Flora of the Flinders Ranges

This Acacia is very widespread, inhabiting semi-arid and arid areas of the entire southern half of the country, south of the Tropic of Capricorn. 

Its flattened glaucous phyllodes help to identify it, although similar, closely-related species (such as A.cupularis) are very similar and can hybridise with this species. 

Thanks to Helen Vonow for confirming the identification.

Telowie Gorge marks the southern limit of this large bushy Acacia's natural distribution.  Acacia iteaphylla is endemic to South Australia, although it has become a naturalised weed in all the other southern states, as well as other areas of South Australia. 

It can be recognised by its long, thin phyllodes and pruinose (covered in a greyish powder) seed pods.

This beautiful shrub is common in the Flinders Ranges.  It is easily recognised by its lilac flowers and hairy palmate leaves which are densely covered in short, stellate hairs. 

A second species, A.hakeifolia, is found in the Northern Flinders Ranges, but has linear leaves and flowers which have darker purple centres, so the two plants cannot be confused. 

Lilac Hibiscus is also widely distributed on the Eyre Peninsula, with one or two recent records from the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, which mark the eastern limit of the species' distribution.  It is also a common plant of coastal Western Australia.

Not the most attractive of orchids, but a common species in dryer areas of the Mount Lofty Ranges and further inland in South Australia. 

Until recently this orchid was known as Oligochaetochilus bisetus, but is has now reverted to Pterostylis.  

This species is typical of fairly arid habitats and can be found in SA, Victoria and NSW.  The wide brown lateral sepals with long free tips are diagnostic.

Elsewhere in Australia, this species is found in NSW and Victoria.

South Australia marks the southern limit of its distribution, where it can be found as far south as the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Thanks to Helen Vonow for the identification.

I've described the species in the Flora of the Adelaide Hills & Mount Lofty Ranges - Smaller Plants section of the site. 

The flowers smell like rancid milk, but I didn't smell them at the time!  The yellowish-green stiffly spreading sepals and petals and dark red clubs on the sepal tips help identify this species if you're not brave enough to smell it!

Alligator Gorge

Currently unidentified!

Woolly Goodenia is a widespread plant of South Australia's semi-arid regions, and is especially common in the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula and Murray mallee.  The species is also found in north-western Victoria.

It is very similar to similar to C. preissii, and some specimens can be just about impossible to determine due to the overlapping of several key features, such as the texture of the cones. 

Although C. glaucophylla usually (but not always) has glaucous foliage (hence the Latin name!), C. preissii also sometimes has this feature, but this is not the norm.

This species can be seen in all Australian states except the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Thanks to Helen Vonow for the identification.