Richea pandanifolia is actually a member of the Ericaceae family of which our native Heathers are the most familiar in the British Isles. It looks for all the world like a palm tree and the flowers which appear in the leaf axils around November also remind you of Palm species.

Richea pandanifolia is a mountain species and around Dove lake near Cradle Mountain is a classic site for this plant. As can be seen from the LHS photo, we enjoyed about four inches of snowfall while staying here and saw two Duck-billed Platypuses swimming in a small lake near the chalets. A week or so later we were beating off the summer flies near Kalbarri in Western Australia in a temperature of about 34 Celsius.

Near Dove Lake, by Cradle mountain, Tasmania, 3rd September 2007

Added on 29th February 2012, updated 16th March 2015