(click images to see larger ones)
Blue Mountains Wildflowers
Banksias & Grevilleas
and other members of the Proteaceae family

Mountain Devil
Family Proteaceae
Although the Family Proteaceae is "only" the fifth largest of the Australia flora in terms of the number of species, it boasts some of the most popular and well known - including the Waratah and Old Man Banksia.
The Grevillea genus, with over 350 species, is the third largest genus - after Acacia and Eucalyptus.
Many of the species below are very prolific in the Blue Mountains.
Index to our collection -
Banksias
- also see our Banksias web page.
There are ten Banksia species in the Blue Mountains - here's nine of them.
The tenth, the Hill Banksia (Banksia collina), if it occurs, currently eludes me.

Banksia hooked styles
Banksias vary within a species and hybrids can occur.
The first lesson is to disregard juvenile leaves - as they can be vastly different to the mature leaves used to identify plants - as this image of the seedlings of a Heath Banksia shows.
To assist in identification, the Banksias below are grouped into key identifiers.
Styles hooked.
The leaves distinguish these three from each other. The leaves of the missing Hill Banksia (Banksia collina) are toothed for most of their length, and lateral veins are evident underneath.
Heath Banksia
Banksia ericifolia
A tall dense shrub to small tree; it has orange candle like cones in Autumn.
Its 10-15mm long rosemary like
leaves identify it.
Heath Banksias don't regrow after fire; they depend on
seedlings.
Also see our
Heath Banksia web page.
Banksia cunninghamii
Until recently it was known as
Banksia spinulosa var.
cunninghamii.
A
single stemmed tree up to 6m in height. Its 5mm wide
leaves radiate from its branches, and are reasonably flat and are
toothed towards the end.
Banksia cunninghamii doesn't regrow after fire; they depend on
seedlings.
Styles not hooked; leaves in regular whorls.
Straightish styles and leaves in regular whorls distinguish these three from other Blue Mountains banksias. The three species are uncommon.
The leaves of the Swamp Banksia and Newnes Plateau Banksia help to distinguish them from each other. Note the difference in the number of teeth, lateral veins, how the leaves taper and the hairs.
It is appropriate to mention that the Coast Banksia (Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia) does not occur naturally in the Blue Mountains - but has been introduced. There's a few at Echo Point (Katoomba) and some magnificent mature trees at Bullaburra Station.
Styles not hooked; leaves scattered along stems.

Bog Grevillea
Grevillea acanthifoliasubsp.
acanthifolia
This distinctive toothed grevillea with its red branches, flowers in swamps in spring.
Here's another
image.
[Note: The name "Bog Grevillea" is not widely used.]

Laurel-leaf Grevillea
Grevillea laurifolia
This stunning crimson ground-cover has a natural occurring hybrid with Grevillea acanthifolia (see left) that is known as Grevillea x
gaudichaudii.

Grey Spider Flower
Grevillea phylicoides
Distinguished from the other
Grey Spider Flowers (
G. buxifolia) by its narrower and very hairy
leaves, and at 20mm wide its flowers are half the size.
It also lacks the little appendage at the end of its legs (styles). The foot-like pads at the end of the style are greeny-grey, where the (
G. buxifolia)'s are a reddy-brown grey.
Here's another
image.

Juniper Grevillea
Grevillea juniperina
Also called the Spiky Red Spider Flower.
There are seven identified subspecies; the one shown here is most probably ssp. trinervis -
identified by its Blue Mountains location, its red colour and the width of its leaves - > 1mm.

Green Spider Flower
Grevillea mucronulata
Suspended on a stalk and looking much like a spider hanging by its silk thread, it is easy to see where this delightful wildflower gets its name.
The flower is around 60mm across.
The oval concave
leaves are 15mm long and 10mm wide and are hairy underneath.
The botanical name comes from the
mucro (leaf tip).
Here's another
image.

Grevillea aspleniifolia
Its toothbrush-like flower and jagged leaves identifies it. This plant was found in the Kedumba Valley.

Rosemary Grevillea
Grevillea rosmarinifolia
Identified by its Rosemary like narrow recurved leaves.

Woolly Grevillea
Grevillea lanigera
Its name identifies it - woolly leaves and style. It flowers in spring.

Evans Grevillea
Grevillea evansiana
Classed as vulnerable, it is only found in an area east of Rylstone.
It is identified by its "felty" leaves and crimson flowers.
This plant was found in Wollemi National Park.
Here's another
image.

Red Spider Flower
Grevillea oleoides
Yet another stunning member of the Proteaceae family.
Previously a subspecies of
G. speciosa, its leaves are longer - > 4cm.
Here's another
image and
another.
Geebungs
- the Persoonia genus
There are about 100 species of Geebung - all endemic to Australia.
There are 49 species in NSW of which 16 are in the Blue Mountains.
Their distinctive bright yellow flowers in summer and fruit (drupes) distinguishes them from any other genus.
They are known to hybridize, so identifying a species by an amateur botanist (namely me) is not certain.
The word Geebung has been long immortalised in Banjo Paterson's poem The Geebung Polo Club.

Broad-leaved Geebung
Persoonia levis
One of the more easily identified Geebungs - as its broad
leaves and flaky
bark are the keys.
Here's an
image of its new growth.
Here's another
image of its flowers.

