Name: Pollination of Southwestern Australian flowers
Start: 2025-02-07T19:30:00+08:00
End: 2025-02-07T21:30:00+08:00
Location: Hew Roberts lecture theatre, UWA, Clifton Street Nedlands

Were you ever interested in the insects, birds and marsupials pollinating our flowers? And did you know that the complexity of pollination evolution here in the southwest is globally unique?
Flowers compete to attract pollinators using colours, scents and shapes tailored for pollinator-specific sensory systems. Some flowers have evolved to attract relatively specific pollinators, presumably to increase pollen transfer within a species. Differences between plants in their flower types, pollination mechanisms and biotic or abiotic pollen vectors are classified into pollination strategies.
A study into pollination strategies of all plants in our biodiversity hotspot (9000 plants) identified that the complexity of pollination evolution here is globally unique and has major consequences for rare flora management and ecosystem restoration, especially due to increasing habitat degradation, fire and climate change.
Our presenter, Dr Mark Brundrett, is Adjunct Associate Professor at the UWA and Research Associate of the West Australian Herbarium and is co-author of a study into the pollination of southwest Australian plants. He will give a fascinating talk about the relationships between floral characteristics and animal association with many excellent photos.
The main presentation will be followed by a short “focus talk" by Ry Beaver on Tasmanian marsupials, and a look at any specimens that have been brought along.
After this you are welcome to join us for tea/coffee and conversation.
All are welcome to attend, with a donation of $3 for Club members or $5 for non-members giving you a chance to win the door prize (EFTPOS available).
Doors open at 7.10pm and the meeting begins at 7.30pm at the Hew Roberts Lecture Theatre, University of Western Australia.
Parking is free and available in car parks near the Gordon St or Clifton St entrances to the campus.
Image by Mark Brundrett