Glory lily (Gloriosa superba) A climbing/scrambling tuberous perennial cultivated as an ornamental, but now found mostly in disturbed areas in sandy coastal regions. The showy flowers are bright red, orange or yellow, with the petals deflexed backwards and six prominent spreading stamens. The singly borne flowers usually point downwards with [...]
Stinging tree (Dendrocnide excelsa) These species are common in Queensland rainforests especially on the edges or in disturbed areas. The two species are similar, but can be distinguished by the leaf stalk, which is attached at the margin of the leaf in giant stinging tree (Dendrocnide excelsa), while in the stinging [...]
Frangipani (Plumeria species) A deciduous, ornamental tree to 6m with highly perfumed flowers, popular as a garden specimen or as street trees. The highly perfumed flowers have five petals, white or pink with a yellow centre, about 5cm in diameter and are grouped in clusters at the ends of [...]
Zigzag plant (Pedilanthus tithymaloides) Ornamental shrub with thick, succulent zigzag stems. The red flowers are slipper-shaped, up to 1cm long and clustered towards the top of the stems. The leaves are large, thick, alternate, elliptic in shape, up to 6cm long and wide, pointed at the tip and rounded at the [...]
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) An annual or short-lived perennial with robust stems, cultivated mainly in temperate gardens. The flowers are bell-shaped, pink to purple (rarely white) with spots inside the floral tube, and are crowded on a long stem at the top of the plant. Individual flowers are 4–6cm long hanging [...]
Flamingo flower (Anthurium andraeanum) An ornamental plant with large, fleshy leaves and bright red or pink spathe flowers. The flowers consist of a red to pink bract or sheath called a spathe, which opens out flat and often shows puckering of the veins. The spathe is broad ovate to heart shaped, 10-15cm [...]
Night blooming jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum) An ornamental evergreen shrub to 4m tall. The flowers are tubular, greenish-white to cream coloured, about 2.5cm long, and are clustered in the axil of leaves. The flowers are very fragrant at night. The leaves are shiny, 10-20cm long and about 3cm wide, and have an [...]
Philodendron An ornamental, often grown as a pot plant, these plants may or may not have a climbing habit. If grown outside, they are often vines or climbers with thickened stems and numerous aerial roots. Flowers are similar to other aroids in that they are small and numerous, crowded onto a [...]
Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) An ornamental rhizomatous perennial plant 45 to 60cm tall with leathery, glossy dark green leaves. Often cultivated as an indoor plant. If there is insufficient water, this plant may lose its leaves and survive off the large potato-like rhizome until watered again. Flowers consist of a central [...]
Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) A small shrub to 1m tall, often cultivated as an ornamental, especially as a pot plant. The flowers are white, 2 to 3mm across, star-shaped and most often solitary or sometimes with a few grouped together. The leaves are alternate, elliptic, with an undulate margin, and are [...]
