by Siti Farhana Binti Maidin

This is an instalment in our series, Know Your Park Lands Plants, where we introduce you to the myriad of species that populate your Adelaide Park Lands. Today, we look at a tiny flower that’s been found in only one Park within your Park Lands.

Tiny Star (Pauridia glabella) is a small but significant flowering plant, native to the Adelaide region and elsewhere in southern Australia.

This species is part of the broader Pauridiaceae family and has a unique ecological role.

Understanding Tiny Star is crucial for botanical enthusiasts, as well as appreciating the broader context of environmental conservation in Adelaide.

Tiny Star is a delicate perennial herb, which thrives in the specific soil and climate conditions found around Adelaide.

It can be identified by its ‘glabrous’ or smooth leaves and small flowers. This plant plays a role in maintaining local biodiversity by providing habitat and food for various pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

It helps to contribute to the region’s ecological balance, thus supporting the health and sustainability of the native plant community.

Tiny Star has been identified only in one Park within your Adelaide Park Lands - i.e. Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra (Park 21 West), which offers the right soil and environmental conditions for the plant’s growth.

Outside your Park Lands, Tiny Star has also been recorded elsewhere in South Australia, as well as in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia and has been introduced into New Zealand.

It may be found in reserves and conservation areas, grassy woodlands and open forests, roadside verges and undisturbed land. However, its presence in some of these areas can be vulnerable to urban development.

Want to know more about the plants in your Park Lands? Head over to iNaturalist, where you can record, share, and discuss your findings with fellow naturalists.

There is an iNaturalist page which can show you exactly where citizen scientists (like you!) have observed Tiny Star, in your Adelaide Park Lands and elsewhere.

See the other plants featured in this series here: https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/know-your-park-lands-plants

Writer Siti Farhana Binti Maidin is passionate about environmental and heritage conservation. She enjoys trekking and exploring the Adelaide Park Lands in her free time. 

Main photo: thammer/iNaturalist.