Drhoz
@drhoz.bsky.social
Australian Insect Fanatic (and BritSF fan and Furry)
Cone-shaped Hoof Shell Sabia australis, attached to a larger snail, with four other gastropods including a cone shell in shot. Perth, Western Australia
November 10, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Cone-shaped Hoof Shell Sabia australis, attached to a larger snail, with four other gastropods including a cone shell in shot. Perth, Western Australia
Grown as a hardy, fast-growing, frost-tolerant ornamental, and the flowers (sprouting from the branches) are popular with nectar-feeding birds.
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - Christmas Rock
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - Christmas Rock
November 8, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Grown as a hardy, fast-growing, frost-tolerant ornamental, and the flowers (sprouting from the branches) are popular with nectar-feeding birds.
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - Christmas Rock
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - Christmas Rock
One of the Drumsticks (note the shape of the seedheads) common from the middle of the Wheatbelt, NW to Shark Bay. It reaches about 2m in height.
GSB2023 Wongan Hills - various locations
GSB2023 Wongan Hills - various locations
November 8, 2025 at 2:30 AM
One of the Drumsticks (note the shape of the seedheads) common from the middle of the Wheatbelt, NW to Shark Bay. It reaches about 2m in height.
GSB2023 Wongan Hills - various locations
GSB2023 Wongan Hills - various locations
It grows in sandy soils, and reachs about 8m in height.
The other five species of Woody Pear are native to New South Wales and Queensland, at the other end of the continent.
Various locations around Perth, and down to Australind.
The other five species of Woody Pear are native to New South Wales and Queensland, at the other end of the continent.
Various locations around Perth, and down to Australind.
November 8, 2025 at 2:24 AM
It grows in sandy soils, and reachs about 8m in height.
The other five species of Woody Pear are native to New South Wales and Queensland, at the other end of the continent.
Various locations around Perth, and down to Australind.
The other five species of Woody Pear are native to New South Wales and Queensland, at the other end of the continent.
Various locations around Perth, and down to Australind.
The other Woody Pear species I’ve seen over here - rather more often than the Sandplains species, in fact, since it’s found on the Swan Coastal Plain, Peel region, and the rest of the SW below the Darling Escarpment.
November 8, 2025 at 2:23 AM
The other Woody Pear species I’ve seen over here - rather more often than the Sandplains species, in fact, since it’s found on the Swan Coastal Plain, Peel region, and the rest of the SW below the Darling Escarpment.
Found growing in dry heath and scrubland in the southern half of WA, out to the edge of the Great Victoria Desert. It rarely exceeds 5m in height.
GSB2025 Wongan Hills - Reynoldson Flora Reserve
GSB2025 Wongan Hills - Reynoldson Flora Reserve
November 8, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Found growing in dry heath and scrubland in the southern half of WA, out to the edge of the Great Victoria Desert. It rarely exceeds 5m in height.
GSB2025 Wongan Hills - Reynoldson Flora Reserve
GSB2025 Wongan Hills - Reynoldson Flora Reserve
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7994744... #3304 - Banksia dallanneyi - Couch Honeypot
November 8, 2025 at 2:11 AM
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7994744... #3304 - Banksia dallanneyi - Couch Honeypot
Found across a broad swathe of SW WA, but only in sandy soil or sand over laterite and limestone.
Perth, WA, various locations
Perth, WA, various locations
November 8, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Found across a broad swathe of SW WA, but only in sandy soil or sand over laterite and limestone.
Perth, WA, various locations
Perth, WA, various locations
Photo by Sebastian1997 on iNaturalist.
Endemic to the SW of Australia, generally closer to the coast and inland to the Darling Escarpment.
Endemic to the SW of Australia, generally closer to the coast and inland to the Darling Escarpment.
November 6, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Photo by Sebastian1997 on iNaturalist.
Endemic to the SW of Australia, generally closer to the coast and inland to the Darling Escarpment.
