Ilparpa Claypans FloraAnnual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii) Apple Bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) Button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) Centipeda crateriformis Cyperus sp Goatshead Burr (Sclerolaena bicornis) Golden Everlasting (Xerochrysum bracteatum) Invisible Plant (Siemssenia capillaris) Longtails (Ptilotus polystachyus) Nardoo (Marsilea drummondii) Pink Everlasting (Schoenia cassiniana) Polycarpaea brevifolia Red Pussytail (Ptilotus polystachyus) Schenkia australis Small-Leaf Swainson-Pea (Swainsona microphylla) Tiny Purslane (Calandrinia pumila) Tiny Purslane (White form) Variable Daisy (Brachyscome ciliaris) Wahlenbergia capillaris Yellow Billybutton (Calocephalus platycephalus)

Listed as a ‘Site of National Botanical Significance’ due to the presence of significant ephemeral plants and a wide diversity of plant species and communities, the claypans is also home to a variety of wildlife (fauna) from tiny water creatures, that appear as if from nowhere during periods of significant rain to the larger red kangaroos.

Red Pussytail (Ptilotus polystachyus), Ilparpa Claypans, Alice Springs NT
Red Pussytail (Ptilotus polystachyus), Ilparpa Claypans, Alice Springs NT

“What makes this place unique botanically is that we’ve got at least six different water bodies here, and they have different plants surrounding them,” says Peter.

“You can see that this little one over there has much more clay around the edges, and it’s got vegetation growing in it still, whereas this one over here, looks a bit the same as the one we just came from, but it has no Coolabahs at all around it, and it’s surrounded by Mulga trees.”

Claypans full of water, by Emma Sleath with Alice Moldovan, ABC Local, interview with Peter Latz
Ilparpa Claypans (Ilparpa Valley), Alice Springs, NT
Ilparpa Claypans (Ilparpa Valley), Alice Springs, NT

Following are some of the plants to be found at Ilparpa Claypans, just a small sample of some of the flora to be found there.

Tiny Purslane (Calandrinia pumila), Ilparpa Claypans, Alice Springs NT
Tiny Purslane (Calandrinia pumila), Ilparpa Claypans, Alice Springs NT

More information coming…


Footnote & References

  1. Claypans full of water, by Emma Sleath with Alice Moldovan, ABC Local, https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/01/21/3929496.htm

Ilparpa Claypans FloraAnnual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii) Apple Bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) Button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) Centipeda crateriformis Cyperus sp Goatshead Burr (Sclerolaena bicornis) Golden Everlasting (Xerochrysum bracteatum) Invisible Plant (Siemssenia capillaris) Longtails (Ptilotus polystachyus) Nardoo (Marsilea drummondii) Pink Everlasting (Schoenia cassiniana) Polycarpaea brevifolia Red Pussytail (Ptilotus polystachyus) Schenkia australis Small-Leaf Swainson-Pea (Swainsona microphylla) Tiny Purslane (Calandrinia pumila) Tiny Purslane (White form) Variable Daisy (Brachyscome ciliaris) Wahlenbergia capillaris Yellow Billybutton (Calocephalus platycephalus)

Ilparpa ClaypansIlparpa Claypans Fauna Ilparpa Claypans Flora Ilparpa Claypans Landscape

Northern TerritoryCentral Australia Aileron Alice Springs Binns Track Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve Ernest Giles Road Finke Gorge National Park Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve Hermannsburg Historic Precinct Ilparpa Claypans Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve MacDonnell Ranges Mount Connor Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary Owen Springs Reserve Red Centre Way Drive Standley Chasm Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Watarrka National Park & Kings Canyon Wurre / Rainbow Valley