Common Plants of Australia’s Top End

As one travels through the Top End and notice the plants, you may wonder at the distinctive spiralling pandanus or the striking fern-leaved grevillea with its flame-coloured flowers.   This booklet provides  an opportunity to identify and learn more about the most common plants in this dynamic environment. During the monsoonal wet season, the Top End is lush and green from the thirst-quenching rains.  In contrast, the parched dry season landscapes are often blackened by fires.  Botanical terminology is kept to a minimum and a focus placed on photographs to help identify the plants. The text covers key features to help with identification, including bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and the plant’s growth form (shrub, tree or herb).