mulga
Acacia aneura, commonly known as Mulga or True Mulga, is a shrub or small tree native to arid outback Australia.-Description:...
, gidgeeAcacia cambagei, commonly known as Gidgee , Stinking wattle or Stinking gidgee is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found primarily in semi-arid and arid Queensland but extends into the Northern Territory, South Australia and north-western New South Wales. It can reach up to 12 meters in height...
and brigalowAcacia harpophylla, commonly known as the Brigalow , Brigalow Spearwood or Orkor is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales. It can reach up to 25 meters tall and forms extensive open-forest communities on clay soils.Two species,...
. The largest area is in Western Australia.
- Acacia shrublands in semi arid and arid regions. The most common are mulga shrublands; the largest area is in Western Australia.
- Tussock grasslands that occur in semi-arid and some temperate parts of Australia; they host a large variety of grasses from more than 10 genera. The largest area is in Queensland.
- Chenopod/samphire shrubs and forblands that are widespread in the near-estuarine, arid and semi-arid areas. Species in chenopod communities are drought and salt tolerant
A halophyte is a plant that naturally grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. An example of a halophyte is the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora . Relatively few plant species...
and include the Sclerolaena, AtriplexAtriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...
, MaireanaMaireana is a genus of around 57 species of perennial shrubs and herbs in the family Amaranthaceae which are endemic to Australia. Species in this genus were formerly classified within the genus Kochia...
, ChenopodiumChenopodium is a genus of about 150 species of perennial or annual herbaceous flowering plants known as the goosefoots, which occur almost anywhere in the world. It is placed in the family Amaranthaceae in the APG II system; older classifications separate it and its relatives as Chenopodiaceae but...
and RhagodiaRhagodia is a genus of shrubs native to Australia. They are common in saltmarsh and may be succulent, like other salt tolerant species its members are commonly known as saltbushes.Species include:...
genera while samphire representatives include Tecticornia, Salicornia, Sclerostegia and SarcocorniaSarcocornia is a genus of succulent salt tolerant coastal plants.-Species:*S. alpini*S. blackiana *S. fruticosa*Sarcocornia globosa...
. Both South and Western Australia have large areas with this vegetation type.
Other groups with restricted areas of less than 70,000 square kilometres include tropical or temperate rainforest and vine thickets, tall or open eucalypt forests,
callitrisCallitris is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae . There are 15 species in the genus, of which 13 are native to Australia and the other two native to New Caledonia. Traditionally the most widely used common name is cypress-pine, a name shared by the closely related genus Actinostrobus...
and Casuarina forests, and woodlands and heath.
Vascular plants
Australia has over 20,000 described species of vascular plants, these include the angiosperms, seed-bearing non-angiosperms (like the conifers and cycads), and the spore-bearing ferns and fern allies. Of these about 11% are naturalised species; the remainder are native or endemic. The vascular plant flora has been extensively catalogued, the work being published in the ongoing
Flora of AustraliaThe Flora of Australia is a 59 volume series describing the vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens present in Australia and its external territories...
series. A list of vascular plant families represented in Australia using the
Cronquist systemA system of plant taxonomy, the Cronquist system is a scheme for the classification of flowering plants . This system was developed by Arthur Cronquist in his texts An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants and The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants .Cronquist's...
is also available.
At the higher taxonomic levels the Australian flora is similar to that of the rest of the world; most vascular plant families are represented within the native flora, with the exception of the
cactiA cactus is any member of the plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. They are often used as ornamental plants, but some are also crop plants. Cacti are grown for protection of property from wild animals, as well as many other uses...
,
birchBetulaceae, or the Birch Family, includes six genera of deciduous nut-bearing trees and shrubs, including the birches, alders, hazels, hornbeams and hop-hornbeams, numbering about 130 species...
and a few others, while 9 families occur only in Australia. Australia's vascular flora is estimated to be 85% endemic; this high level of vascular plant endemism is largely attributable to the radiation of some families like the
ProteaceaeProteaceae is a family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, it is a fairly large family, with around 80 genera but fewer than 2000 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia,...
,
MyrtaceaeThe Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
, and
FabaceaeFabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family. The name 'Fabaceae' comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia...
.
Angiosperms
Largest angiosperm families in Australia
| Family |
% of total flora1 |
Notable genera
|
FabaceaeFabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family. The name 'Fabaceae' comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia...
|
12.0 |
AcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
, DaviesiaDaviesia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae that are native to Australia. The genus is named in honour of Hugh Davies, a Welsh botanist.Species include:...
, GlycineGlycine is a genus in the bean family Fabaceae. The most well known species is the soybean . While the majority of the species are found only in Australia, the soybean's native range is in East Asia. A few species extend from Australia to East Asia Glycine is a genus in the bean family Fabaceae....
|
MyrtaceaeThe Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
|
9.3 |
Corymbia Corymbia is a genus of about 113 species of tree that were classified as Eucalyptus species until the mid-1990s. It includes the bloodwoods, ghost gums, spotted gums amongst others. The bloodwoods had been recognised as a distinct group within the large and diverse Eucalyptus genus since 1867...
, EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
, MelaleucaMelaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. There are well over 200 recognized species, most of which are endemic to Australia. A few species occur in Malesia and 7 species are endemic to New Caledonia....