Narrow-leaved Geebung
Persoonia linearis
The other Geebung with
flaky bark is the Narrow-leaved Geebung. Its leaves are very long (up to 80mm) and are usually just 2mm wide.
Here's another
image.

Mountain Geebung
Persoonia chamaepitys
This is a prostrate geebung. Its light green pine-like leaves identifies it.

Persoonia recedens
Its 20mm long flat leaves, that are up to 4mm wide, helps to identify it.
It is a threatened species, and is mainly found in the upper Blue Mountains.

Soft Geebung
Persoonia mollis subsp.
mollis
Its very hairy leaves, branches and tepals (
outer covering of the
flower) are the first thing you notice about this attractive plant.
There are nine subspecies - but this is the one most frequently found in the upper Blue Mountains.
Here's a close-up
image.

Mossy Geebung
Persoonia acerosa
This is a
threatened species and is classed as vulnerable.
It can be identified by the channel on the upper surface of its
leaves - which are around 15mm in length.
[I noticed that one of the flowers in the above image has unfurled into 5 parts.]
[I thought that this may have been
P. hindii, but the helpful folk at the
Royal Botanic Gardens have confirmed it as
P. acerosa.]

Lance Leaf Geebung
Persoonia lanceolata
The leaves on this geebung tree are 65-70mm long, 15mm wide and are concolourous (
same colour on both sides).
The pedicel (flower stalk) is 3mm long and the unfurled tepal (
outer surface of flower) is 11mm long.
Here's another
image.

Laurel-leaf Geebung
Persoonia laurina subsp.
laurina
Identified by the rusty brown hairs on the outer layer of its flowers (the tepals).
There are three subspecies. Subsp. laurina has smooth leaves.

Needle Geebung
Persoonia acerosa
This Geebung is classified as "vulnerable". It is identified by its needle like leaves which are "subterete" (cylinder-like) and have a channel on them.
Here's another
image.
Hakeas
There are about 150 species of Hakea - all endemic to Australia.
Their distinctive woody fruit (seed capsule) distinguishes them from other genera.
The fruit of the Hakea does not open until the branch supporting it dies.

Dagger Hakea
Hakea teretifolia
Arguably the most prickly customer in the bush. Its leaves are hard and sharp. It's named after its distinctively shaped fruit. It has white flowers in summer.
Also called Needlebush.

Ernie Constable's Hakea
Hakea constablei
Identified by its 10cm long terete leaves and 4cm+
fruit, this species is limited to the Blue Mountains.
Here's another
image.

Hakea pachyphylla
Only found in the upper Blue Mountains,
Hakea pachyphylla is distinguished from
H. propinqua by its yellow flowers, later flowering (spring) and smoother
fruit.

Finger Hakea
Hakea dactyloides
Flowering in spring, it is identified by its flat leaves that have three
veins, its
fruit with its small beak, and glabrous (hairless)
branchlets.
Also called the Broad-leaved Hakea.
Similar to
Hakea laevipes.

Hakea laevipes
Although having leaves with three veins, it is distinguished from the Finger Hakea by its conspicuous secondary
veins, its beakless
fruit, and pubescent (hairy)
branchlets.
It also flowers later than the Finger Hakea.
Being
lignotuberous means that it may have multiple
branches as the result of a bushfire.
Broad-leaf Drumsticks
Isopogon anemonifolius
The Drumstick's leaves become red in the cooler months, giving each flower a sensational red and green surround.
Conesticks
Petrophile pulchella
Although looking needle like, its leaf are soft. Its cones are more oval than the Drumstick.
Stalked Conesticks
Petrophile pedunculata
Where the leaves of the Conesticks generally all point upwards, the leaves of the Stalked Conesticks point every which way.
Other genera of the Proteaceae family.

NSW Waratah
Telopea speciosissima
The floral emblem of New South Wales.
The crimson flowers appear in spring and are 15cm in diameter. Truly magnificent.
Also see our
NSW Waratah web page.

Mountain Devil
Lambertia formosa
Spot flowering throughout the year, but especially in the warmer months, its red flowers can be easily seen.
Also see our
Mountain Devil web page.

Mountain Symphionema
Symphionema montanum
There are only two species in this genera - both endemic to NSW. It is identified by its "ternate"
leaves (leaves divided into 3).
S. montanum has flatter leaves than
S. paludosum and has a distinct mid-vein.
The name "Mountain Symphionema" is not widely used.

Variable Smoke-bush
Conospermum taxifolium
The Conospermum flower identifies the genus - it has a three pronged bottom lip.
C. taxifolium is distinguished from C. ericifolium by its wider leaves - > 1mm.

Sprawling Smoke-bush
Conospermum tenuifolium
The long stems emerge from, what looks like, a patch of long grass. The flowers are a lilac colour and appear in spring.

Crinkle Bush
Lomatia silaifolia
This small shrub is recognised through the year by its unique
leaves, and then in summer by its spikes of white flowers.

Woody Pear
Xylomelum pyriforme
Easily recognised by its "fruit", the leaves are similar to the Waratah except the Woody Pear's are opposite on the stem.
Here's more images showing the flowers at various stages (different plants).
image 1 -
image 2 -
image 3

Long Leaf Smoke Bush
Conospermum longifolium
subsp.
mediale
Recognised by its long strapping
leaves which are up to 25cm in length.
Here's a close-up of its
flowers.
This subspecies is mainly found in the Blue Mountains.
Copyright © 2022 Waratah Software