Nyctaginaceae, Nymphaeaceae & Oleaceae

DICOTYLEDONS

NYCTAGINACEAE - Boerhavia Family

A family of about 300 species of trees, shrubs or climbers, mostly in tropical or sub-tropical regions. Nine native and one naturalised species in Western Australia. Boerhavia(tar vines) are summer-flowering annuals or woody perennials, usually with slightly sticky hairs. The leaves are in opposite pairs, one smaller than the other, and the flowers are small and pink or pale purple. Native to the Kimberley, Pilbara and desert regions of Western Australia, boerhavias are found naturally among the annual floras of woodlands and shrublands. They relish disturbance and are spreading into the south-west along road and railsides, moving into paddocks opportunistically. B. coccinea is asprawling, semi-prostrate plant, an annual or short-lived perennial (the latter growing to 2m across and 1m high). The leaves are ovate and the inflorescence is in branched sprays with slender stalks, both terminal and from the leaf axils. It is invading the northern and eastern wheatbelt.

Boerhavia coccinea , RR

B. schomburgkianais a prostrate perennial with ovate leaves and flowers in small groups, both axillary and terminal, on stout stalks. Less free-flowering than B. coccinea. Fairly common in the Avon Valley.

B. schomburgkianai, RR

Mirabilis jalapa (four o'clock plant, marvel of Peru) is a bushy, short-lived, tuberous perennial with ovate leaves. The flowers, which have a long, red, yellow or white funnel-shaped calyx, open in the late afternoon in summer. A garden escape found on wasteland around old settlements in the south-west. Native to tropical America.

Mirabilis jalapa , PH

NYMPHAEACEAE - Waterlily Family

About 60 species of freshwater aquatic perennials in tropical and temperate areas. In Western Australia there are two native species and two naturalised ones. Nymphaea (waterlilies) are aquatic perennials in stagnant or slow-flowing fresh water, with stems rooted in the mud, floating leaves and showy emergent flowers. The fruiting capsule ripens below the water. N. gigantea (giant waterlily) has showy blue or white flowers and more or less circular floating leaves up to 30cm across, with toothed margins. Native to the Kimberley, it has naturalised at Millstream. N. mexicana (yellow waterlily) has bright yellow flowers held above the water and ovate leaf blades. A garden escape, found at Busselton and Upper Swan. Native to America. N. odorata (waterlily) has sweet-smelling white flowers floating on the water and circular leaf blades. A garden escape, found around Perth, Albany, Margaret River and Busselton. Native to North America.

Nymphaea odorata, GK

OLEACEAE - Olive Family

A cosmopolitan family of about 600 species of shrubs and trees, concentrated in eastern and south-east Asia. Represented in Western Australia by four native and one naturalised species. Olea europaea (olive) is a well-known tree growing to 15m, cultivated for its oil-rich, edible fruits. The stiff, narrow leaves are white and scaly on the lower surface, but dark green above. Produces short sprays of small cream-white flowers in spring. The fleshy egg-shaped fruit is green at first but black when mature, up to 2x3cm. Spread mainly by ravens, it is a very severe bushland weed in South Australia, and increasing in bushland around Perth, also occasionally found on roadsides near old settlements in the rest of the south-west. Native to the Mediterranean and nearby regions.

Olea europaea , RR

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Webmaster: Rod Randall

A family of about 300 species of trees, shrubs or climbers, mostly in tropical or sub-tropical regions. Nine native and one naturalised species in Western Australia. *Boerhavia(tar vines) are summer-flowering annuals or woody perennials, usually with slightly sticky hairs. The leaves are in opposite pairs, one smaller than the other, and the flowers are small and pink or pale purple. Native to the Kimberley, Pilbara and desert regions of Western Australia, boerhavias are found naturally among the annual floras of woodlands and shrublands. They relish disturbance and are spreading into the south-west along road and railsides, moving into paddocks opportunistically. B. coccinea* is asprawling, semi-prostrate plant, an annual or short-lived perennial (the latter growing to 2m across and 1m high). The leaves are ovate and the inflorescence is in branched sprays with slender stalks, both terminal and from the leaf axils. It is invading the northern and eastern wheatbelt.	*Boerhavia coccinea* , RR
*B. schomburgkianais a prostrate perennial with ovate leaves and flowers in small groups, both axillary and terminal, on stout stalks. Less free-flowering than B. coccinea*. Fairly common in the Avon Valley.	*B. schomburgkiana*i, RR
*Mirabilis jalapa* (four o'clock plant, marvel of Peru) is a bushy, short-lived, tuberous perennial with ovate leaves. The flowers, which have a long, red, yellow or white funnel-shaped calyx, open in the late afternoon in summer. A garden escape found on wasteland around old settlements in the south-west. Native to tropical America.	*Mirabilis jalapa* , PH