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Burkes guide to Australian Alpine Wildflowers

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Alpine Plant Communities

Feldmark Communities Snowpatch Windswept Alpine Herbfield Communities Short alpine Tall alpine o Open o Sheltered o Sod Tussock grassland Heath Communities Low alpine heath Tall alpine heath Bogs or Fen Communities Raised bog Valley bog Fen Subalpine Grasslands, Herbfields and Heath

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Altitudinal Zones
The Australian Alps are characterized by a sequence of vegetation communities with distinct altitudinal zones. Each zone is characterized by changes in height and species of the dominant eucalypts, the growth forms of plants, and the density and type of understory. There are four distinct zones: Tableland Montane Subalpine Alpine. The most obvious change is the transition at the tree line. Above the tree line is the alpine zone where there are no trees and vegetation is

primarily shrubs and ground-hugging herbs

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Altitudinal Zones
Lower Elevations:
Include some tableland plains and lower slopes of mountains. A Tableland is a plateau that is less elevated than in the alpine and subalpine zones. In the tableland areas of the Alps, there are grassy woodlands and dry open forests.

Altitudinal Zones

Montane Zone:
In the montane zone, precipitation is higher and the forest is taller, wetter, darker and denser. The dominant trees are taller and grow closer together. The understorey is made up of ferns and small trees. High rates of organic breakdown, characteristic of wet forests, result in deep soils. At the highest elevation of the montane zone (just below the subalpine zone) there is a band of tall, open forest dominated by Alpine Ash, the tallest eucalypts in the Australian Alps.

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Altitudinal Zones
Subalpine Zone:
Above 1500 metres there is an abrupt change from tall forests to low-growing subalpine woodland dominated by Snow Gums. The plants growing here endure low temperatures, and much of the precipitation is in the form of snow/ice. The snow gums are often stunted, and their bark twisted away from prevailing winds.

Feldmark Communities
Feldmark communities only occur in the alpine zone of NSW on exposed ridges at the highest elevations where they are exposed to high winds, coldest temperatures and severe frosts.

Snowpatch Feldmark:
Covered with snow for most of the year and exposed for only a brief time in summer. The plants of the snowpatch feldmark community are the last to be revealed by the melting snows of summer, and the first to be covered by the snows of autumn. When the snow melts they are subjected to extremes in temperatures.

Alpine Zone:
The alpine zone, subject to the coldest temperatures and the most persistent snow, is too cold for trees. At this level, the leaves of most plants are blocked from direct sunlight and unable to photosynthesise all year round. This restricts the development of large root systems, trunks and branches. In the absence of trees, the alpine zone is a mosaic of heathland, grassland, herbfield and bogs, interspersed by bare protruding rock.

Windswept Feldmark:
Develops on the windswept ridges of the windward side (west). It is not covered by snow drifts because of prevailing westerly winds. Deprived of shelter from snow it is subjected to extremely cold conditions that freeze the feldmark and soil underneath.

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Alpine Herbfield Communities

Short Alpine Herbfield:
Community of low mat plants which grow in wet, unstable soil below snow drifts. Short herbfield also occur on gravel deposits and rocky outcrops near meltwater streams. They are low-growing plants that survive the movement of snow and meltwater down the slopes.

Tall Alpine Herbfield:

The tall herbfield is characteristic of the Kosziuszko alpine region. They cover more than 50 percent of the area above the tree line. Open herbfield: most widespread of the 3 tall communities. Develops on slopes with well-drained soil. Winter snow protects the plants from extreme temperatures, while summer provides a short season for growth.

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Alpine Herbfield Communities

Tall Alpine Herbfield:
The tall herbfield is characteristic of the Kosziuszko alpine region. They cover more than 50 percent of the area above the tree line. Sheltered herbfield: grows in rocky outcrops that provide a distinct habitat of rock shelter, where plants grow protected from the full force of elements. Sheltered herbfield comprises of less grasses than open herbfield. Sod tussock grassland: is a plant community dominated by grasses, typically found on level (or gently sloping locations). The gentle slopes impede water drainage therefore the soils are wetter than those in tall alpine herbfield.

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Heath Communities
Low Alpine Heath:
Are composed mainly of shrubs. When heath is exposed to high winds and severe cold, the shrubs grow around rocks and form carpets of vegetation. This carpet is known as low heath.

Tall Alpine Heath:

Is a plant community dominated by shrubs which, under favourable conditions, can grow up to two metres tall. Tall heath is richer and more diverse than feldmark and low heath

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Bog or Fen Communities

Alpine/subalpine regions that are permanently wet support bog or fen plant communities. Bogs have no stretches or open water but are completely covered by vegetation, fens are characterized by pools of open water.