, LeptospermumLeptospermum is a genus of about 80-86 species of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greatest diversity in the south of the continent; but one species extends to New Zealand, another to Malaysia, and L. recurvum is endemic to Malaysia.They...
|
AsteraceaeThe family Asteraceae or Compositae is the second largest family of flowering plants, in terms of number of species....
|
8.0 |
GoodeniaGoodenia is a genus consisting of 179 species of flowering plants. The name was published in 1793 by James Edward Smith in honour of the Bishop of Carlisle Samuel Goodenough.Goodenough was also a botanist and member of the Linnean Society....
, OleariaOlearia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae. There are about 130 different species within the genus found mostly in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand...
|
PoaceaePoaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. Plants of this family are usually called grasses, or, to distinguish them from other graminoids, true grasses; the shrub- or tree-like plants in this family are called bamboo...
|
6.5 |
TriodiaTriodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are commonly known as spinifex, although they are not a part of the coastal genus Spinifex. There are currently 65 recognised species Triodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are...
|
ProteaceaeProteaceae is a family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, it is a fairly large family, with around 80 genera but fewer than 2000 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia,...
|
5.6 |
BanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
, HakeaHakea is a genus of 149 species of shrubs and small trees in the Proteaceae, native to Australia. They are found throughout the country, with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia....
, GrevilleaGrevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees...
|
CyperaceaeCyperaceae is a family of monocot flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 4,000 species described in about 70 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical...
|
3.3 |
CyperusCyperus is a large genus of about 600 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions. They are annual or perennial plants, mostly aquatic and growing in still or slow-moving water up to 0.5 m deep. The species vary greatly in size, with small species...
|
OrchidaceaeOrchidaceae, the Orchid family, is the largest family of the flowering plants . Its name is derived from the genus Orchis....
|
3.0 |
CaladeniaThe genus Caladenia belongs to the subfamily Orchidoideae of the orchid family . The abbreviation Calda. is often used in trade journals to indicate the genus....
, PterostylisPterostylis is a terrestrial deciduous genus of some 100 or so species of orchids found mainly in New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. The common name of this orchid is Greenhood - a number of species have green flowers with the dorsal sepal forming a "hood" over the rest of...
|
EricaceaeEricaceae, the heath family or the heather family is a plant family, comprising mostly calcifuge plants that thrive in acidic soils. Many well-known plants of the Ericaceae live in temperate climates, such as cranberry, blueberry, various heaths and heathers , huckleberry, azalea and rhododendron...
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2.1 |
Leucopogon Leucopogon is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubby flowering plants belonging to the family Ericaceae, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with...
, EpacrisEpacris is a genus of about 35-40 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, though formerly often treated in a separate family Epacridaceae. The genus is native to eastern and southeastern Australia , New Caledonia and New Zealand...
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EuphorbiaceaeThe Spurge family is a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
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2.0 |
Ricinocarpos Ricinocarpos is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae. One species is native to New Caledonia, the others endemic to Australia.Species include:*Ricinocarpos bowmanii F.Muell. ...
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RutaceaeRutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
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1.8 |
Boronia, CorreaCorrea is a genus of mainly eastern Australian plants with distinctive bell-shaped flowers. Correa is in the family Rutaceae, and like many in this family the crushed leaves have a distinctive scent. There are ca. 11 species in the genus, though natural hybridisation between the species makes...
, CitrusCitrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of the world. The most well known examples are the orange, the lemon, the grapefruit, and the lime. The Latin word citrus was borrowed from ancient Greek kedros...
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1 Based on total number of species
Data from Orchard modified to AGPIIA modern system of plant taxonomy, the APG II system of plant classification was published in 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, APG, in*Angiosperm Phylogeny Group . An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical...
classifications. |
The native Australian flora contains many monocotyledons. The family with the most species is the
PoaceaePoaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. Plants of this family are usually called grasses, or, to distinguish them from other graminoids, true grasses; the shrub- or tree-like plants in this family are called bamboo...
which includes a huge variety of species, from the tropical bamboo
Bambusa arnhemicaBambusa arnhemica is one of three bamboo species native to Australia. It grows in the northwestern areas of the Northern territory, and is common on riverbanks in Kakadu. Stems turn orange yellow as they harden. Upper stems and branches arch gracefully. Height to approx 8 metres.The plant was first...
to the ubiquitous spinifex that thrives in arid Australia from the genera
TriodiaTriodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are commonly known as spinifex, although they are not a part of the coastal genus Spinifex. There are currently 65 recognised species Triodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are...
and
PlectrachnePlectrachne is a type of grass in the Poaceae family....
. There are more than 800 described species of
orchidOrchidaceae, the Orchid family, is the largest family of the flowering plants . Its name is derived from the genus Orchis....
in Australia. About one quarter of these are epiphytes; epiphytic orchids occur along the east coast and in Tasmania and do not occur in South or Western Australia. The terrestrial orchids occur across most of Australia, the majority of species being
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
– their aboveground parts die back during the dry season and they re-sprout from a tuber when it rains.
Other families with well-known representatives include the alpine Tasmanian button grass, which form tussock-like mounds from the
CyperaceaeCyperaceae is a family of monocot flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 4,000 species described in about 70 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical...
; the genus
PatersoniaPatersonia is a genus of the Iridaceae with about 20 species in Australia and at least one in Timor.They are perennials with basal leaves growing from a woody rhizome that in some species extends above ground to form a short trunk...
of temperate iris-like grasses from the
IridaceaeThe Iris family or Iridaceae is a family of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants included in the monocot order Asparagales, taking its name from the genus Iris. Almost worldwide in distribution and one of the most important families in horticulture, it includes more than 2000 species...
