| Stat' | Notes | Thumbnails: 503. 66 native species listed, with 50 from Ellura |
| Plants (Plantae) - Shrubs & Bushes | ||||||||
| Apiales | Pittosporum Pittosporaceae | Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa ssp spinosa | LC em |
It'd be very easy to confuse this with Box thorn. The flowers are quite different, but unfortunately we don't have any photo's of them yet. It's spring, so hopefully won't be long | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Bluebush Daisy Cratystylis conocephala | LC em |
Similar Species: Pearl Bluebush From a distance, very easy to confuse with Pearl Bluebush in shape and colour (hence the name we suspect). Up close it's easy to spot the difference. Generally larger than the Pearl Bluebush in our area. | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Short-leaf Daisy-bush Olearia brachyphylla | LC em | Small white flower with 8 petals. Buds are green & white with red highlights. Leaves are very small and felted underneath. Stems are soft and pale green when new, hardening to grey wood with age. A low dense bush, which blends into the background until it flowers, when it stands out like a beacon. | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Crinkle-leaf Daisy-bush Olearia calcarea | RA em |
Marie really out-did herself to find this one. She has amazing pattern recognition abilities. We walked past a couple of these bushes and she asked what they were. I said "O. muelleri". She said "No, it's different". I took a slightly closer look and said "Oh, O. magniflora". "No, it's not that either." I then took a really long look and said "I have no idea; you've done it again. How do you do that ?" Of course as soon as she asked what it was I instinctively knew something was up, 'cause she knows O. muelleri & O. magniflora like the back of her hand. It is said that O. calcarea is a natural cross between O. muelleri & O. magniflora. And we can certainly see why. The two specimens we've found on Ellura have quite different buds. One has large green buds, the other small copper highlighted buds. But the rest of the bush looks the same. One suspects one being in a small clearing on it's own, and the other at the base of a small mallee tree is the reason. | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Splendid Daisy-bush Olearia magniflora | NT em | Usually this bush likes to live with in the safety of another bush When on its own it's a very straggly looking affair. Beautiful large pale purple flowers Leaves are stiff and like shovels, with up to 4 small prongs coming out the side. | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Mueller's Daisy-bush Olearia muelleri | LC em |
Small, round, green, succulent leaves. Small white flowers, yellow centres. A dense bush with stems that go from stiff green to grey wood with age. | ||||
| Asterales | Daisy Asteraceae | Pimelea Daisy-bush Olearia pimeleoides ssp pimeleoides | LC em |
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| Asterales | Goodenia Goodeniaceae | Spiny Fan-flower Scaevola spinescens | LC em |
An unattractive bush with light grey foliage and stems. Very stiff with spikes coming from the stems. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Pointed Saltbush Atriplex acutibractea ssp acutibractea | LC em | |||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Kidney Saltbush Atriplex stipitata | LC em |
Previously we considered these to have swollen fruits, which didn't make much sense. But of course we now realise they are galls. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Bladder Saltbush Atriplex vesicaria | NT em | |||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Cottony Saltbush Chenopodium curvispicatum | LC em |
Generally more a creeper rather than a bush. Green to silvery grey leaves which are triangular and shovel shaped. The fruit is encapsulated in a crystalline (sugary) looking shell that splits open into 5 pieces. As it dries and opens it looks like a red flower with 5 petals. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Ruby Saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa var tomentosa | LC em |
A soft, pretty little bush with bright, shiny, ruby red to yellow fruits (on the same bush). Young fruit is green. We're pretty sure that the old fruits can also be green (as per photo here). Others suggest all fruit goes red with time, but we don't agree with this; with our specimens. It's always possible there are unknown subspecies with different behaviours. Leaves can be pale green (almost white) thru dark green with dark red tips, cylindrical and succulent. Stem is generally grey and woody. Can have a spreading or upright habit, often entwined in another bush. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Short-leaf Bluebush Maireana brevifolia | LC em |