Raised Bog:
Are found in permanently wet slopes and hillsides, usually where soaks or springs come to the surface. In these wet conditions an acidic soil (which is deficient in soluble plant nutrients) develops.

Valley Bog:
Represent a transition from bog to fen. They are found on gently sloping sites at the edges of the flat valley floors.

Fens:
Fen communities develop with plants that can grow under flooded conditions of the wide valley floors of alpine/subalpine regions, inundated by pools of snowmelt.

Subalpine Grasslands, Herbfields & Heath

Subalpine communities extend from the tree line down to the lower limit of winter snow, generally between altitudes of 1500-1900 metres.

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Subalpine Grasslands & Herbfields:

These are similar to those of the alpine tract, except that a greater richness of species grows. They often form the lower layers of subalpine woodland.

Subalpine Heath:
Most of the plants that appear in alpine health occur on subalpine heath communities, but the shrubs are generally taller at lower altitudes. They often form the lower layers of subalpine woodland.

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Anemone Buttercup
Ranunculus anemoneus
Pronunciation: ran-UNC-yoo-lus / an-em-OH-nee-us Meaning: Ranunculus= little frog (damp habitat) Family: Ranunculaceae; buttercups, anemones Characteristics: A sturdy herb to 30cm high, with deeply toothed palm-like leaves. Stunning snowy flowers to 6cm across, appearing as soon as snow melts. Habitat & Distribution: (Snowpatch Feldmark) Endemic to Kosciuszko NP, within snow gums, and in the alpine zone. Found in areas of snowdrifts and along melt streams, in meadows and among boulders. Comments: Almost exterminated in Kosciuszko NP by cattle grazing, but recovering very well.

Anemone Buttercup
Ranunculus anemoneus

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Stone Eyebright
Euphrasia collina
Pronunciation: yoo-FRAY-see-uh / col-LEE-na Meaning: Euphrasia= delighting Family: Scrophulariaceae; snapdragons, foxgloves, eyebrights Characteristics: A several-stemmed hairy herb to 40cm high, with narrow pointed paired leaves with a creeping habit. Has pale lilac to pink flowers. Habitat & Distribution: (Windswept Feldmark) Moist areas throughout the subalps. Comments: Are found in both hemispheres; the common name (eyebright) refers to their reputed therapeutic qualities. They are partial parasites, linking their roots to those of other plants.

Stone Eyebright
Euphrasia collina

Alpine Sundew
Drosera arcturi
Pronunciation: DROSS-er-ruh / arc-TYOO-ree Meaning: Drosera= dew (for moisture drops on leaves) Family: Droseraceae; sundews Characteristics: Insectivorous herb with starp-like leaves covered with rows of long, glandular hairs. Many of the hairs produce a black, sticky liquid at their tip, while others act as a trigger. Small white or pink flower. Habitat & Distribution: (Short alpine herbfield) In high wet areas, above and below the tree line, south from Kosciuszko NP. Comments: Are a world-wide group of plants which grow in water-logged, nitrogen-poor soil, and supplement their nitrogen intake by trapping and digesting insects. The insects are lured by the sweet dew. Flowers develop above the deadly leaves to avoid eating pollinators.

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Alpine Sundew
Drosera arcturi

Hill Brachyscome Daisy

Brachyscome aculeata
Pronunciation: brac-i-COH-mee / ack-yoo-lee-AH-tuh Meaning: Brachyscome= short hairs Family: Asteraceae; Daisies, thistles Characteristics: A tall herb to 60cm high, with toothed stem leaves. Single flower heads to 20mm across. Central cluster of yellow disk folowers surrounded by ray florets of mauve and/or white. Habitat & Distribution: (Open alpine herbfield) Widespread in drier alpine and subalpine areas. Comments: There are at least 10 species of Brachyscome daisy in the snow country, all with similar characteristics. The most striking is the Snow Daisy (Brachyscome nivalis), with a flower head of 45mm across.

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Hill Brachyscome Daisy

Brachyscome aculeata

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! ! ! ! Craspedia aurantica ! ! Pronunciation: cras-PEE-dee-uh / ow-RAN-ti-cuh ! ! Meaning: Craspedia= fringed, aurantica= golden ! Family: Asteraceae; Daisies, thistles ! ! Characteristics: Are distinguished by globular to ! semi-spherical heads of florets, with no surrounding ! ray florets. There is one flower head per stem. ! ! Habitat & Distribution: (Sheltered alpine herbfield) ! Lives in grassy areas throughout the subalps. ! ! Comments: No other group of snow country daisies ! such a flower. There are at least 12 species of has ! billy buttons that are not easily distinguishable. They ! mainly found in the higher country of eastern are ! Australia and New Zealand.