Endemic to the SW of Australia, generally closer to the coast and inland to the Darling Escarpment.
Another Banksia shrub found around Wongan Hills, but the leaves are wider and the species is found over a much larger part of Western Australia than wonganensis, growing in Kwongan heath from Geraldton to the Goldfields.
GSB20324 Wongan Hills - Wongan Wildflower Walk
GSB20324 Wongan Hills - Wongan Wildflower Walk
November 6, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Another Banksia shrub found around Wongan Hills, but the leaves are wider and the species is found over a much larger part of Western Australia than wonganensis, growing in Kwongan heath from Geraldton to the Goldfields.
GSB20324 Wongan Hills - Wongan Wildflower Walk
GSB20324 Wongan Hills - Wongan Wildflower Walk
Like most other Proteaceae, B. wonganensis has proteoid roots that form a mat in the soil just below the leaf litter, and secrete chemicals that disssolve nutrients from the soil grains - this is essential in Australia ancient nutrient-poor soils.
November 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Like most other Proteaceae, B. wonganensis has proteoid roots that form a mat in the soil just below the leaf litter, and secrete chemicals that disssolve nutrients from the soil grains - this is essential in Australia ancient nutrient-poor soils.
It occurs within a small area of the Wongan Hills, growing on lateritic soils in open woodland or amongst dense shrub. Rare, but does not appear to be endangered, unless mining leases chew up the remaining nature reserves.
November 6, 2025 at 12:29 PM
It occurs within a small area of the Wongan Hills, growing on lateritic soils in open woodland or amongst dense shrub. Rare, but does not appear to be endangered, unless mining leases chew up the remaining nature reserves.
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7991677... #3300 - Banksia wonganensis
Previously known as Dryandra wonganensis, which was described in 1996. In 2007 it and all other Dryandras got moved into the genus Banksia.
Previously known as Dryandra wonganensis, which was described in 1996. In 2007 it and all other Dryandras got moved into the genus Banksia.
November 6, 2025 at 12:27 PM
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7991677... #3300 - Banksia wonganensis
Previously known as Dryandra wonganensis, which was described in 1996. In 2007 it and all other Dryandras got moved into the genus Banksia.
Previously known as Dryandra wonganensis, which was described in 1996. In 2007 it and all other Dryandras got moved into the genus Banksia.
Mostly undulating sandplains of white, grey or yellow/brown sand over laterite on the Swan Coastal Plain and Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic regions, but also has isolated populations in the Jarrah Forests, the Wheatbelt, and as far away as Esperance.
November 6, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Mostly undulating sandplains of white, grey or yellow/brown sand over laterite on the Swan Coastal Plain and Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic regions, but also has isolated populations in the Jarrah Forests, the Wheatbelt, and as far away as Esperance.
Tab. 87 from Nicolaas Laurens Burman’s 1768 Flora Indica; engraving by Adolf van der Laan. The upper plant, labelled Polypodium spinulosum, is in fact S. spinulosa.
November 6, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Tab. 87 from Nicolaas Laurens Burman’s 1768 Flora Indica; engraving by Adolf van der Laan. The upper plant, labelled Polypodium spinulosum, is in fact S. spinulosa.
So by the time the species was properly written up in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman he thought it was a Polypodium fern from Java. It’s actually in the Protea family.
November 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
So by the time the species was properly written up in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman he thought it was a Polypodium fern from Java. It’s actually in the Protea family.
This species has the distinction of being the first Australian plant to be scientifically described, alongside Acacia truncata. It’s certainly the oldest Australian botanical specimen still extant.
November 6, 2025 at 12:07 PM
This species has the distinction of being the first Australian plant to be scientifically described, alongside Acacia truncata. It’s certainly the oldest Australian botanical specimen still extant.
It grows over a wider range than the majority of the plants I’ve been covering - in arid and semi-arid areas of Western Australia, the south-west of the Northern Territory and far north-western South Australia. Found growing in heath or shrub on sandplains - deep yellow sand in this case.
