Tasmanian Wildflowers: Scoparia Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
By MAC-001 on 15-Aug-20. Waypoint GA17171

My plan is to release over fifty cards in this series of Tasmanian Wildflowers as moveable caches in the coming months, this is the first so keep an eye out for the rest of them and move them along.

To be COVID safe, feel free NOT to open the cache and sign the logbook, if you wish to, please bring your own sanitiser.

Or just keep in moving without opening, all details should be visable from the outside of the cache container.

Richea scoparia (formerly known as R. angustifolia), is a wide spread Tasmanian endemic plant. The genus Richea, forms part of the Ericaceae (formerly Epacridaceae) family, which are commonly heath-like shrubs. The name refers to the erect bushy growth habit, described as a broom-like shrub, most commonly referred to as the honey bush or simply ‘scoparia’ to many bushwalkers.

Richea scoparia is 1-3m high and commonly grows in wind-swept regions of mountains. The leave persist for a number of years, even when dead. Leaves are crowded, sharp pointed, linear-lanceolate with a broad sheathing base, 3-6cm long. Inflorescences are terminal spikes 4-12cm in varying colours of orange, yellow, red, pink or white, flowering in January- March. Flowers with caps of joined petals, which a deciduous, exposing 5mm long stamens and a short style.

Richea scoparia is found in montane vegetation and is subject to harsh conditions throughout several months of the year. It occurs in the west, south-west, north-east and Central Plateau of Tasmania in a variety of habitats above 700m. It is widespread in alpine regions and associated with a number of varying species. R. scoparia is a slow growing, scleromorphic, perennial species with many morphological variabilities. The growth habits and morphology of R. scoparia populations are influenced by the level of difference weather conditions, to which each population is exposed. The exposure to wind speed and direction have a predominant effect on growth rate and success of the species, which grows as a dense rounded bush in highly exposed areas.

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