The basics of getting to know how to use a field guide for identifying flora

1. OEEDU5003 Connecting
with Nature
Week five
Flora identification.

2. Ecological literacy
• What does it mean to be ecologically
literate?
• EL is about knowing and being
comfortable in a place?
• What would make you more comfortable
in a place?

3. Flora Identification
Using Costermans’ Trees of
Victoria and adjoining areas book

4. Diagnostic features of plants
• List some diagnostic features used to ID
plants
• Leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, barks,
shape, height,…
• Observe leaves provided – Identify as
many different characteristics as you can

5. Characteristics of
leaves (Costermans, 1998, p. 46)
• Vein pattern (lateral, lanceolate,
ovate, longitudinal veins, oblique)
• Margins – toothed, scalloped,
serrated, smooth
• Colour – if 2 surfaces different =
discolorous
• Shape & size
• Texture – waxiness (glaucous –
bluish-green)
• Leaf attachment – opposite or
alternate
• Attachment to stem – sessile
(stalkless, no petiole)
• Symmetry or oblique
• Glands
• Smell (lemon-scented, peppermint)

6. Characteristics (Costermans, 1998, p. 46)
• a. Lateral veins at large
angle to midvein (eg,
Mahogany, Bloodwood)
• b. Long lanceolate leaf
(eg, Manna Gum group)
• C. Ovate leaf, intra-
marginal vein distant from
margin (eg, Red Box)

7. Look closely at the leaves

8. Characteristics (Costermans, 1998, p. 46)
d. Lateral veins at small
angle to midvein (eg,
narrow-leaved
peppermint)
e. Lateral veins tend
longitudinal (eg, snow
gum)
f. Leaf broad, curved,
asymmetrical, oblique
(eg, Messmate)

9. Juvenile leaves (Costermans, 1998, p. 46)

10. Buds, Flowers & Fruits
(Costermans, 1998, p. 48)

11. Buds (Costermans, 1998, p. 48)

12. Flowers (Costermans, 1998, p. 48)

13. Parts of eucalypt fruits
(Costermans, 1998, p. 48)

14. Barks – see pages viii-ix

15. Wattles – Pods & Seeds
• All wattles form pods
• Differences in pods can
be helpful for ID.
• The seed attachment
stalk (funicle) is a good
diagnostic feature.
• Eg Blackwood, this is red
& doubly encircles the
seed
• Eg Lightwood, it is white
& folded at the seed base

16. Key Groups of Wattles for ID
(Costermans, 1998, p. 131)
• Adult foliage always
bipinnate (‘feathery’), p.
132
• Adult foliage as
phyllodes (‘simple
leaves’), p. 135
• Flowers in cylindrical
spikes, p. 135

17. Key Groups of Wattles for ID
(Costermans, 1998, p. 131)
• Flowers in globular
heads, p. 138
• Phyllodes one main vein,
p. 138
• Phyllodes with more than
one main vein, p. 143

18. Using the Costermans’ Book
• Need to know where your patch of bush is
located?
• What vegetation type?
• See pp. 8-9