Journalists pride themselves on getting straight to the point, but just for once we’re taking the time to meander, with our new series Beating Around the Bush that profiles the wonderful, winsome and weird plants of Australia.

Read more: Bunya pines are ancient, delicious and possibly deadly

Part gardening column, part dispatches from country, we’re putting the spotlight on floraphiles’ favourite flowers, ferns, ficuses and other vegetation categories not beginning with “f”.

This series is also doing something a little different. At The Conversation we highlight academic expertise, and usually all our authors must be PhD candidates or above. But knowledge comes in many different forms, and for Beating Around the Bush we’re opening the door to Indigenous Masters students.

The plant in question must be in the contributor’s field of expertise (no pun intended), and the article written in conjunction with an academic supervisor. It’s a fabulous chance for early career Indigenous researchers to celebrate (and geek out over) our natural treasures.

Read the first instalment, a love letter to the Bunya pine, or get in touch at batb@theconversation.edu.au to let us know about a particular plant we should be looking at. Happy bushwhacking!