Common plants in the rangeland shrublands of Western Australia

Page last updated: Friday, 14 April 2023 - 11:26am

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

This information is a resource for pastoral lessees, station managers and others to help identify plants and assess pasture condition and trend in the shrublands of Western Australia.

The shrublands

Shrublands are a vegetation type chracterised by shrubs with a variable overstorey of mulga (Acacia aneura) or eucalypts. Shrublands occur mainly in the Southern Rangelands (Figure 1).

Perennial vegetation in the Southern Rangelands is adapted to low and highly variable rainfall, and pasture productivity is low compared to the Northern Rangelands. Because of these conditions, managing grazing pressure is difficult and has resulted in areas of poor rangeland condition.

Map of the Western Australian rangeland regions
Figure 1 Rangeland regions of Western Australia

Information on these plants can assist pastoral lessees and station managers to assess pasture condition and trend, and improve grazing management.

This information is from well-respected publications, and observations, monitoring and trials by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Common plants in the shrublands

Common name
(link to DPIRD species page)
Scientific name
(link to FloraBase)
Curara Acacia tetragonophylla
Bardie bush Acacia victoriae
Silver saltbush Atriplex bunburyana
Bladder saltbush Atriplex vesicaria
Sage Cratystylis subspinescens
Ruby saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa
Royal poverty bush Eremophila cuneifolia
Wilcox bush Eremophila forrestii
Turpentine bush Eremophila fraseri
Warty-leaf eremophila Eremophila latrobei
Sandbank poverty bush Eremophila margarethae
Broom bush Eremophila scoparia
Frankenias Frankenia spp.
Needlebush Hakea preissii
Mulga bluebush Maireana convexa
Golden bluebush Maireana georgei
Flat leaf bluebush Maireana planifolia
Shy bluebush Maireana platycarpa
Gascoyne bluebush Maireana polypterygia
Sago bush Maireana pyramidata
Pearl bluebush Maireana sedifolia
Felty leaf bluebush Maireana tomentosa
Three-winged bluebush Maireana triptera
Broad leaf wanderrie grass Monachather paradoxus
Cotton bush Ptilotus obovatus
Horse mulla mulla Ptilotus schwartzii
Lake-fringe rhagodia Rhagodia drummondii
Tall saltbush Rhagodia eremaea
Currant bush Scaevola spinescens
Crinkle leaf cassia Senna artemisiodes subsp. helmsii
Bloodbush Senna artemisiodes subsp. oligophylla
Desert cassia Senna artemisiodes subsp. x coriacea
Straight leaf cassia Senna artemisiodes subsp. x sturtii
Tall sida Sida calyxhymenia
Tomato bush Solanum orbiculatum

References

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions's FloraBase pages.

Mitchell, AA & Wilcox, DG 1994, Arid shrubland plants of Western Australia, revised edition, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Perth.

Petheram, RJ & Kok, B 2003, Plants of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, revised edition, University of Western Australia Press, Perth.

Contact information

Joshua Foster
Damian Priest
+61 (0)8 9956 3349
Wayne Fletcher
+61 (0)8 9690 2135