On the whole a very straggly plant. But the prominent green heads / tops, with red branches are quite pretty. Flowers are almost invisible. Like most Maireana's; the fruit looks more like a flower and is quite beautiful. The new fruits have a beautiful red edge to the wings. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Rosy Bluebush Maireana erioclada | LC em | Deep pink/red fruits which are flat with a tiny back centre, that becomes fury/woolly/wooly as it matures. The black centre is actually the dried remnants of the flower. The fruit appear flat with one horizontal "wing"; but in outline are cup shaped (when taking the rear vertical wings into account). The fruits are diagnostic, as they are with all the bluebush; they have a single slit in the "wing" which is very hard to spot. The 5 fins (vertical wings) at the back, supporting the horizontal wing (at the front) are more obvious. The leaves are alternating, glabrous (smooth & hairless), succulent and cylindrical (obovoid to clavate) with a tiny soft point at the tip. The size of the leaves, as well as quantity, relates directly to how wet or dry it has been. As the leaves age, they turn from solid green to pink/red tips. They turn black & shrivel over summer as the plant extracts moisture to survive; leaving a grey shell until the winter rains come. Stems are covered in white fury/wool | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Erect Mallee Bluebush Maireana pentatropis | LC em | Small, cylindrical, succulent, green leaves on long woody buff stems. Flowers are tiny white at the base of the leaves on the stem. In summer the plant takes nutrients from the leaves, leaving the leaves to shrivel up into black husk. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Radiate Bluebush Maireana radiata | LC em |
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| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Rohrlach's Bluebush Maireana rohrlachii | LC em | Probably one of the most beautiful bluebush fruits. The fruit wings are curved and have deep red edges, going to shiny copper centres. The wing is one piece with a single slit, which is hard to spot. The centre fleshy part of the fruit is green and cone shaped on the back. The stems are hairy, and leaves typical of Maireana; succulent green with red tinges. We confused these for a while with M brevifolia, as they can have a bit of a red ring. But closer inspection shows the single wing vs 5 for M brevifolia. The plant is similar though (well that's my excuse & I'm sticking to it without the red stems. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Pearl Bluebush Maireana sedifolia | LC em |
Similar Species: Bluebush Daisy These are very easy to spot. They are very bright at certain times of year and almost glow. Like the old silver Xmas trees. Medium sized bushes with cylindrical grey/silver leaves. From a distance, very easy to confuse with Bluebush Daisy in shape and colour. Up close it's easy to spot the difference. Generally smaller than the Bluebush Daisy in our area. Leaves are very felted / covered in silky fibres (which is shiny). | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Fleshy Saltbush Rhagodia crassifolia | LC em | As with other saltbushes, the fruit of these is a bright red berry. Unlike E. tomentosa we believe the green fruit is young, ripening to red. | ||||
| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Mealy Saltbush Rhagodia parabolica | LC em |
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| Caryophyllales | Amaranth Amaranthaceae | Spiny Saltbush Rhagodia spinescens | LC em |
Compared to other Spiny shrubs, this is pretty soft and painless. Has great variety of leaf colour from pale green thru to vivid red (we suspect the red ones are dying, like autumn leaves). Older leaves are green with a white milky coating and shiny reddish brown edges (margins). These leaves are very distinctive to this species making id easy, but aren't on young plants. As with all saltbushes, has tiny flowers that are barely discernible. The fruits are much darker than usual; a deep burgundy wine colour. As such, any red fruits you see with the naked eye are not fruits but the stained bracts remaining after the fruit has dropped. | ||||
| Dilleniales | Dillenia Dilleniaceae | Prickly Guinea-flower Hibbertia exutiacies | Na a |
These little bushes are a ray of sunshine in spring The flowers drop their petals very easily, leaving discussion and quandry in their wake as one tries to work out this new green flowering plant LOL The yellow flowers are about 15mm wide, with the pale green buds at just over 2mm. The flowers can vary in general appearance with the 5 petals being close together forming a buttercup flower appearance, or spread apart looking like a star. Counting the petals isn't easy with petals often overlapping, yet each one having an indent in the end making it appear to be 2 petals close together. The green, nearly cylindrical leaves have a sharp spike on the end (hence prickly) and are about 8mm long. They are adjacent, often in swirls of 5 leaves (ie about 70 deg apart), with fine teeth along the edge. | ||||
| Dilleniales | Dillenia Dilleniaceae | Silky Guinea-flower Hibbertia sericea | LC ma |
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| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Wreath Wattle Acacia acinacea | VU ma |
