3 Flora & Fauna

TARDUN FLORA & FAUNA

Part 3

FLORA

Acacia (Family MIMOSACEAE, Acacia (colletioides) )

From the eighteen different Acacias that grow here, one is still not named.

Acacia (colletioides) can grow into a shrub up to 3 metres in height and grows here in red alluvial clays. It flowers in August/September.

Bottlebrush Grevillia (Family PROTEACEAE, Grevillea paradoxa)

From the six differed Grevillias that are growing here in Tardun; this is the first to flower in the rain season. The grevillea grows normally up to 2 metres in height, but I have seen it grow up to 3 to 4 metres. This prickly shrub grows on the laterite gravel ridge and is common here.

Dampiera (Family GOODENIACEAE, Dampiera wellsiana)

This attractive blue-flowering species is common here in sandy soils. The Dampiera flowers from September with three other types of Dampiera.

Lemon-scented sun orchid or Vanilla orchid (Family ORCHIDACEAE, Thelymitra antennifera)

The Orchid has a strong rose-like perfume and flowers from August to September in this area. It grows near granite outcrops. A other name for this Orchid is "Rabbit Ears".

Tall trigger plant (Family STYLIDIACEAE, Stylidium elongatum)

Trigger plants are common here. The plant flowers in August and the spikes grow up to 30cm tall. It is one of the most interesting plant to be used for introducing people to the plant live because of the fast moving trigger it has on most of the flowers.

Mulla mulla (Family AMARANTHACEAE, Ptilotus exaltatus)

Here seven differed Ptilotus has been identified. One time this Ptilotus was common, now it only grows in a small number. The massive purple flowers make it a handsome plant.

Pompom everlastings (Family COMPOSITAE, ASTERACEAE, Cephalipterum drumonii)

It is one of the biggest displays of wild pompoms you can see here. The pompoms grow here in yellow and white in August. In the district the flowers are very common.

FAUNA

Tawny frogmouth (Family PODARGIDAE, Podargus strigoides)

The Aboriginal name of the Tawny frogmouth is munyungbajayi or mundungubalayi. The tawny frogmouth is common here in Tardun. It is possible that the frogmouth in this Tardun area is the subspecies from inland of Western Australia and has a different, two syllable call, kooloo, repeated.

Mulga parrot (Family PLATYCERCIDAE, Psephotus varius)

The Aboriginal name of the Mulga parrot is jurliny. The Mulga parrot is much more common now than in 1964. You can see them in family parties on the ground searching for the seeds of grasses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and berries. Mulga parrots breed here in the hollows of the York Gums.

Western Grey Kangaroo (Family MARCROPODIDAE, Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus)

The Aboriginal name of the Western Grey Kangaroo is bigurda. From the three Kangaroo species here in Tardun, the Western Grey or "Stinker" as it is sometimes called, is the most common with the Red Kangaroo Macropus rufus.

The Kangaroos graze from late afternoon to the early morning.

Fat-tailed Dunnart (Family DASYURIDAE, Sminthopsis crassicaudata)

The Aboriginal name of the Fat-tailed Dunnart is (miyurtu?). The Fat-tailed Dunnart emerge after dark to hunt. Because enough water is obtained from its food, the marsupial does not need to drink. It is difficult to say if the animal is common, but it is surprising that it is still here after the introduction of the domestic Cat and Fox.

Gould’s Goanna or Sand Monitor (Family VARANIDAE, Varanus gouldii)

The Aboriginal name of the Gould’s Goanna is guwiyarl. This is a widespread species with considerable variation in colour, pattern and size.

All of the Australian members of this family belong to the genus Varanus. The egg lying, diurnal raptorial lizard is common here in the district. Here the lizards are light in colour.

Central Netted Dragon (Family AGAMIDAE, Pogona nuchalis)

The Aboriginal name of the Central Netted Dragon is jabi. It belong to the largest endemic genus of Australia dragon lizards. All are egg-layers and the Netted Dragon can be seen during the warm times of the year here in the district.

It usually perched on a rock or a log or other vantage points. It retires in shallow burrows.

Burrowing snake (Family TYPHLOPIDAE, Ramphotyphlops hamatus)

From the two species I have found, Ramphotyphlops hamatus is the most common.

Blind snakes are not venomous. They produce young from eggs and feed principally on ants and termites. When aroused, the snake often emits a strong and objectionable smell from the well-developed anal glands.

Desert centipedes (Order Scolopendrida Class Chilopoda, Scolopendra morsitans)

The Aboriginal name of the Desert centipede is miniyarra. Centipedes live in dark crevices under litter, rocks, logs and the bark of trees. They are mostly nocturnal. The dangerous part is the red head end, where the animal has its poison jaws. The Desert centipedes are common here and can grow quiet a long body.

[ Up ]

*Dampiera (Family GOODENIACEAE, Dampiera wellsiana)*
This attractive blue-flowering species is common here in sandy soils. The Dampiera flowers from September with three other types of Dampiera.

*Lemon-scented sun orchid or Vanilla orchid (Family ORCHIDACEAE, Thelymitra antennifera)*
		The Orchid has a strong rose-like perfume and flowers from August to September in this area. It grows near granite outcrops. A other name for this Orchid is "Rabbit Ears".

*Tall trigger plant (Family STYLIDIACEAE, Stylidium elongatum)*
Trigger plants are common here. The plant flowers in August and the spikes grow up to 30cm tall. It is one of the most interesting plant to be used for introducing people to the plant live because of the fast moving trigger it has on most of the flowers.

*Mulla mulla (Family AMARANTHACEAE, Ptilotus exaltatus)*
		*Here seven differed Ptilotus* has been identified. One time this Ptilotus was common, now it only grows in a small number. The massive purple flowers make it a handsome plant.**

*Pompom everlastings (Family COMPOSITAE, ASTERACEAE, Cephalipterum drumonii)*
It is one of the biggest displays of wild pompoms you can see here. The pompoms grow here in yellow and white in August. In the district the flowers are very common.

*Tawny frogmouth (Family PODARGIDAE, Podargus strigoides)*
		The Aboriginal name of the Tawny frogmouth is munyungbajayi or mundungubalayi. The tawny frogmouth is common here in Tardun. It is possible that the frogmouth in this Tardun area is the subspecies from inland of Western Australia and has a different, two syllable call, kooloo, repeated.

*Mulga parrot (Family PLATYCERCIDAE, Psephotus varius)*
The Aboriginal name of the Mulga parrot is jurliny. The Mulga parrot is much more common now than in 1964. You can see them in family parties on the ground searching for the seeds of grasses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and berries. Mulga parrots breed here in the hollows of the York Gums.

*Fat-tailed Dunnart (Family DASYURIDAE, Sminthopsis crassicaudata)*
The Aboriginal name of the Fat-tailed Dunnart is (miyurtu?). The Fat-tailed Dunnart emerge after dark to hunt. Because enough water is obtained from its food, the marsupial does not need to drink. It is difficult to say if the animal is common, but it is surprising that it is still here after the introduction of the domestic Cat and Fox.