Patersonia occidentalisCommon name: Purple Flag
Meaning of name: Patersonia honours William Paterson (1755 – 1810) commander of the military force in NSW. William Paterson was one of the earliest botanists of the colony. Occidentalis is a Latin word meaning western.
Distribution: Occurs from Murchison River to Esperance.
Remarks: A tufted plant with flowers held up to 75 centimetres high. The purple flowers are produced from September to December.
References: Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.
Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.
Flowers are 4-5cm across and last only one day.
This flower has a 3-lobed stamen but the staminal tube is usually undivided.
The plant has tough leaves and an abundance of flowers.
Purple Flag attracts many pollinators.
