It’s not the destination but the journey that counts - and so say both of us! It usually takes us twice as long to get anywhere because we stop, sometimes frequently, to check out a bird, a flower, a tree, a view. We have spent many happy hours just poking about often within 100 or so metres of where we hopped out of the car; this particular day was no exception. We were aiming for Bemm River but stopped along the road because I wanted to get a closer look at the grass trees which were crowding the grassland between stands of trees. Like so many species we’ve found, these seem to thrive and certainly flower after fire.
The name Xanthorea literally means ‘yellow flow’ derived from the resin it exudes: Xanthos (yellow, golden) and rhea (flow). The aborigines once used the resin as a glue in making axes and weapons.
Flowers are borne on a long spike above a bare section called a scape and are often stimulated by bushfire! They are among the first flowering plants to have evolved.
The flowers are intriguing and quite sweet I believe; the insects love them.
These majestic plants - Xanthorea, our amazing grass trees, are only found growing naturally in Australia. There are 30 species in Australia (depends on who’s telling the story - taxonomy?!), five are native to SE Australia. It’s an ancient plant which relies on a symbiotic relationship with a fungus growing at its roots which increases the roots ability to access water and nutrients. Ah fungi - how many plants rely on fungi for their survival.
Many, but not all, species develop an above ground stem. The stem may take up to twenty years to emerge above ground. I think this one is a Xanthorea minor which is relatively small with no above ground stem. We have seen them footed throughout the bush as we’ve explored.
As we strolled we found loads of other lovelies.
Stylidium graminifilium - trigger plant
One of the hundreds of pea genus
Tetratheca ciliata - pink bells!
Burchardia umbellata
Diplarrena moraea - white iris
Raindrops captured by a Drosera- one of my fave wee plants.
Dampiera stricta
We did get to Bemm River eventually. It looks like a nice quiet holiday spot which I suspect is mainly for people who like fishing. It squats on the shores of Sydenham Inlet which forms part of an immense estuary complex near the mouth of the Bemm.
Bemm River
A daisy bush but not sure which one.
My favourite birds relaxing at Sydenham Inlet from where we then drove to the ocean beach at Pearl Point - we bashed our way through swarming mozzies to reach a wide windswept beach.
Greenhood orchids tucked in along the steep sandy track to the beach
Banksia integrifolia
Pearl Point and indeed it was a pearler.
We drove home with a quick look in at Cabbage Tree creek where we were to return for a wander dome days later.
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