; and, the
kangaroo pawsAnigozanthos is a small genus of Australian plants in the Bloodwort family Haemodoraceae. The 11 species and several subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw and catspaw depending on the shape of their flowers...
from the family
HaemodoraceaeHaemodoraceae is a family of flowering plants. It is sometimes known as the "Bloodwort family". Primarily a Southern Hemisphere family, they are found in South Africa, Australia and New Guinea, and in the Americas Haemodoraceae is a family of flowering plants. It is sometimes known as the...
. The
XanthorrhoeaXanthorrhoea is a genus of flowering plants native to Australia and a member of family Xanthorrhoeaceae. The Xanthorrhoeaceae are monocots, part of order Asparagales. There are 28 species and five subspecies of Xanthorrhoea.-Description:...
grass trees, the
screw palmPandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. Plants vary in size from small shrubs less than tall, up to medium-sized trees tall, typically with a broad canopy and moderate growth rate. The trunk is stout, wide-branching, and ringed with many leaf scars...
s of the
PandanaceaePandanaceae is a family of flowering plants native to the tropics of the Old World. Such a family has been widely recognized by taxonomists.The APG II system, of 2003 , also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Pandanales in the clade monocots...
and
palmsArecaceae or Palmae , the palm family, is a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales...
are large moncots present in Australia. There are about 57 native palms; 79% of these only occur in Australia.
Livistonia is unusual amongst the palm genera in Australia; rather than tropical habitats, its members are found in inland gorges and open forest.
The
dicotsDicotyledons, or "dicots", is a name for a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
are the most diverse group of angiosperms. Australia's best known species come from three large and very diverse dicot families: the
FabaceaeFabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family. The name 'Fabaceae' comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia...
, the
MyrtaceaeThe Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
and the
ProteaceaeProteaceae is a family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, it is a fairly large family, with around 80 genera but fewer than 2000 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia,...
. The Myrtaceae is represented by a variety of woody species; gum trees from the genera
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
,
CorymbiaCorymbia is a genus of about 113 species of tree that were classified as Eucalyptus species until the mid-1990s. It includes the bloodwoods, ghost gums, spotted gums amongst others. The bloodwoods had been recognised as a distinct group within the large and diverse Eucalyptus genus since 1867...
and
AngophoraAngophora is a genus of ten species of trees or large shrubs in the myrtle family , native to eastern Australia. It is closely related to Corymbia and Eucalyptus, and all three are often referred to as "eucalypts". The differences are that Angophora have opposite leaves rather than alternate, and...
, Lillipillies (
SyzygiumSyzygium is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1100 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific...
), the water-loving
MelaleucaMelaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. There are well over 200 recognized species, most of which are endemic to Australia. A few species occur in Malesia and 7 species are endemic to New Caledonia....
and
BottlebrushBottlebrush is a genus with 34 species of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae. The majority of Callistemon species are endemic to Australia; four species are also found in New Caledonia. They are commonly referred to as bottlebrushes because of their cylindrical, brush like flowers resembling a...
and the shrubby
DarwiniaDarwinia is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The genus was named in honour of...
and
LeptospermumLeptospermum is a genus of about 80-86 species of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greatest diversity in the south of the continent; but one species extends to New Zealand, another to Malaysia, and L. recurvum is endemic to Malaysia.They...
, commonly known as teatrees, and Geraldton wax. The Proteaceae are also woody, well-known genera include
BanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
,
DryandraBanksia ser. Dryandra is a series of 94 species of shrub to small tree in the plant genus Banksia. It was considered a separate genus named Dryandra until early 2007, when it was merged into Banksia on the basis of extensive molecular and morphological evidence that Banksia was paraphyletic with...
,
GrevilleaGrevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees...
,
HakeaHakea is a genus of 149 species of shrubs and small trees in the Proteaceae, native to Australia. They are found throughout the country, with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia....
, the
waratahWaratah is a genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees in the Proteaceae, native to the southeastern parts of Australia...
and Australia's only commercial native food crop, the
macadamiaMacadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
. Australia also has representatives of all three legume subfamalies.
CaesalpinioideaeCaesalpinioideae is a botanical name at the rank of subfamily, placed in the large family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. Its name is formed from the generic name Caesalpinia....
is notably represented by
CassiaCassia is a genus of Fabaceae in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Commonly called cassias, "cassia" is also the English name of Cinnamomum aromaticum in the Lauraceae , and some other species of Cinnamomum...
trees. The
FaboideaeFaboideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae....
or pea-flowered legumes are common and many are well-known for their flowers, including the
golden peasThe mirbelieae, commonly known as the bush, golden or egg-and-bacon peas are a legume tribe endemic to Australia. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Mirbelieae is paraphyletic with respect to Bossiaeeae.-References:*Crisp, M....
,
GlycineGlycine is a genus in the bean family Fabaceae. The most well known species is the soybean . While the majority of the species are found only in Australia, the soybean's native range is in East Asia. A few species extend from Australia to East Asia Glycine is a genus in the bean family Fabaceae....
species and the
Sturt's desert peaSturt pea, Swainsona formosa, is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or "boss". It is one of Australia's best known wildflowers...
. The
MimosoideaeMimosoideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae characterized by flowers with small petals and numerous prominent stamens...
is best known for the huge genus
AcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
which includes Australia's floral emblem the
golden wattleGolden Wattle is Australia's floral emblem. It is a tree which flowers in late winter and spring, producing a mass of fragrant, fluffy, golden flowers.-Description:...
