Point of Interest 9: Crossroads
There are patches of low shrubs (or heath) with isolated trees in the shallower soils here, where the limestone is close to the surface. Many flowers are also visible on the narrow sand track heading South towards the school. The paved track running north to Warwick Road is also worth exploring. This area marks the eastern boundary of an extremely hot fire in 2019. Bluebeard orchids may be visible in winter beside the side track to south, but are very small and well-hidden. Bristly Cottonheads (Conostylis setigera), a small-tufted plant with numerous bright yellow flowers, is common here in spring.
Common Wildflowers
Winter – Bluebeard Orchids (Pheladenia deformis)
Spring – Bristly Cottonheads (Conostylis setigera), Kangaroo Paws, Native Violet (Pigea calycina), Green Petrophile (Petrophile macrostachya), Stalked Guinea Flower (Hibbertia racemosa), Native Violet (Hybanthus calycinus), False Boronia (Phyllanthus calycinus)
Late Spring & Early Summer – Waldjumi (Jacksonia sericea), Blue-spike Milkwort (Comesperma calymega), Coastal Pagoda Triggerplant (Stylidium neurophyllum), Fragrant Waitzia (Waitzia suaveolens), Autumn Lily (Tricoryne elatior), Fringe Lily (Thysanotus arenarius), Eremaea pauciflora, Jarrah, Candle Banksia, Native Flax, bloodroots
Focus Topic 19. Cottonheads and Bloodroots
The Conostylis genus is in the Haemodoraceae family, along with Kangaroo Paws, Cats Paws and Mardja or Blood Roots (Haemodorum species). Cats Paws and Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos) have large flowers on a sturdy stalk adapted for bird pollination, as explained in Focus Topic 30. Bristly Cottonheads (Conostylis setigera) are small-tufted plant with numerous bright yellow flowers common in this area in spring. The larger Cottonhead (Conostylis aculeata subsp. cygnorum) is a tufted, perennial grass-like herb growing up to 45 cm high with larger flowers. They are also common in some places along this trail in spring. Mardja, Bloodroot, or Haemodorum species, are also common in the area, but are much less conspicuous, due to their small dark-coloured flowers that do not open fully. They flower abundantly after a fire producing numerous winged seeds that are wind-dispersed.
Focus Topic 20. Waldjumi
Waldjumi (Jacksonia sericea) is a prostrate shrub in the pea family with abundant small orange flowers in late spring or early summer. This is a low spreading shrub with pretty grey-green foliage that occurs only in the Perth Metropolitan area. It grows to 0.6 m and has orange flowers from December to February. This species makes a very good natural groundcover and is an important food source for native bees in summer. Stinkwood (Jacksonia sternbergiana) is a closely related very tall shrub that also grows here.
Supported by City of Joondalup