November 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
It grows over a wider range than the majority of the plants I’ve been covering - in arid and semi-arid areas of Western Australia, the south-west of the Northern Territory and far north-western South Australia. Found growing in heath or shrub on sandplains - deep yellow sand in this case.
I don’t know why it’s called Kerosene Bush, but I wasn’t paying any attention to the smell and didn’t notice any particular tendency to explode into a fireball.
November 5, 2025 at 12:48 PM
I don’t know why it’s called Kerosene Bush, but I wasn’t paying any attention to the smell and didn’t notice any particular tendency to explode into a fireball.
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987845... #3296 - Grevillea paniculata - Kerosene Bush
The wrinkly brain-like fruit is a dead giveway for the ID. ’paniculate’ means ‘many-branched inflorescence’.
The wrinkly brain-like fruit is a dead giveway for the ID. ’paniculate’ means ‘many-branched inflorescence’.
November 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987845... #3296 - Grevillea paniculata - Kerosene Bush
The wrinkly brain-like fruit is a dead giveway for the ID. ’paniculate’ means ‘many-branched inflorescence’.
The wrinkly brain-like fruit is a dead giveway for the ID. ’paniculate’ means ‘many-branched inflorescence’.
Yet another semi-arid WA endemic. Widespread, growing in dense heath and open shrubland. It can also do well in colder climates, and makes a nice hedge that honeyeaters will appreciate for the nectar.
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - various locations
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - various locations
November 5, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Yet another semi-arid WA endemic. Widespread, growing in dense heath and open shrubland. It can also do well in colder climates, and makes a nice hedge that honeyeaters will appreciate for the nectar.
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - various locations
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - various locations
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987774... #3295 - Grevillea teretifolia - Round Leaf Grevillea
Round-leaf might seem like an odd name for something that resembles a pile of caltrops, but ’terete’ does mean ‘circular in cross section’ and the leaves for the most part are.
Round-leaf might seem like an odd name for something that resembles a pile of caltrops, but ’terete’ does mean ‘circular in cross section’ and the leaves for the most part are.
November 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987774... #3295 - Grevillea teretifolia - Round Leaf Grevillea
Round-leaf might seem like an odd name for something that resembles a pile of caltrops, but ’terete’ does mean ‘circular in cross section’ and the leaves for the most part are.
Round-leaf might seem like an odd name for something that resembles a pile of caltrops, but ’terete’ does mean ‘circular in cross section’ and the leaves for the most part are.
An unusual Grevillea named for its resemblance to two other plants - Bottlebrushes (Melaleuca) and Hakea (a related genus, but different enough to most Grevilleas that Ferdinand von Mueller named this one paradoxa, for ‘unexpected or strange’.
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
An unusual Grevillea named for its resemblance to two other plants - Bottlebrushes (Melaleuca) and Hakea (a related genus, but different enough to most Grevilleas that Ferdinand von Mueller named this one paradoxa, for ‘unexpected or strange’.
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987636... #3293 - Grevillea petrophiloides - Pink Pokers
AKA rock grevillea or poker grevillea.
There are three subspecies, all endemic to the semi-arid SW. Two grow near granite, and the other in heaths, sandplains and scrubland. It may reach 4m in height.
AKA rock grevillea or poker grevillea.
There are three subspecies, all endemic to the semi-arid SW. Two grow near granite, and the other in heaths, sandplains and scrubland. It may reach 4m in height.
November 5, 2025 at 12:09 PM
drhoz.tumblr.com/post/7987636... #3293 - Grevillea petrophiloides - Pink Pokers
AKA rock grevillea or poker grevillea.
There are three subspecies, all endemic to the semi-arid SW. Two grow near granite, and the other in heaths, sandplains and scrubland. It may reach 4m in height.
AKA rock grevillea or poker grevillea.
There are three subspecies, all endemic to the semi-arid SW. Two grow near granite, and the other in heaths, sandplains and scrubland. It may reach 4m in height.