An unusual plant leads me to Louisa Atkinson.

Louisa Atkinson,(first name Caroline) was born in 1834, at Oldbury, a well-known historic property in Sutton Forest. She is acknowledged as a pioneer botanist, and author, (and trail-blazer). It would be anachronistic to proclaim her to be a feminist, but none-the-less, it seems the title would suit her.

She discovered a number of new plant species in the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands regions of New South Wales. She collected the first specimens of many species of plants, and these were sent to Reverend William Woolls, (a famous early colonial botanist) or to Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, who named a number of species after her.

This plant Xanthosia atkinsoniana,
was named in Louisa's honour by Baron von Mueller.

I found this specimen growing in Medway, a small village on the sandstone plateau, about 5 Km south-west from Berrima. It is appropriate to note that Medway is located a mere 8 Km north-west from Oldbury, where Louisa Atkinson first learnt to explore the Australian bush, which she knew and loved so well.

Pink buds of Xanthosia atkinsoniana,
and white mature flowers.

When I eventually identified this unfamiliar plant (unfamiliar to me, at least) I was thrilled to realise that it was growing where Louisa might well have first stumbled upon it, some 150 years before me. For me it was like reaching out to touch a little piece of botanical history.

This is botanical illustration for Xanthosia atkinsoniana from PlantNet (from the website of the "Royal Botanic Gardens Trust" in Sydney).
Botanically, this plant is interesting, for its flower structure is characteristic of the Celery and Parsley group of plants (Apiaceae family). The umbel structure of the inflorescence are typical of this family. This plant has flattened bracts beneath the flowers, and leaves which are very similar to the most famous Australian member of this family, the Flannel Flower (Actinotus helianthi).

The flattened seed structure, which is divided laterally into two parts, is clearly illustrated. You can see in the single flower (below) the bulbous structure from which that dried seed will take its final shape. It was this diagnostic shape of the individual flower which led to my positive identification of this plant.Once I had a name for it, a quick Google Image search produced a definitive image, from the wonderful plant index and gallery for the Bega Valley (NSW). That image is so clear, that I was totally confident of my identification of my specimen. Thanks are due to Jackie Miles and Max Campbell for that wonderful plant photo gallery.

Gaye from the Hunter (and other readers) might well find this easy-to-use plant and fungi index to be useful for identifications, as I am sure I will, in future, now that I have found it. Some plants have localised distribution, but I am sure there will be many plants found in the Bega Valley which will also be found in the Southern Highlands, and the Hunter Valley. Such was the case with this Xanthosia species.

Epacris calvertiana var versicolor, another local plant (from the Belmore Falls and Barren Grounds areas), is also named after Louisa (after her married name).

Belmore Falls rare plants

In the Belmore Falls district, just 5Km south from Robertson, there are some rare and unusual plants.

Today I re-visited a damp, swampy patch of forest where I had previously found some Greenhood orchids. Today I could not see any Greenhoods, but I did find some Corybas species ("Helmet Orchids"). I had previously observed the leaves of these plants, but today was the first time I found them flowering.

The flowers are tiny - a mere 5.5 mm from front to back, and 8 mm high (stem and "hood"). They are particularly narrow, being just 2mm wide. My fingernail dwarfs the flower. These plants do not match any species described in David Jones's "A complete guide to the Native Orchids of Australia". He had other larger species described, but none as small as these plants, with the predominant green colour of these flowers. Most of the members of this genus are reddish purple, but some have a greenish tinge. These flowers are green, with a silvery tinge, but with reddish-purple venation.

I shall speak with David Jones on Monday (hopefully) and ask him if he has this group of plants as an as yet undescribed species. This is not an unusual situation with native Orchids, as it applies to at least two other species which I have found in the local area - a Leek Orchid, and a rust and brown coloured "Tiny Greenhood" which I found last week.

The second Orchid I found today is the Waterfall (or Escarpment) Greenhood, which was growing in the Belmore Falls district too. Its name has been revised, from the more familiar Pterostylis to the unfamiliar Diplodium pulchellum. The specific name is very appropriate (it means "beautiful").

It is classed as "Vulnerable" on the NSW Threatened Species list (under its old name as Pterostylis pulchella). It is said to occur only at Belmore Falls, Fitzroy Falls, Minnamurra Falls, and Bundanoon Creek (Meryla). From memory, it was on a list I have seen of plants at the Barren Grounds, and I have seen non-flowering Greenhoods at a suitable habitat at Carrington Falls, which would make sense (if it is the same species). Pterostylis pulchella is also listed as "vulnerable" under the Federal EPBC Act listings.

I also found Epacris calvertiana var versicolor flowering at Belmore Falls today. This is a pink and white form of the species, which has white flowers. I have seen this form growing at the Barren Grounds. Interestingly, according to the book "Seldom Seen - rare plants of Greater Sydney", the "type" specimen was collected by Forsyth at Belmore Falls, in September 1900. So, it is good to find this plant growing at the same place, some 100 years after it was first collected there.