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| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Silver Mulga-bush Acacia argyrophylla | LC m | Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Hakea Wattle Acacia hakeoides | LC em | Thank you Andrew Allanson for helping with the identification of this species We have quite a few examples were multiple bushes look like one huge bush. Bright yellow, petal-less, ball flowers with long, oval, green leaves. The leaves are wide with a round tip and often have a thin yellow edge. Stems are yellow when young going through green, brown then to grey wood with age. Seeds are grown in pods. Unlike most pods these are very shaped, around each seed. When the pod splits open the black seeds can be seen, and are held in by stalks until ready to disperse. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Sandhill Wattle Acacia ligulata | LC m |
Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Spine Bush Acacia nyssophylla | LC em |
Very similar to Wait-a-while, A. colletioides, except the leaves (phyllodes) have 16 parallel veins (nerves), not 8. Yellow flowers don't have petals, but are spherical/ball-shaped. Seeds come in long, flat pods a bit like beans. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Umbrella Wattle Acacia oswaldii | LC m |
Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Hard-leaf Wattle Acacia sclerophylla var sclerophylla | LC em | Similar to A. hakeoides, but the leaves are much narrower, with a pointy tip. At the tip, the leaf dries to a hard black/grey point. Leaves don't have the yellow edge, but are strongly veined / striped. Generally the bushes are shorter and more sprawling than the Hakea Wattle. When in flower the bush looks like a mass of upright flower stems, whereas the Hakea tends to look like a big, wide, yellow ball. The seeds are held in the pods with a white cup. There is no cup holding the seed in the Hakea Wattle. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Mallee Bush-pea Eutaxia microphylla var microphylla | LC em |
Stiff structure, where the small green leaves seem to completely wrap the young stems, however, the stems are the same colour as the leaves. So they don't completely wrap it. Bright yellow pea-like flowers. Buds are deep red / brown. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Large-leaf Bush-pea Pultenaea daphnoides | Na a | A tall (up to 2m) spindly bush, with wedge shaped leaves; note the pointed "tip" on the leaves | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Broad-leaf Desert Senna Senna artemisioides ssp coriacea | LC em | All our Senna's start growing the pods from the centre of the flower as soon as the flower opens. It's a thin green bent stalk in the middle. As the flower is pollinated and so dies and falls off around the stem, the pod continues to grow. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Fine-leaf Desert Senna Senna artemisioides ssp filifolia | LC em |
Bright yellow flowers with 5 petals. Leaves are light green and very long, thin and cylindrical which split in two half way along (into leaflets). Look more like new stems than leaves. Overall the bush looks spiky on top. Very easy to confuse with s.a. ssp zygophylla as they both seem to have narrow leaves. But closer inspection reveals the filifolia having cylindrical leaves, whereas the zygophylla has very curved end leaflets. Bright green flat pods (similar to beans) dry on the bush to a dark rusty brown and are crispy. Also very similar to ssp petiolaris. As ssp filifolia leaves age, the base of the leaf flattens out, so is not totally cylindrical as it is when young. But to be sure notice it is divided in the middle (ie half and half). | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Woody Desert Senna Senna artemisioides ssp petiolaris | LC em |
Similar to ssp filifolia, but the base of the leaf is always flattened, not cylindrical, even in the young leaves. The leaf base is thicker (compared to length) than old filifolia leaves. The leaf splits into leaflets about 2/3rds the way along, not 1/2 way (as in filifolia). ssp petiolaris leaflets tend to curve over more on the ends compared with ssp filifolia leaflets. All these tendencies mean that you could get a leaf off a ssp filifolia bush that matches a ssp petiolaris. But you won't see a petiolaris leaf that has a cylindrical base. All Senna artemisioides can loose the end leaflets. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Grey Desert Senna Senna artemisioides ssp sturtii | Na em |
Very similar to the other S. artemisioides. Most closely similar to ssp coriacea. Notice however the leaflets are narrower and more pointed. | ||||
| Fabales | Legume Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Twin-leaf Desert Senna Senna artemisioides ssp zygophylla | Na em |
Very similar to the Senna artemisioides ssp filifolia, but the leaves are not cylindrical; even though they look it from one side. They are heavily curved, like a new moon in cross section. The photo's tell the story easier than it is to describe them. The leaves are also shorter, which reduces the spiky appearance. Oops, forgot to mention; they also regularly have 4 leaflets, not the 2 of filifolia. | ||||
| Lamiales | Forget-me-not Boraginaceae | Smooth Blue-flower Halgania andromedifolia | LC em |
Smallish, stiff, shiny, green leaves. Pale green / white felted underneath. Blossoms with a blue / pale-purple flower with 5 petals. Leaves superficially resemble Beyeria lechenaultii leaves, but Halgania leaves are much larger and are pointy. | ||||
