Photographs
There are more photographs and a more extensive coverage of Victorian plant and animal species in these packages than in any other publication. For many of the plant species there are no other published photographs.
The Flora and Fauna databases have colour photographs of about 95% of animal species and
70% of the plants.
There are usually several photographs for a species showing, for animals, males, females, juveniles and different colour forms or, for plants, flowers, fruit, leaves, bark and so on.
In total there are over 12,000 photographs of about 4100 species.
Descriptions
For each species a simple and concise description has been prepared. As much as possible non-technical language has been used in these descriptions but when this is not practical an on-line glossary is included which can be accessed by simply
highlighting the word then clicking the right mouse-button.
For each plant species the descriptions contain information on the general appearance, flowers (or spores if a fern), fruit, leaves and (often) its preferred environment. Other pieces of information include flowering time, place of origin (if the species is not native), Koorie use (if any) and a variety of other characteristics.
For each animal species the descriptions contain information on general appearance, colours, differences (if any) between males, females and juveniles, size (and weight for mammals), breeding data and habitat.
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| Eucalyptus
crenulata - Buxton Gum
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General
Appearance: A
small, crooked tree, 4-8 m tall, with spreading branches from near
ground level and blue-green foliage. Bark persistent, fibrous and
fissured on trunk, smooth on branches.
Leaves: All of one type. Opposite (or
almost so), sessile or with very short petioles, ovate to
heart-shaped, 3-6 x 1.5-2.5 cm, symmetric; margins with fine,
rounded teeth (crenulate); upper surface paler than lower.
Buds: In leaf axils 7-14 per cluster,
club-shaped, 5-8 mm long, covered by raised oil glands; pedicel
short but distinct; operculum rounded with fine, pointed tip;
peduncle smooth, rounded, 4-8 mm long.
Fruit: Wineglass-shaped, 3-5 mm across, on
distinct, slender pedicels 2-3 mm long; valves 3-4, opening just
below rim.
Environment: Alluvial soils in seasonally
inundated depressions along river flats.
Notes: A popular tree in cultivation, it
does well in poorly drained sites. Records away from Buxton and
Yering (north-east of Melbourne) are all introductions.
Conservation: [f] Listed
under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee. [E] Endangered
in Australia. [e] Endangered in Victoria. [endemic] Found
only in Victoria. [#] Native to Victoria but grows outside of
natural range.
Other Common Names: Silver
Gum |
| Red-tailed
Black Cockatoo
 
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General
Appearance: A
large cockatoo, to 63 cm long. Male - Plumage entirely black except
for a broad band of red near the tip of the tail. Head characterised
by a large crest from forehead to crown. Female - Plumage dark brown
with pale yellow spots on head, neck and shoulder. Tail with yellow
band barred with black.
Tail: Long and broad,
black with a broad red band (male) or yellow and black bands
(female).
Eyes: Dark brown.
Beak: Very short and
stout. Upper mandible much bigger than lower, and curved into a
semicircular hook. Dark grey (males) or off-white (females).
Legs: Dark grey.
Sexes: Dissimilar.
Call: A harsh, creaking
scream.
Juveniles: Similar to
females.
Eggs: White (Apr -
Oct).
Nest: A tree hollow.
Diet: A variety of
seeds, including those of eucalypts and bulokes (Allocasuarina
luehmanni).
Environment: Woodlands
and heathy woodlands.
Notes: Similar to
Glossy Black Cockatoo but has much larger crest and the ranges do
not overlap at all in Victoria.
Conservation: [f] Listed
under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee. [E] Endangered
in Australia. [e] Endangered in Victoria. [hollows] Totally
dependent on hollows.
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