.
Many plant families that occur in Australia are known for their floral displays that follow seasonal rains. The
AsteraceaeThe family Asteraceae or Compositae is the second largest family of flowering plants, in terms of number of species....
is well represented by its subfamily
GnaphalieaeGnaphalieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.-Characteristics:This group is most diverse in South America, Southern Africa and Australia. It is sometimes commonly called the pussy's-toes tribe...
, which included the paper or everlasting daisies; this group has its greatest diversity in Australia. Other families with flowering shrubs include the
RutaceaeRutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
, with the fragrant
Boronia and
EriostemonEriostemon is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Rutaceae. It is native to eastern Australia and includes just two species. Eriostemon australasius occurs between Fraser Island and Nowra, and is a shrub of heathlands and low open woodlands. It is also frequently cultivated in...
, the
MyoporaceaeMyoporaceae is a family of plants, found mostly in Australia, which includes the following genera:* Diocirea* Eremophila, also known as Emu Bush* Myoporum, also known as Boobiala...
with the
EremophilaEremophila is a genus of plants of the family Scrophulariaceae , with species known by the common names of Emu Bush, Poverty Bush or Fuchsia Bush. Currently, there are 215 recognised species, all of which are endemic to Australia...
, and members of the
EricaceaeEricaceae, the heath family or the heather family is a plant family, comprising mostly calcifuge plants that thrive in acidic soils. Many well-known plants of the Ericaceae live in temperate climates, such as cranberry, blueberry, various heaths and heathers , huckleberry, azalea and rhododendron...
with Victoria's Floral Emblem
Epacris impressa.
Amongst the most ancient species of flowering hardwood trees are the
CasuarinaceaeCasuarinaceae is a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants placed in the order Fagales, consisting of 3 or 4 genera and approximately 70 species of trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics , Australia, and the Pacific islands...
, including beach, swamp and river oaks, and
FagaceaeThe family Fagaceae, or beech family, comprises about 900 species of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, which are characterized by alternate simple leaves with pinnate venation, unisexual flowers in the form of catkins, and fruit in the form of cup-like nuts. Fagaceous leaves are often...
represented in Australia by three species of
NothofagusNothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of about 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
. Trees of the
RosalesRosales is an order of flowering plants, including nine families, the type family being the rose family Rosaceae. These nine families are those shown by the genetic analysis carried out by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group to be related to each other. Their analysis showed that the old Cronquist...
are notably representented by the
MoraceaeMoraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — is a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates...
whose species include the
Moreton Bay FigFicus macrophylla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay Fig, is a large evergreen banyan tree of the Moraceae family that is a native of most of the eastern coast of Australia, from the Atherton Tableland in the north to the Illawarra in New South Wales, and Lord Howe Island. Its common name is...
and the
Port Jackson FigThe Port Jackson Fig , also known as the Little-leaf Fig or the Rusty Fig, is a native of eastern Australia and a banyan of the genus Ficus which contains around 750 species worldwide in warm climates, including the edible fig .Like all figs it requires pollination by a particular wasp species to...
, and the
UrticaceaeUrticaceae, or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus Urtica . Urticaceae includes a number of well-known, interesting and useful plants, including the aforementioned nettles, ramie , māmaki , and ajlai .The family counts more or less 2600 species,...
whose members include several tree sized stinging nettles;
Dendrocnide moroidesDendrocnide moroides also known as the Gympie Gympie, moonlighter or stinger is a large shrub native to rainforest areas in North Eastern Australia, the Moluccas and Indonesia. It is best known for stinging hairs which cover the whole plant and deliver a potent toxin when touched. It is the most...
is the most virulent. There are also numerous
sandalwoodSantalaceae is a widely distributed family of flowering plants which, like other members of Santalales, are partially parasitic on other plants...
species including the
quandongQuandong, quandang or quondong, is a common name for the species Santalum acuminatum , especially its edible fruit, but may also refer to* Aceratium concinnum...
s and native cherry,
Exocarpus cupressiformisExocarpos cupressiformis, is an Australian endemic plant species commonly known as the native cherry or cherry ballart. The species is found in sclerophyll forest on the east coast of Australia. It is also commonly found in the Mt Lofty Ranges in South Australia.It is a small tree , hemiparasitic...
. The bottle tree of the
MalvaceaeMalvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species.[ Judd & al.] Well known members of this family include okra and cacao...
is one of 30 tree species from the
BrachychitonBrachychiton is a genus of 31 species of trees and large shrubs, native to Australia , and New Guinea . Fossils from New South Wales and New Zealand are estimated to be 50 million years old, corresponding to the Tertiary.They grow to 4 – 30m tall, and some are dry-season deciduous...
. There are about 75 native
mistletoesLoranthaceae is a family of flowering plants, which has been universally recognized by taxonomists. It consists of about 75 genera and 1,000 species of woody plants, many of them hemi-parasites, all of them except three having the mistletoe habit...
that
parasitiseA parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or both....
Australian tree species, including two terrestrial parasitic trees, one of which is the spectacular
Western Australian Christmas treeNuytsia floribunda is a parasitic plant found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as the Christmas Tree, displaying bright orange flowers during the Christmas season....
.
Australia's salt marshes and wetlands are covered by a large variety of salt and drought tolerant species from the
AmaranthaceaeThe flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family, contains about 160 genera and 2,400 species. Most of these species are herbs or subshrubs; very few are trees or climbers....
which include the saltbushes (
AtriplexAtriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...
