Merningar Bardok Elder Lynette Knapp and Professor Stephen D. Hopper AC
Global Biodiversity Hotspots are the 35 regions of Earth richest in threatened endemic species of plants and birds. The Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR) has 8379 native vascular plant taxa (82% species and 18% subspecies), of which 47% are endemic and 49% have been described since 1970. While the whole of the SWAFR is species-rich, greatest endemism levels hug the west and south coasts. After a brief introduction to the SWAFR, we will yarn together about Merningar Bardok Noongar perspectives on plant life of the region, and how best Noongars and western scientists can combine knowledge systems to better care for country.