The Flora of the Hunter Region is as extraordinary as it is varied. In this section of the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens website, an attempt will be made to introduce interested people to the richness and beauty of the local flora that is so often overlooked and perhaps sometimes disregarded.

Many of the region’s plants have flowers that are small but very interesting and attractive. The images displayed here are designed to introduce those wishing to understand more about the local flora to look more closely at sometimes insignificant flowers.

It is not intended as an identification guide, although many of the images could be used in that way. There are many useful identification guides in books and online that can be accessed to positively identify a plant, some of which are listed below. There is also useful information under the heading Botanical Studies on this website.

The definition of the Hunter Region as a floristic area and used here, is the one adopted by Stephen Bell, Christine Rockley and Anne L lewellyn in the definitive work “The Flora of the Hunter Region, Endemic Trees and Larger Shrubs” In this book it is estimated there are 4 to 5 thousand species of plants within this described  area.

Because there are so few texts that refer to the flora of the Hunter Region specifically, many of the local and indigenous plants are poorly known by the general population. There are obvious exceptions such as Banksia and Flannel Flowers. It is hoped that these images will go some way to alerting people to what is around them.

It is not possible to display all the plants of the Hunter Region, but the list will be added to as new material is acquired. Similarly, images that are superior to the included ones will be replaced over time especially if the new image is more characteristic of the plant. All the images displayed are by Kevin Stokes, unless otherwise noted. The alternative authors names will be included on each image.

Botanical names are used along with accepted common names. Many plants have no common name so none can be included.

Australian National Botanic Gardens. https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens

Herbarium at Hunter Region Botanic Gardens. herbarium@huntergardens.org.au

Editor Gwen J Harden. 4 Volumes

ISBN 0 86840 196 K

ISBN 0 86840 156 0 (vol. 1)

ISBN 0 86840 164 1 (vol. 2)

ISBN 0 86840 172 2 (vol, 3 )

ISBN 0 86840 188 9 (vol. 4)

NSW University Press First Published 1990

Alan Fairly and Philip Moore.

ISBN 0 86417 261 3. 1989

Reprinted in 1995

Stephen Bell, Christine Rockley , Anne Llewellyn.

ISBN 9781 48631 1026 (hbk)

ISBN 9781 48631 1033 9epdf)

ISBN 9781 48631 1040 (epub)

CSIRO Publishing, The University of Newcastle 2019