Grampians Triodia – revisited

Mark’s post describing spinifex (Triodia sp.) in the Grampians caught the attention of a few readers. Phil Robertson and Greg Müller responded to the post, also recently seeing Triodia in the Grampians with a student group.

Phil wrote that they found:

“… a small clump of five Triodia plants in the Grampians last week. We were in a yellow gum woodland in the western Grampians (on a slightly higher part of the alluvial flats on the north side of the Glenelg) …”

Triodia sp. in the western Grampians (Photo: Phil Robertson)

A few weeks earlier I also found a Triodia patch in low heathland, just off the Glenelg River not far west of Casterton, Victoria. It’s a little disorienting to see this plant from the arid north, lying under a Rough-bark Manna Gum, with a pine plantation as the backdrop!

Triodia sp. west of Casterton (Photo: Jonathan Tuck)

Casting the net a bit wider, there are records in the Lower Glenelg National Park, and Rod Bird of the Hamilton Field Naturalists recorded Triodia in the rail reserve between Bochara and the Wannon River, west of Hamilton. NGT’s Bryan Haywood saw a population around Dry Creek in south-east South Australia and thought it may have been brought in by stock.

So, relic from an arid past, or brought in by stock? What do you think?

Thanks for writing in, Phil! We love to hear from readers about their sightings and experiences, so if any of our posts strike a chord, please email or get in touch via Facebook.