) and bluebushes (
MaireanaMaireana is a genus of around 57 species of perennial shrubs and herbs in the family Amaranthaceae which are endemic to Australia. Species in this genus were formerly classified within the genus Kochia...
and
ChenopodiumChenopodium is a genus of about 150 species of perennial or annual herbaceous flowering plants known as the goosefoots, which occur almost anywhere in the world. It is placed in the family Amaranthaceae in the APG II system; older classifications separate it and its relatives as Chenopodiaceae but...
). Many of these plants have succulent leaves; other native succulents are from the genera
CarpobrotusCarpobrotus is a genus of ground-creeping plants, with succulent leaves and large daisy-like flowers. The name refers to the edible fruits. It comes from the Greek "karpos" and "brota" ....
,
CalandriniaCalandrinia is a plant genus that contains many species of purslane, including the redmaids. The genus was named for Jean Louis Calandrini, an 18th century Swiss botanist. It includes around 150 species of annual herbs which bear colorful flowers in shades of red to purple and white...
and
PortulacaPortulaca is the type genus of the purslane family Portulacaceae, comprising about 40-100 species found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. It is also sometimes known as Rose Moss or more commonly Moss Roses....
. Succulent stems are present in many of the
EuphorbiaceaeThe Spurge family is a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
in Australia, though the best known members are the non-succulent looking fragrant Wedding bushes of the genus
RicinocarposRicinocarpos is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae. One species is native to New Caledonia, the others endemic to Australia.Species include:*Ricinocarpos bowmanii F.Muell. ...
. Carnivorous plants which favour damp habitats are represented by four families including the
sundewsDroseraceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. The family is also known under its common name, the sundew family.It consists of carnivorous plants: besides the sundews, the genus Drosera, it also contains the even more famous Venus fly trap, Dionaea muscipula...
,
bladderwortsLentibulariaceae is a family of carnivorous plants containing three genera, Genlisea, the corkscrew plants, Pinguicula, the butterworts, and Utricularia, the bladderworts....
, pitcher-plants from the Cephalotaceae, which are endemic to
Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
, and the Nepenthaceae.
Aquatic moncots and dicots both occur in Australian waters. Australia has about 51,000 square kilometres of
seagrassSeagrasses are flowering plants from one of four plant families , all in the order Alismatales , which grow in marine, fully-saline environments.-Ecology:These unusual marine flowering plants are called seagrasses because the leaves are long and narrow and are very...
meadows and the most diverse group seagrass species in the world. There are 22 species found in temperate waters and 15 in tropical waters out of a known 70 species worldwide. Aquatic dicots include the mangroves; in Australia there are 39 mangrove species that cover 11,500 square kilometres and comprise the third largest area of mangroves in the world. Other native marine dicots here include
water liliesNymphaeaceae is a name for a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live in freshwater areas in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains 8 genera. There are about 70 species of water lilies around the world. The genus...
and
water milfoilsMyriophyllum is a genus of about 45 species of freshwater aquatic plants, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Its name comes from Latin, "myrio" meaning "too many to count", and "phyllum", meaning "leaf"....
.
Non-angiosperms
Seed bearing non-angiosperms present in Australia include the cycads and conifers. There are 69 species of cycad from 4 genera and 3 families – they are all endemic and their distribution is confined to forests of eastern and northern Australia, with a few in south-western Western Australia and central Australia. Native pines are distributed through 3 families, 14 genera and 43 species, of which 39 are endemic. Most species are present in wetter mountainous areas consistent with their Gondwanan origins, including the genera
AthrotaxisAthrotaxis is a genus of two to three species of conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae. The genus is endemic to western Tasmania, where they grow in high altitude temperate rainforests....
,
ActinostrobusActinostrobus is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae . Common names include cypress and cypress-pine, the latter name shared by the closely related genus Callitris...
,
MicrocachrysMicrocachrys tetragona is a species of dioecious conifers belonging to the podocarp family . It is the sole species of the genus Microcachrys. The plant originates from western Tasmania, where it is a low shrub growing to 1 m tall at high altitudes...
,
MicrostrobosMicrostrobos is a genus of plant belonging to the podocarp family . Its name comes from Greek . It has 2 species, which are evergreen dioecious shrubs.-Taxonomy:...
,
DiselmaDiselma archeri is a species of plant of the family Cupressaceae and the sole species in the genus Diselma. It is found in Tasmania, on the western coast ranges and Lake St. Clair, at an altitude ranging from 910-1220 m.It is a dioecious shrub or rarely a small tree, growing to 1-6 m...
and the Tasmanian
Huon pineThe species Lagarostrobos franklinii is a species of conifer native to the wet southwestern corner of Tasmania, Australia; it is the sole species in Lagarostrobos; one other species L. colensoi formerly included has been transferred to a new genus Manoao...
, sole member of the genus
Lagarostrobos.
CallitrisCallitris is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae . There are 15 species in the genus, of which 13 are native to Australia and the other two native to New Caledonia. Traditionally the most widely used common name is cypress-pine, a name shared by the closely related genus Actinostrobus...
is a notable exception; species from this genus are found mainly in drier open woodlands. The most recently discovered species of conifer is the
living fossilLiving fossil is an informal term for any living species of organism which appears to be the same as a species otherwise only known from fossils and which has no close living relatives. These species have all survived major extinction events, and generally retain low taxonomic diversities...
