Flora of Australia

The most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests. Because of the great age and consequent low levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia’s biota is unique and diverse. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic.

Many of Australia’s ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and introduced plant and animal species. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is a legal framework used for the protection of threatened species. Numerous protected areas have been created to protect and preserve Australia’s unique ecosystems, 64 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention, and 16 World Heritage Sites have been established. Australia was ranked thirteenth in the World on the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index.

Flora of Australia

Australian flora, in order to cope with the extreme conditions present in much of Australia, has evolved to cope with a common set of conditions, namely the ubiquitous presence of fire; soils low in nutrients (due to a lack of recent - geologically speaking - volcanic and glacial activity); and a lack of water. Many plants adapted special features to cope with these extreme conditions. Symbiosis and sclerophylly are very common, as are plants with sunken stomata and large root stock. The plants are very hardy, and are generally able to quickly establish themselves so as not to miss available nutrients.

Australia is the home of more than 40 per cent of the world’s carnivorous plants.

These are some Australian native trees and shrubs.
acacia (wattle)
Australian Blackwood
Cootamundra wattle
Golden wattle
Silver wattle
Acacia coriacea
Acacia cyclops
Acacia kempeana
Acacia saligna
Acacia translucens
Acacia victoriae
banksia
blackboy
boronia (plant)
callistemon (bottlebrush)
casuarina
correa
dryandra
eucalyptus (’gum’ trees)
eucalyptus
Mountain Ash
Blue gum
Snowgum
Stringy bark
Corymbia
Corymbia ficifolia
Angophora
grevillea
hakea
Horizontal scrub
Huon Pine
Dicksonia antarctica, Tasmanian Tree Fern, or Manfern
Cyathea cooperi, Australian Tree Fern, or Lacy Tree Fern
melaleuca
Moreton Bay Fig
Native cherry
Nothofagus cunninghamii, or “myrtle beech”
Passiflora aurantia
Passiflora cinnabarina
Passiflora herbertiana
pink heath
proteacea
Tasmanian tree heath or Pandani
Black or Tasmanian sassafras
she-oak