Pink Boronia and the source of Deep River
Day 3 Lowlands Reserve a plant a day 27 October 2020
The 4 petalled Pink Boronia has been in bloom for over 4 weeks in the Lowlands Reserve. It is aromatic and at Lowlands exudes a musty licorice smell. I chose pink Boronia for my Day 3 species, because I was surprised to see both pink Boronia and my Day one species Milkwort flowering 150 km away at the source of the Deep River today. Its been long day, so I only had a quick early evening walk into Lowlands Reserve. I’ve been helping Pauly with the survey of the bridge up Lake Muir way where the Deep River has its source.
I looked up pink Boronia on Florabase and was surprised to see the aromatic pink Boronia crenulata has about seven subspecies! I’m too tired today to try and sort out which subspecies is which.
Deep River, and all the SW rivers are of great cultural and ecological significance to the Noongar people. It is often heart warming to accompany Noongar people on survey. Their culture is still strong, and is displayed in their connection to country, their observation of the smallest critters, the tiny frogs leaping in the wetland edges, the way they casually identify roo and emu prints at the waters edge, and the edible tubers of djubak (leek orchids), their topics of conversation and turns of phrase, their humour (jokes about the teensy frogs being cane toads, the compulsory superannuation contributions being useful to pay for your funeral), their connection to each other and family. One of the people, only 7 years older than me, is about to become a great-great-grandmother. Its possible she will become a great-great-great-grandmother before she is 90.
Keeping close to our stories and our sources. What better way to visit the source of Deep River!
Follow me on instagram and twitter @lowlandsbeach . https://www.instagram.com/lowlandsbeach/
