Patersonia drummondii Drummond's Patersonia
Patersonia are members of the Iridaceae family and do remind you immediately of Irises. Most of this genus is found in Australia but there is at least one species in Indonesia. This species is also the food plant of the Small Iris Skipper (Mesodina hayi) which is endemic to south west Australia.
Patersonia drummondii is named after two distinguished Australian settlers: William Paterson and James Drummond. Drummond was born in Scotland near Forfar but settled in south west Australia and collected specimens and seeds for the botanist James Mangles (as in Anigozanthus manglesii Kangaroo Paw).
P. drummondii is dotted around the wheat belt from Perth up to beyond Geraldton and although not threatened is not that common either.
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| Patersonia drummondii Drummond's Patersonia |
W.A. WFS tour: Squires Bush Block 13th September 2007
Added on February 28th 2011, updated 27th January 2013