List of Australian plants termed "native"

This is a list of Australian plants which have had a common name prefixed with the adjective "native".

Early European settlers in Australia were confronted with a large variety of unaccustomed animals and plants, and in many cases gave them familiar names qualified with the adjective "native", based on some fancied resemblance, so what is now a koala was called a "native bear" and the dingo a "native dog".[1] Many of these terms are of historic interest only.

Name Old binomial name[a] Modern synonym Notes
Native apple
→ Apple berry Billardiera scandens bush food
→ Black apple Achras australis Pouteria australis or
Planchonella australis		 brush apple, wild plum
→ Emu apple Owenia acidula mooley apple
→ Logan apple Acronychia acidia Acronychia imperforata Fraser Island apple
→ Mulga apple Acacia aneura the "apple" is an edible insect gall
→ Oak apple Casuarina stricta Allocasuarina verticillata young cones may be chewed
→ Rose apple Owenia cerasifera Owenia acidula var. sweet plum
Native arbutus Gaultheria hispida snowberry, chucky chucky; edible
Native banana Musa banksii
Musa hillii
Musa fitzalani		 Musa banksii varieties ?
Native banyan Ficus rubiginosa rusty fig, Port Jackson fig
Native beech Callicoma serratifolia black wattle, wild quince
Native blackberry Rubus moluccanus
Rubus parvifolius
Rubus rosifolius		 Molucca bramble
Japanese bramble
Mauritius raspberry
Native borage Pollichia zeylanica Trichodesma zeylanicum Northern bluebell, camel bush, horse bush
Native box Bursaria spinosa boxthorn, native olive
Native bread Polyporus mylitta Laccocephalum mylittae edible, though not tasty, fungus
Native broom Viminaria denudata
Native burnet Acaena ovina Acaena agnipola
x Acaena echinata[2]		 Australian Sheep's Burr
Native cabbage Nasturtium palustre Rorippa palustris not endemic to Australia
Native carrot Daucus brachiatus Daucus glochidiatus not endemic to Australia
Native cascarilla Croton verreauxii green native cascarilla
Native celery Apium australe
Apium prostratum		 not endemic to Australia
Tasmanian species
Native centaury Erythraea australis Schenkia australis
Native cherry Exocarpus cupressiformis
Native cranberry Pernettya tasmanica Gaultheria tasmanica native to Tasmania
Native cranberry Styphelia sapida Lissanthe sapida
Native cranberry Styphelia humifusa Astroloma humifusum
Native cumquat Atalantia glauca Eremocitrus glauca desert lemon, desert lime
Native currant Coprosma billardieri Coprosma quadrifida
Native currant Leucopogon richei
Native currant Myoporum serratum Myoporum insulare blueberry tree, native juniper
Native daisy Brachycome decipiens Brachyscome decipiens
Native damson Nageia spinulosa Podocarpus spinulosus native plum
Native dandelion Podolepis acuminata Podolepis robusta mountain lettuce
Native daphne Myoporum viscorum Myoporum viscosum dogwood, waterbush
Native date Capparis canescens
Native deal Nageia elata Podocarpus elatus
Native elder
Native elderberry		 Sambucus xanthocarpa
Sambucus gaudichaudiana		 Sambucus australasica
Sambucus gaudichaudiana		 white elderberry; edible
Native flax Linum marginale
Native fuchsia Correa speciosa Correa reflexa var. speciosa eastern correa
Native fuchsia Eremophila maculata spotted fuchsia-bush
Native furze Hakea ulicina furze hakea
Native ginger Alpinia caerulea Australian ginger; edible
Native grape Vitis hypoglauca Cissus hypoglauca Gippsland grape; edible
Native hickory Acacia leprosa cinnamon wattle
Native holly Coprosma hirtella Tasmania
Native holly Lomatia ilicifolia
Native hops Dodonaea spp. various
Native hops Daviesia latifolia hop bitter-pea
Native hyacinth Thelymitra longifolia
