Common name                 Spade Flower

Scientific Name                Hybanthus stellarioides

Plant family                       Violaceae

At Booyong I am constantly delighted by the gorgeous little flowers I discover throughout the green grasses.

The little orange spade flower is named as such I would imagine due to the spade like shape of the flower. They are a solitary and delicate flowering mostly in spring or summer but also be found throughout the year. The spade flowers can also be yellow, are self-seeding and have a small fruit and pitted seed. It is a perennial herb that grows up to 30cm in dry Eucalyptus and Woodlands.

Toowmooba plants suggest they are closely related to the violet which is also supported by their plant family name Violaceae.

The flower is a host plant to the glasswing butterfly.