Wollemi pine, which was first described in 1994.
Spore bearing vascular plants include the
fernA fern is any one of a group of about 20,000 species of plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta. The group is also referred to as Polypodiophyta, or Polypodiopsida when treated as a subdivision of tracheophyta...
s and
fern alliesFern ally is a general term covering a somewhat diverse group of vascular plants that are not flowering plants and not true ferns. Like ferns, these plants disperse by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations.-Classification:...
. True ferns are found over most of the country and are most abundant in tropical and subtropical areas with high rainfall. Australia has a native flora of 30 families, 103 genera and 390 species of ferns, with another 10 species being naturalised. The fern allies are represented by 44 native species of psilophytes,
horsetailEquisetum is the only living genus in the Equisetaceae, a family of vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds. They are commonly known as horsetails....
s and
lycophytesThe Division Lycopodiophyta is a tracheophyte subdivision of the Kingdom Plantae. It is the oldest extant vascular plant division at around 420 million years old, and includes some of the most "primitive" extant species...
. Ferns prefer a cool and damp environment since water is required for reproduction, the majority of Australian species are found in bushland and rainforest, there are aquatic, epiphytic (
PlatyceriumPlatycerium is a genus of ~ 18 fern species in the Polypod family, Polypodiaceae. Ferns in this genus are widely known as Staghorn or Elkhorn ferns due to their uniquely-shaped fronds...
,
Huperzia and
AspleniumAsplenium is a genus of about 700 species of ferns, often treated as the only genus in the family Aspleniaceae, though other authors consider Hymenasplenium separate...
), and terrestrial species including large tree ferns from the genera
CyatheaCyathea is a genus of tree ferns, the type genus of the fern order Cyatheales. They are mostly terrestrial ferns, usually with a single tall stem. Rarely, the trunk may be branched or creeping. Many species also develop a fibrous mass of roots at the base of the trunk. The genus has a pantropical...
and
DicksoniaDicksonia is a genus of tree ferns in the order Cyatheales. It is regarded as related to Cyathea, but is considered more primitive, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record includes stems, pinnules, and spores....
.
Non-vascular plants
The
algaeAlgae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms. The largest and most complex marine forms are called seaweeds. They are photosynthetic, like plants, and "simple" because they lack the many distinct organs found in...
are a large and diverse group of photosynthetic organisms. Many studies of algae include the
cyanobacteriaCyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, blue-green bacteria or Cyanophyta, is a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" comes from the color of the bacteria = blue)...
, in addition to micro and macro
eukaryoticA eukaryote is an organism whose cells contain complex structures enclosed within membranes. The defining membrane-bound structure that sets eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells is the nucleus, or nuclear envelope, within which the genetic material is carried...
types that inhabit both fresh and saltwater. Currently, about 10,000 to 12,000 species of algae are known for Australia. The algal flora of Australia is unevenly documented: northern Australia remains largely uncollected for seaweeds and marine phytoplankton, descriptions of freshwater algae are patchy, and the collection of terrestrial algae has been almost completely neglected.
The bryophytes –
mossMosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es,
liverwortsThe Marchantiophyta are a division of bryophyte plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like other bryopeos, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic information....
and
hornwortHornworts are a group of bryophytes, or non-vascular plants, comprising the division Anthocerotophyta. The common name refers to the elongated horn-like structure, which is the sporophyte. The flattened, green plant body of a hornwort is the gametophyte plant.Hornworts may be found world-wide,...
s – are primitive, usually terrestrial, plants that inhabit the tropics, cool-temperate regions and montane areas; there are some specialised members that are adapted to semi-arid and arid Australia. There are slightly fewer that 1,000 recognised species of moss in Australia. The five largest genera are the
FissidensFissidens is the only genus of moss in family Fissidentaceae.Selected species:* Fissidens adianthoides, Hedw.* Fissidens allenianus* Fissidens appalachensis* Fissidens arcticus* Fissidens bryoides* Fissidens clebschii...
,
Bryum,
Campylopus,
Macromitrium and
AndreaeaAndreaea is a genus of rock mosses with about 45 species.- External links :* Zander, Richard H. 2007. Bryophyte Flora of North America:...
. There are also over 800 species of liver- and horn-worts in 148 genera in Australia.
Fungi
The fungal flora of Australia is not well characterised; Australia is estimated to have about 250,000 fungal species of which roughly 5% have been described. Knowledge of distribution, substrates and habitats is poor for most species, with the exception of common plant pathogens.
Lichens
LichenLichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s are a composite organisms comprising, in most cases, an Ascomycete fungus and a unicellular green alga, their classification is based on the type of fungi. The lichen flora of Australia and its island territories, including
Christmas IslandThe Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
,
Heard IslandHeard Island and McDonald Islands are a volcanic group of barren Antarctic islands , about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica, approximately 4099 km southwest of Perth, 3845 km southwest of Cape Leeuwin, 4200 km southeast of South Africa, 3830 km southeast of Madagascar, 1630...
,
Macquarie IslandMacquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica. 54°37'53"S, 158°52'15"E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world...
and
Norfolk IslandNorfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. It and two neighbouring islands form one of Australia's external territories....
, currently comprises 3,238 species and infra-specific taxa in 422 genera, 34% of which are considered to be endemic.