Billy Button

Billy Button
Craspedia aurantica

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Mauve Leek-orchid
Prasophyllum suttonii
Pronunciation: pras-oh-FIL-um / SUT-on-ie Meaning: Prasophyllum= leek-leafed Family: Orchidaceae; orchids Characteristics: Herb to 30cm high, with narrow hollow leaf to 20cm. Masses of crinkly, upside down orchid flowers, with broad white back-bent labellum at the top. Habitat & Distribution: (Sod tussock grassland) Grassy areas among the snow gums and above, throughout the alps. Comments: A common and attractive little orchid, often found near stream lines. Often grows beside the Alpine leek-orchid.

Mauve Leek-orchid
Prasophyllum suttonii

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Alpine Shaggy Pea

Oxylobium Alpestre
Pronunciation: ox-il-OH-bee-um / al-PES-tree Meaning: Oxylobium= sharp pod, alpestre= alpine Family: Fabaceae; Peas, beans Characteristics: Shrubs sprawling less than 1m with stiff leaves in pairs or threes. Leaves have downrolling edges about 4cm long. Striking orange-yellow flowers. Habitat & Distribution: (Low alpine heath) In snow gum woodlands, to just above the tree line, often found growing over rocks. Comments: Very similar to the Golden shaggy pea, however at maturity the leaves to not have fine silver hairs on the underside.

Alpine Shaggy Pea

Oxylobium Alpestre

Royal Grevillea
Grevillea victoriae
Pronunciation: grev-IL-ee-uh / vic-TOR-ee-ie Meaning: Grevillea= Charles Greville, Victoriae= Queen Victoria Family: Proteaceae; grevilleas, banksias, hakeas, waratahs Characteristics: A tall shrub to 4m high, with hard leaves to 10cm long. Flowers hang in clusters; the tube often drops early, leaving only the slender red flowers. Habitat & Distribution: (Tall alpine heath) In sheltered wet rocky sites. Comments: Frist described in Mt Buffalo by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1853. Starts to flower as soon as the snow melts, attracting birds such as the Crescent Honeyeater.

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Royal Grevillea
Grevillea victoriae

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Grass Trigger Plant

Stylidium graminifolium
Pronunciation: stie-LID-ee-um / gra-min-ee-FOH-leeum Meaning: Stylidium= diminutive style Family: Stylidiaceae; trigger plants Characteristics: An erect single-stemmed herb to 70cm, with a tuft of grassy leaves at the base. Many flowers up the spike, opening sequentially from the bottom in late summer into autumn. The name trigger comes from the trigger-like action of the column. Habitat & Distribution: (Raised bog) Widespread in wet and damp conditions in bog communities. Comments: When an insect lands on the flower and touches its base, the column flicks forward and either showers the insect with pollen or, at a later stage (when the stigma is receptive), hits the body of the pollinating insect and receives pollen.

Grass Trigger Plant

Stylidium graminifolium

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Alpine Baeckea
Baeckea gunniana
Pronunciation: BEC-ee-uh / gun-ee-AH-nuh Meaning: Baeckea= Dr Abraham Baeck (Swedish physician, gunni= Ronald Gunn (Tasmanian biologist) Family: Myrtaceae; myrtles, eucalypts, bottlebrushes, teatrees etc. Characteristics: Grows to 2m high, with small narrow leaves on red stems. Has small mid-summer teatree flowers on 1mm stems. Habitat & Distribution: (Valley bog) Very moist areas in valley bogs and can be found along a streamline. Comments: Common, attractive, and conspicuous species of wet alone and subalpine areas.

Alpine Baeckea
Baeckea gunniana

Veined Sun Orchid

Thelymitra cyanea
Pronunciation: thel-ee-MIE-truh / sie-AN-ee-uh Meaning: Thelymitra= a womans headware, cyanea= dark blue Family: Orchidaceae; orchids Characteristics: A herb with flowering stem to 50cm high, with a single grassy leaf. Grows up to six flowers, 30mm wide that are blue with distinct dark-streaked veins Habitat & Distribution: (Fen) throughout the bog and fen communities, seen growing out of moss. Comments: A strikingly beautiful orchid that is not often seen because of its boggy habitat. The flowers close up in cold, overcast conditions.

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Veined Sun Orchid

Thelymitra cyanea

Mountain Boronia
Boronia algida
Pronunciation: bo-ROH-nee-uh / al-GEE-duh Meaning: algida= of the high mountains Family: Rutaceae; citrus fruits, correas, boronias Characteristics: A multiple branching shrub, with very aromatic leaves if rubbed between fingers. Flowers have four pink petals, which may also by white begin to appear from late October. Habitat & Distribution: (Subalpine Grasslands, Herbfields and Heath) In rocky sheltered areas in subalpine areas. Comments: The only boronia growing at high altitudes on the mainland. Would make a perfect coldclimate garden plant.

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Mountain Boronia
Boronia algida