Western Australia has a plethora of horticultural species which are unique. The south-west region is particularly rich in plants that are not found anywhere else. One such genus is Chamelaucium which belongs to the Myrtaceae family (myrtles). There are around…
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The genus Brachyscome (or Brachycome) has the common name of Australian daisy. These are popular with home gardeners and give a choice of annuals, perennials or small shrubs. There are almost 100 species with many attractive cultivars. The Australian daisy…
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The Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, is a mostly, but not entirely, western species of tree. Though it grows in many places, the most imposing examples are found in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. In this area, these trees grow nearly…
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The Australian wildflower genus Beaufortia was named early in the 19th century in honour of the Duchess of Beaufort. The Duchess of the time, Mary, was a patroness of horticulture. Beaufortia is endemic to south-west Western Australia. Like the melaleuca…
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The Myrtle family contains many genera, one of which is Calothamnus (claw bush or net bush). There are around 40 species of this genus, all native to Western Australia and mostly found in the extreme south-west although some species occur…
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Bossiaeas belong to the legume family Fabaceae. There are some 50 species, all endemic to Australia. They are small to medium evergreen shrubs. New growth is often furry and branchlets may be tipped with spines. The blooms may be borne…
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Bacteria prokaryotes means they are very simple, single-celled organisms. The majority of their reproduction is done asexually via binary fission. This means that they simply double their genetic material and divide in half, much like cell division. The advantage to…
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Asexual reproduction is a method of reproduction in which the organism is basically making clones of itself. This method of reproduction differs from sexual reproduction as it does not require gametes (sperm and egg) from the opposite sexes. In bacteria, fungi and…
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Reptiles evolved from early amphibians and rose to dominate the world for hundreds of millions of years. The dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period but they live on in a sense through the birds. Mammals are…
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The idea of starting ancient life from ancient seeds has not always been the stuff of science fiction. Scientists have induced ancients seeds to grow and produce flowers and fruit before, but a recent experiment has broken all records. The…
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