Use by humans
The first Australian plants recognised and classified in Linnaean taxonomy were a species of
Acacia and
Synaphea in 1768 as
Adiantum truncatum and
Polypodium spinulosum respectively by Dutch philologist Pieter Burman the Younger, who stated they were from Java. Later, both were found to be from Western Australia, likely to have been collected near the Swan River, possibly on a 1697 visit there of fellow Dutchman
Willem de VlaminghWillem de Vlamingh was a Dutch sea-captain who explored the southwest coast of Australia in the late 17th century....
. This was followed by Cook's expedition making landfall at what is now Botany bay in April 1770, and the early work of Banks, Solander and Parkinson. Botanical exploration was enabled by the
founding of the permanent colony at Port Jackson in 1788, and the subsequent expeditions along Australia's coastline.
The Australia flora was utilised by the
Indigenous inhabitantsIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
of Australia. They used hundreds of species for food, medicine, shelter, tools and weapons. For example, the starchy roots of
Clematis microphyllaClematis microphylla is one of 8 Clematis species native to Australia. It occurs in all in all states and the ACT, but not in the Northern Territory.It is a common small-leaved climbing species. There are two variants,...
were used in western Victoria to make a dough that was baked, and the leaves of the plant were used as a poultice applied to skin irritations and blisters.
Since European colonisation
Economic exploitation of the flora by settlers since 1788 has not been extensive; forestry has been the most extensive use of the flora. Forestry species include a number of eucalypts used for paper and timber,
huon pineThe species Lagarostrobos franklinii is a species of conifer native to the wet southwestern corner of Tasmania, Australia; it is the sole species in Lagarostrobos; one other species L. colensoi formerly included has been transferred to a new genus Manoao...
,
hoop pineAraucaria cunninghamii is a species of Araucaria known as Moreton Bay Pine, or Hoop Pine. Other less commonly used names include Colonial Pine, Richmond River Pine, Queensland Pine, Alloa, Ningwik, or Pien, the wood is sometimes called Arakaria). It is named after botanist and explorer Allan...
,
cypress pineCallitris columellaris is a species of coniferous tree in the family Cupressaceae , native to most of Australia. Common names include White Cypress-pine, Murray River Cypress-pine, and Northern Cypress-pine....
,
Australian BlackwoodThe Australian Blackwood is an Acacia species native in eastern Australia. Known to some as Tasmanian Blackwood or Black Wattle, this tree grows fast and tall, up to 45 m height. It has a wide ecological tolerance, occurring over an extensive range of soils and climatic conditions, but develops...
, and sandalwood from
Santalum spicatumSantalum spicatum, a species known as Australian sandalwood, is a tree native to semi-arid areas at the edge of Southwest Australia. It is traded as sandalwood and its valuable oil has been used as an aromatic, a medicine and a food source. S...
and
S. lanceolatumSantalum lanceolatum is an Australian tree of the family Santalaceae. It is commonly known as Desert Quandong, Northern Sandalwood, Sandalwood or True Sandalwood and in some restricted areas as Burdardu. The height of this plant is variable, from 1 to 7 metres...
are also timber producing species. A significant area used by the pastoral industry is based on native pasture species including
Mitchell grassAstrebla is a small genus of xerophytic grasses endemic to Australia. They are commonly known as Mitchell Grass.Species in this genera are:*Astrebla elymoides; Hoop Mitchell Grass*Astrebla lappacea; Curly Mitchell Grass...
,
saltbushAtriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...
,
bluebushMaireana sedifolia, also known as the bluebush or pearl bluebrush is a compact shrub endemic to Australia. It is used in pasture and as a garden plant where it popular due to its distinctive grey foliage.-References:*...
,
wallaby grassAustrodanthonia is a genus of 28 grass species found in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand.Species include:*Austrodanthonia acerosa H.P.Linder...
,
spear grassThis article is about a type of grass. For the aircraft built by Caproni, see Stipa-Caproni.Stipa is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae.Many...
,
tussock grassesPOA may refer to:* Public Order Act 1936 , UK law concerning public disorder and violence* Public Order Act 1963 , an amendment to the earlier 1936 Act.* Public Order Act 1986 , UK law concerning public disorder andviolence...
and
kangaroo grassThemeda triandra is a perennial grass widespread in Australia, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass, in East and South Africa it is known as "red oat grass" or red grass, in Afrikaans, rooigras.The species has a tuffted habit and can reach up to 1.5 m...
.
Commercial use
Until recently the
macadamia nutMacadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
and
Tetragonia tetragonoidesTetragonia tetragonioides is a leafy groundcover also known as New Zealand Spinach, Warrigal Greens, Kokihi , Sea Spinach, Botany Bay Spinach, Tetragon and Cook's Cabbage...
were the only Australian food plant species widely cultivated. Although commercial cultivation of macadamia started in Australia in the 1880s, it became an established large-scale crop in
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
. The development of a range of native food crops began in the late 1970s with the assessment of species for
commercial potentialThe modern Australian native food industry, also called the bushfood industry had its initial beginnings in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when regional enthusiasts and researchers started to target local native species for cropping....
. In the mid-1980s restaurants and wholesalers started to market various native food plant products. These included
wattlesAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
for their edible seeds;
Davidson's PlumDavidsonia is a genus containing three rainforest tree species, that are commonly known as the Davidson or Davidson's Plum. The fruits superficially resemble the European plum, but are not closely related...
, desert lime, finger lime,
quandongSantalum acuminatum, the desert quandong, is a hemiparasitic plant in the Sandalwood family Santalaceae, widely dispersed throughout the central deserts and southern areas of Australia....
