Hackelia suaveolens

Sweet Hounds Tongue at Watson, ACT

Hackelia suaveolens at Watson, ACT - 24 Oct 2022
Hackelia suaveolens at Watson, ACT - 24 Oct 2022
Hackelia suaveolens at Watson, ACT - 24 Oct 2022
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Identification history

Hackelia suaveolens 25 Oct 2022 waltraud
Hackelia suaveolens 24 Oct 2022 Mike

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User's notes

Small herbaceous plant about 30cm tall with small white flowers around 2-3 mm diameter. Occasionally sighted previously, but not at this location. Rocky shallow soil substrate.

13 comments

abread111 wrote:
   24 Oct 2022
Max, my moderator actions are not working properly and I have accidentally deleted your suggestion of Cynoglossum australe. So could you re-do it please?
I was going to suggest it could be Hackelia suaveolens.
It is difficult to be sure until there are burrs on the flowering stems. Maybe someone else can tell from your pictures, but I'd like to see the burrs. Barb
Mike wrote:
   24 Oct 2022
Check the images in the Species page - Hackelia suaveolens is correct. Cynoglossum australe has blue or pink flowers, and is usually taller. H. suaveolens has a strong sweet scent.
Mike wrote:
   24 Oct 2022
Check the images in the Species page - Hackelia suaveolens is correct. Cynoglossum australe has blue or pink flowers, and is usually taller. H. suaveolens has a strong sweet scent.
MAX wrote:
   24 Oct 2022
OK, Thanks for your observations and expertise. This specimen had no discernable scent. Could be that the flowers / buds are still not mature ?
waltraud wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
Hi Barb
I confirmed the sighting; for this, I used the drop-down lists ie plants / Other wildflowers etc/ Hackelia. If that doesn't work for you when you try next time to moderate I suggest contacting Mike. I'm sure Max will find another plant for you to try :-)
abread111 wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
Flower colour is not all that reliable to distinguish these two species. PlantNet for C. australe says "blue to whitish" and for H. suaveolens "white or sometimes blue"
waltraud wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
I don't have a problem distinguishing the 2 species in the field (I go for size colour scent ...) however I agree id from photos can be a challenge. I haven't seen a white flowering Austral Hounds Tongue the colours I saw were mostly blue or white-washed blue in older (?) flowers and very rarely a bluish mauve colour; visa versa I haven't seen a blue Sweet Hounds Tongue as yet ...
Tapirlord wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
This is Hackelia suaveolens, flower colour isn't fabulous for distinguishing the two I agree. Hackelia has that yellow ring in the centre of the flower whereas C.australe does not, additionally C.australe has lanceolate or Oblanceolate leaves while Hackelia has spathulate as seem in this specimen. Regarding the scent it is more noticeable on warm days, can be difficult to pick up on wet or cloudy days.
Mike wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
The Species page for Cynoglossum australe has one or two photos of pale flowers (one of mine is over-exposed) and a couple of mis-identifications. The page for Hackelia suaveolens has white flowers. One distinguishing feature is that C. australe has a blue (or pink) centre matching the petals, while H. suaveolens has a yellow centre. Don't get confused with alien forget-me-not which is blue with yellow centre.
waltraud wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
I learnt new things again, thanks Tapirlord and Mike.
MAX wrote:
   25 Oct 2022
OK, all very interesting everyone 🙂 I hadn't expected all these comments from a minor sighting. I'll try to me (more) accurate and precise, to save everyone time.... 🙃
MAX wrote:
   26 Oct 2022
Hi All, I went back to the site / these plants today (about 5), and can Confirm that they Do have the sweet scent as mentioned by other observers. Now I do remember this, just forgot about it, so hopefully I'll check this feature, when I notice these or similar species. 😊
waltraud wrote:
   27 Oct 2022
Always great to learn new things; Max check also for the centre as Mike suggested.

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Nearby sightings

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 - 3 Abundance
  • 24 Oct 2022 04:14 PM Recorded on
  • MAX Recorded by

Additional information

  • 10cm to 30cm Plant height
  • True In flower

Species information

  • Hackelia suaveolens Scientific name
  • Sweet Hounds Tongue Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Local native
  • Non-Invasive
  • Up to 1144m Recorded at altitude
  • Machine learning
  • In flower
  • Synonyms

    Austrocynoglossum suaveolens Cynoglossum suaveolens Hackelia suaveolens

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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