Native indigo Swainsonia spp.
Native indigo Indigofera australis Tasmania
Native ivy Muehlenbeckia adpressa Macquarie Harbour vine
Native jasmine Ricinocarpos pinifolius wedding bush
Native juniper Myoporum serratum Myoporum insulare blueberry tree, native currant
Native kumquat Atalantia glauca Eremocitrus glauca desert lemon, desert lemon
Native laburnum Goodenia lotifolia Goodenia
Native laburnum Cassia marksiana
Native laurel Pittosporum undulatum mock orange
Native laurel Panax elegans light sycamore
Native lavender Styphelia australis Leucopogon australis spiked beard-heath
Native leek Bulbine bulbosa native onion; poisonous
Native lilac Melia composita not endemic
Native lilac Prostanthera rotundifolia round-leaf mint bush
Native lime Citrus australasica
Citrus australis		 finger lime
native orange
Native lucerne Sida rhombifolia Queensland hemp; not endemic
Native mangrove Rhizophorea mucronata Rhizophora mucronata
Native mangrove Avicennia officinalis
Native mangrove Acacia longifolia Tasmanian name for Boobialla
Native mignonette Stackhousia linariaefolia Stackhousia monogyna creamy candles
Native millet Panicum decompositum
Native mint Mentha australis river mint, native peppermint
Native mistletoe Loranthus spp.
Native mulberry Hedycarya cunninghami Hedycarya angustifolia smooth holly
Native mulberry Pipturus propinquus Pipturus argenteus Queensland grasscloth plant
Native mulberry Litsaea ferruginea Litsea spp. pigeonberry tree
Native myrtle Myoporum serratum Myoporum insulare native currant, native juniper, blueberry tree
Native nectarine Owenia acidula emu apple
Native oak Casuarina spp.
Native olive Bursaria spinosa boxthorn, native box
Native onion Bulbine bulbosa native leek; poisonous
Native orange Citrus australis native lime, finger lime
Native orange Capparis mitchellii native pomegranate
Native passionflower Passiflora spp. some are indigenous
Native peach Santalum acuminatum
Elaeocarpus grandis		 quandong
Native pear Hakea acicularis Hakea sericea bushy needlewood
Native pennyroyal Mentha gracilis Mentha satureioides creeping mint
Native pepper Piper novae-hollandiae
Native plantain Plantago varia Plantago spp.
Native plum Nageia spinulosa Podocarpus spinulosus native damson
Native pomegranate Capparis nobilis
Capparis mitchelli		 Capparis arborea
Capparis canescens
Capparis mitchellii		 caper tree
wild orange
native orange
Native potato Gastrodia sesamoides
Native quince Owenia acidula emu apple
Native quince Petalostigma quadriloculare Petalostigma crab-tree, quinine tree
Native raspberry Rubus gunnianus
Rubus rosaefolius		 Tasmania
mainland Australia
Native rocket Epacris lanuginosa
Native sandalwood Santalum persicarium Santalum murrayanum see also Santalum spicatum, Santalum lanceolatum
Native sandalwood Alyxia buxifolia sea box, dysentery bush
Native sarsaparilla Hardenbergia monophylla
Native sassafras Atherosperma moschatum
Native scarlet runner Kennedya prostrata Kennedia prostrata scarlet runner
Native shamrock Lotus australis
Native speedwell Veronica formosa
Native tamarind Diploglottis cunninghamii
Native tobacco Cassinia billardieri Apalochlamys spectabilis showy cassinia, fireweed
Native tobacco Duboisia hopwoodii pituri, pitchery
Native tobacco Nicotiana suaveolens
Native tulip Telopea oreades spp. waratah
Native willow Acacia longifolia
Native yam Dioscorideae hastifoliae Dioscorea hastifolia

Notes

  1. ^ As reported in Edward E. Morris (1896). Dictionary of Australian Words.

References

  1. ^ Edward E. Morris (1896). Dictionary of Australian Words.
  2. ^ "Acaena ovina". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 28 June 2023.