, riberry,
Kakadu plumTerminalia ferdinandiana, also called the Gubinge, billygoat, Kakadu plum or Murunga is a flowering plant in the family Combretaceae, native to Australia, widespread throughout the tropical woodlands from northwestern Australia to eastern Arnhem Land...
, muntries, bush tomato,
Illawarra plumPodocarpus elatus, known as the Plum Pine, or the Brown Pine is a species of Podocarpus endemic to the east coast of Australia, in eastern New South Wales and eastern Queensland....
for fruit;
warrigal greensTetragonia tetragonioides is a leafy groundcover also known as New Zealand Spinach, Warrigal Greens, Kokihi , Sea Spinach, Botany Bay Spinach, Tetragon and Cook's Cabbage...
as a leaf vegetable; and,
lemon aspenLemon aspen, Acronychia acidula is a small to medium sized rainforest tree of Queensland, Australia. The aromatic and acidic fruit is harvested as a bushfood.-Uses:...
,
lemon myrtleBackhousia citriodora is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, genus Backhousia. It is endemic to subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland, Australia, with a natural distribution from Mackay to Brisbane...
,
mountain pepperTasmannia lanceolata , commonly known as the Mountain Pepper , or Cornish Pepper Leaf , is a shrub native to woodlands and cool temperate rainforest of south-eastern Australia. The shrub varies from 2 to 10 m high...
as spices. A few Australian native plants are used by the pharmaceutical industry, such as two
scopolamineScopolamine, also known as levo-duboisine, and hyoscine, is a tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is obtained from plants of the family Solanaceae , such as henbane, jimson weed and Angel's Trumpets , and corkwood . It is among the secondary metabolites of these plants...
and
hyoscyamineHyoscyamine, pronounced hi-oh-SYE-uh-meen, is a chemical compound, a tropane alkaloid. It is the levorotary isomer to atropine. It is a secondary metabolite found in certain plants of the Solanaceae family, including henbane , mandrake , jimsonweed , and deadly nightshade .Brand names...
producing
DuboisiaDuboisia is a genus of small perennial shrubs to trees about 14 m tall, with extremely light wood and a thick corky bark. There are four species; all occur in Australia, and one also occurs in New Caledonia....
species and
Solanum aviculare and
S. laciniatum for the steroid
solasodineSolasodine is a poisonous glycoalkaloid chemical compound that occurs in plants of the Solanaceae family.It is commercially used as a precursor for the production of complex steroidal compounds such as contraceptive pills....
. Essential oils from
MelaleucaMelaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. There are well over 200 recognized species, most of which are endemic to Australia. A few species occur in Malesia and 7 species are endemic to New Caledonia....
,
CallitrisCallitris is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae . There are 15 species in the genus, of which 13 are native to Australia and the other two native to New Caledonia. Traditionally the most widely used common name is cypress-pine, a name shared by the closely related genus Actinostrobus...
,
ProstantheraProstanthera commonly known as Mintbush, is a genus of plants of the family Lamiaceae. There are about 90 species within the genus, all of which are endemic to Australia....
,
Eucalyptus and
EremophilaEremophila may refer to:* Eremophila , the horned larks* Eremophila , an Australian genus, including the spotted emu bush...
are also used medicinally. Due to the wide variety of flowers and foliage, Australian plant species are also popular for floriculture internationally.
Conservation
Modification of the Australian environment by Indigenous Australians and following European settlement has impacted on the extent and the distribution of the flora. The changes since 1788 have been rapid and significant: displacement of Indigenous Australians disrupted fire régimes that had been in place for thousands of years; forestry practices have modified the structure of native forests; wetlands have been filled in; and broad scale land-clearing for crops, grazing and urban development has reduced native vegetation cover and led to landscape salinisation, increased sediment, nutrient and salt loads in rivers and streams, loss of habitat and a decline in biodiversity. The intentional and unintentional release of
invasiveInvasive species are a serious threat to the native biodiversity of Australia and are an ongoing cost to Australian agriculture.Management and the prevention of the introduction of new invasive species are key environmental and agricultural policy issues for the Australian federal and state...
plant and animal species into delicate ecosystems is a major threat to floral biodiversity; 20 introduced species have been declared weeds of national significance. Since European settlement of Australia, 61 plant species are known to have become extinct; a further 1,239 species are presently considered threatened.
Protected areasProtected areas of Australia include Commonwealth and off-shore protected areas managed by the Australian government, as well as protected areas within each of the six states of Australia and two self-governing territories , which are managed by the eight state and territory...
have been created in every state and territory to protect and preserve the country's unique ecosystems. These protected areas include national parks and other reserves, as well as 64 wetlands registered under the
Ramsar ConventionThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
and 16
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
s. As of 2002, 10.8% (774,619.51 km²) of the total land area of Australia is within protected areas. Protected marine zones have been created in many areas to preserve marine biodiversity; as of 2002, these areas cover about 7% (646,000 km²) of Australia's marine jurisdiction. The Australian Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee has identified 15
biodiversity hotspotA biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Dr...
s in Australian and 85 characteristic ecosystems, as classified by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, cover the continent; some effort is being made to ensure each is represented within a protected area under Australia's
Biodiversity Action PlanThis article is about a conservation biology topic. For other uses of BAP, see BAP .A Biodiversity Action Plan is an internationally recognized program addressing threatened species and habitats and is designed to protect and restore biological systems. The original impetus for these plans derives...
.
See also
Region specific articles
External links