| Lamiales | Forget-me-not Boraginaceae | Rough Blue-flower Halgania cyanea | LC m | |||||
| Lamiales | Mint Lamiaceae | Scarlet Mintbush Prostanthera aspalathoides | LC em |
Has an Eremophila style red flower, which is speckled under macro photography. Buds are like a Spanish soldiers helmet. Leaves are like a Maireana's, green, succulent and cylindrical (also speckled). Generally a dense bush. | ||||
| Lamiales | Mint Lamiaceae | Stiff Western Rosemary Westringia rigida | LC em |
A very stiff plant. The plants overall bell shape makes it look as though there's big pot in the middle with a creeper that's overflowed. Flowers are small and delicate with 5 hairy petals arranged in an orchid shape. The flower's "tongue" is speckled with tiny red blotches. We have another variety which has a different habit. It's sparse and generally looks greener. Flowers are the same, as are the individual stems. We thought they were seedlings at first, but there are other young plants that look like bonsai versions of the large ones. So we are not sure why some are different. The sparse ones are generally smaller. | ||||
| Lamiales | Plantain Plantaginaceae | Bluerod Stemodia florulenta | LC m |
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| Lamiales | Figwort Scrophulariaceae | Narrow-leaf Emubush Eremophila alternifolia | RA m |
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| Lamiales | Figwort Scrophulariaceae | Turkey-bush Eremophila deserti | RA m |
We thought it was a Myoporum based on the leaves, structure & flowers. But the fruits were eremophila like. The synonym shows even the experts weren't sure Leaves are long, thin, entire with a typical myoporum hook on the end. Flowers are white with 5 petals on short tubes at the end of a stalk. Up to 3 stalks come from the leaf axis and droop down / weep, but generally there was only one flower per leaf. | ||||
| Lamiales | Figwort Scrophulariaceae | Tar Bush Eremophila glabra | LC em |
Very common on Ellura. Flower colour cannot be used for identification. We have green through orange & various shades of red; with the typical Eremophila shape. Leaves also vary in shape (rounded end to slightly pointy) and colour. They are stiff, roundish and vary between pale (younger) and dark (older) green, giving the bush a two toned appearance. They are also covered in oil (tar) giving the leaves a rough textured appearance. Flowers can also be hairy or smooth. | ||||
| Lamiales | Figwort Scrophulariaceae | Spotted Emubush Eremophila maculata ssp maculata | VU m | |||||
| Lamiales | Figwort Scrophulariaceae | Scotia Bush Eremophila scoparia | LC m |
Lilac/pale purple bell shaped flowers. Leaves are thin cylindrical and green. The plant has an upright, stalky appearance. | ||||
| Malpighiales | Spurge Euphorbiaceae | Felted Wallaby-bush Beyeria lechenaultii | LC em | Very similar to the Smooth Wallaby-bush. Leaves are thicker and slightly curved (so they "wrap around" on the back instead of being flat). Branches are more orange. The most striking difference is the red buds & "petals" on the flowers. We only have a few of these compared to an abundance of Smooth. | ||||
| Malpighiales | Spurge Euphorbiaceae | Smooth Wallaby-bush Beyeria opaca | LC em | Short, wide bush, with green fruit. Fruit has red cap when young, darkening to black later. Leaves are dark green on top, pale under. New growth is lime green, almost yellow, and darkens to a deep bottle green. Flowers are small, with no petals, and look yellow due to the stamen. | ||||
| Malvales | Mallow Malvaceae | Australian Hollyhock Malva preissiana | LC m |
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| Malvales | Daphne Thymelaeaceae | Thyme Riceflower Pimelea serpyllifolia ssp Serpyllifolia | LC em | An innocuous plant that, having identified it, is suddenly everywhere It has the tiniest little yellow flowers that look like 10 pin bowling pins. Through the year it changes appearance dramatically Over summer it sheds a lot of leaves and looks totally different to it's luscious spring time cover. | ||||
| Malvales | Daphne Thymelaeaceae | Erect Riceflower Pimelea stricta | LC ma | |||||
| Buttercups Ranunculales | Buttercup Ranunculaceae | Old Man's Beard Clematis microphylla | LC em | Not really a shrub, but a climber. Too big to put under Forbs. Creamy large flowers with 4 long oval petals. Green leaves. New stems are green going dark reddish brown with age. | ||||
| Roses Rosales | Buckthorn Rhamnaceae | Heath Cryptandra Cryptandra tomentosa | RA em |
A very stiff structure, reminiscent of boxthorn. Leaves are dark green and tiny cylinders. On first inspection it looks like the flowers are compound of white balls. A closer look reveals this to be creamy white buds with tiny bell flowers. As flowers bloom, the "white balls" get a spiky appearance, due to the bell flowers 5 triangular tipped petals. Flowers die to a pretty apricot colour adding to the display. | ||||
| Santalales | Sandalwood Santalaceae | Leafless Cherry Exocarpos aphyllus | LC em |
Literally, no leaves, just green stems that are similar to the wait-a-while leaf. A small tree rather than a bush in some situations. | ||||
| Sapindales | Nitrariaceae | Nitre-bush Nitraria billardierei | LC em |
