much the same time. Generally, waratahs flower over a 4–6 week period in spring (September–October) in the Sydney region, but later in cooler areas. Cultural references Indigenous Tharawal peoples from around the Cronulla region of southern Sydney use the waratah medicinally. Placing the flowers into a bowl of water, so that the nectar be soaked out, the flower water is then drunk for pleasure, for its strengthening effect and for curing illnesses in children and elderly. The botanical journal Telopea is named after the genus, as is the western Sydney suburb of Telopea, New South Wales. Neptune Oil Company used the waratah as a brand for its Motor spirit from the late 1910's until being phased out in the 40's Telopea speciosissima the floral emblem of the state of New South Wales and several organisations in the state, including the New South Wales Waratahs rugby team and Grace Bros. (now Myer). Waratah is also the name of the Sydney Trains A set, a class of electric multiple unit trains operated by Sydney Trains in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In 2009, the Premier of New South Wales, Nathan Rees, commissioned a state logo based on the floral emblem. The resultant logo design has been criticised as resembling a lotus rather than the New South Wales waratah. Further reading Atwell BJ, Kriedemann PE, Turnbull C (1999) The processes of floral induction and initiation. In ‘Plants in Action: Adaptation in Nature, Performance in Cultivation’. pp. 8.3.2 – 8.4. (Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd.: Melbourne, Australia). Ausin I, Alonso-Blanco C, Martinez-Zapater JM (2005) Environmental regulation of flowering. Int. J. Dev. Biol. 49:689–705. Boden A (1985) Waratah – Telopea speciosissima – Floral Emblem of New South Wales, Australian National Botanic Gardens. Available from URL: http://www.anbg.gov.au/emblems/nsw.emblem.html [accessed 20 August 2012]. Burnett J (1993) Will the waratah ever fulfil its potential?. In ‘SGAP 17th Biennial Seminar, Sydney, NSW, 27 Sep – 1 Oct’. Available at URL: http://anpsa.org.au/APOL14/jun99-5.html [accessed 20 August 2012]. Crisp, MD & Weston, PH (1995). "Telopea". In McCarthy, Patrick (ed.). Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 382–390. . Lyne A (2011) Growing Waratahs. Available at URL: http://www.anbg.gov.au/telopea/index.html [accessed 20 August 2012] Martyn A, McConchie R, Offord C (2006) Effect of Shade on Bract Browning of Waratahs(Telopea spp.). ‘Proceedings of the VIIth International Protea Research Symposium, International Society Horticultural Science’. (Ed A Gerber) pp. 117–126.