During our tough summer conditions I am always amazed to see the vigorous flowering of some of our plants, especially in our coastal reserves. The trees of Sweet Bursaria, Bursaria spinulosa, have been covered in masses of sweetly fragrant creamy-white, five-petalled flowers enjoyed by buzzing bees and birds. The delightful seed pods are starting to form, initially vivid green and later a rich brown. The name comes from the Latin ‘bursa’ meaning purse.
Sweet Bursaria
In some areas along the cliff tops hardy bushes of Sea-box, Alyxia buxifolia, have been covered in small white flowers with unusual pinwheel-like flowers, and are now developing bright orange-red berries.
Sea-box
Common along the coast are large stands of Scented Groundsel, Senecio odorous. These bushy shrubs have crowded flower-heads of tiny bright-yellow tubular flowers.
Scented Groundsel
The mat-like Small-fruit Fan-flower, Scaevola albida, has been putting on a fine display of white to blue fan-shaped flowers – so well named!
Small-fruit Fan-flower
Ellinor Campbell