Thank you Kitty & Tony for identifying this species for us Our one and only specimen (so far) is tucked behind a big Caletris, which has then had a major branch fall on it. So we've not been able to get a photo of the whole. Since it's so shady, we also suspect this is why there is no fruit on it. | ||||
| Sapindales | Citrus Rutaceae | Desert Boronia Boronia inornata ssp leptophylla | LC em |
The buds are prettier than the flower; Hot pink shades which gives the whole shrub a pink colouration (this fades as it blooms). The buds and flowers range from white to deep pink. The buds can also be single coloured or variegated. Cylindrical / baseball bat, green, shiny leaves. New stems are rusty brown. | ||||
| Sapindales | Citrus Rutaceae | Oil Bush Geijera linearifolia | LC em |
A plain looking, woody, large bush. Has very small white flowers, with small spherical black fruit. Each fruit is encased in a protective skin that sheds when ripe. Leaves are long, thin and pale green. | ||||
| Sapindales | Citrus Rutaceae | Red Microcybe Microcybe multiflora ssp multiflora | RA em |
A small, woody, round, dark green bush. The cream & white compound flowers, at the end of stems, make the bush look very attractive in spring. Then in summer it takes on classy rustic red tones. The "red" must surely refer to the seed heads when it's finished flowering. The leaves are small, giving the stems a conifer look about them. The seed pods are so small they are barely visible with the naked eye. Exploration of Ellura has uncovered some amazing surprises. The unique & diverse way our natives survive & propagate is enthralling. Take for example the tiny seeds here. Each one delicately wrapped and grown in it's own clam shell pod; then ejected into the world hoping for a suitable place to germinate. | ||||
| Sapindales | Soapberry Sapindaceae | Desert Hop-bush Dodonaea stenozyga | LC em | This is the only specimen we've found so far, and being male don't expect any fruit. | ||||
| Sapindales | Soapberry Sapindaceae | Narrow-leaf Hop-bush Dodonaea viscosa ssp angustissima | LC ema | A plain looking, woody, large bush. But after it has flowered, it is covered in red fruit (with wings). Similar shape to Zygophyllum fruit, but very red. The red jewel bugs hide well in the bush at this time of year. Leaves are reasonably small, long and thin. We have masses of these; such that after fruiting is over the ground is covered in a carpet of fallen fruit. The fruit is not your typical fleshy variety; rather thin leaf like material with a seed in the middle of the wings. More a seed pod with wings than fruit. | ||||
| Sapindales | Soapberry Sapindaceae | Wedge-leaf Hop-bush Dodonaea viscosa ssp cuneata | RA ema | Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us This is the only specimen of this species we've found so far, but it fruited well so we suspect another nearby. It is well protected under a Sugarwood, surrounded by dead/fallen Callitris branches. As such it's well shaded from the sun and wind; which it seems to thrive on. | ||||
| Solanales | Nightshade Solanaceae | Australian Boxthorn Lycium australe | LC m | Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us Typical boxthorn, and difficult to distinguish with the weed. Has small white flowers. A difference between this native and the introduced African Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) is that the weed can be greener and luscious. For us, the easiest difference to spot was that the stamens (in the flower) of the weed are very long and protude well beyond the petals. With the native they are short and nearly level with the petals. | ||||
| Solanales | Nightshade Solanaceae | African Boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum | I em | Thank you Andrew Allanson for identifying this species for us These are a declared noxious weed. Ooops. We thought we had the native. Our specimens generally looked very sparse and easy to mistake with the native (Lycium australe) As soon as we realised (yesterday, 5 March 2014), we cut & swabbed them. This situation highlights the need for web sites like ours: To help land owners & conservationists identify introduced species & eradicate them; giving natives more nutrients/water/space to grow. Which in turn gives native animals better things to eat & places to live in. Notice how natives always seem to be attacked by insects but introduced species aren't? Native insects depend on native plants to survive as they don't recognise introduced plants as useful. Birds & lizards thrive on insects. Ergo; less weeds = more birds & lizards. We've heard that if all the insects died today, man-kind would be extinct in 6 months! | ||||
| Zygophyllales | Caltrop Zygophyllaceae | Shrubby Twinleaf Zygophyllum aurantiacum | LC em |
A hardy plant that has beautiful yellow flowers, with 4 petals. Twinleaf refers to the fact the leaves always branch off, in the middle, into 2. Leaves are dark green and succulent, but much more cylindrical than the common twinleaf. It has large, winged, pale green fruit. | ||||
| Zygophyllales | Caltrop Zygophyllaceae | Climbing Twinleaf Zygophyllum eremaeum | NT em |
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