Trachymene coerulea Graham
Blue Lace Flower (Trachymene coerulea) is an erect annual or biennial herb growing to 1.2 m high with deeply divided, fan-shaped leaves and clusters of blue, purple or white flower heads, each consisting of 130–300 tiny, intricate flowers.
The delicate appearance of these flower heads gives the plant one of its common names, Blue Lace Flower. It is also sometimes referred to as the Rottnest Island Daisy. However, this is a misnomer as the genus Trachymene belongs to the Araliaceae family and is not related to the daisies. The specific epithet coerulea means blue, in reference to the flower colour.
Blue Lace Flower is endemic to the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia, extending from Kalbarri National Park south to near Augusta and, of course, Rottnest Island.
Photo: S. Dillon