An Exploration of the Flora of Western Australia

The flora of Western Australia (WA) contains over 10,000 species of vascular plants and that, together with the huge area that the State encompasses, means that the visitor will only experience a tiny fraction of the floristic diversity that WA has to offer. In late August 2023 David Lyttle, together with his wife Belinda, embarked on a two-week camper van trip round the State. After collecting the camper van in Perth they drove north to Kalbarri National Park and then South to the Stirling Range stopping at various points on the way before returning to Perth. Although the spectacular great swathes of wildflowers for which WA is known were not in evidence due to an unfavourable season, they found plenty of botanical interest including a wealth of Banksias, Grevilleas, orchids and sundews. The talk will provide an introduction to the flora of WA as well as covering the journey, the landscapes, aspects of the photography and will be illustrated with a collection of wild flower images taken during the trip.
Artwork from the Botanical Art competition will be displayed at this meeting, and prizes awarded. There may also be an art auction, depending on interest.