In recent months I have been exploring / documenting Telopea speciosissima (NSW waratah) and Telopea mongaensis (Braidwood waratah) as I’m lucky enough to live nearby the southern highlands of NSW Australia where these two species overlap in their distribution. speciosissima specimens are typically on well drained ridges / hillsides and mongaensis specimens are only found along sandy creek beds at the bottom of sandstone gullies. Within the area of Budderoo national park in NSW I have located a population of telopea mongaensis, as expected growing by a sandy creek just above the water line, however as I moved up the water course, a number of individuals displayed infloresence shape, mature leaf shape and bract colouration that would be expected from a speciosissima individual. I also know that there are in fact Telopea speciossisima growing on the ridges above the creek, so it would be certainly possible for a honeyeater bird to cross pollinate these species.
As far as I can tell this hybrid has not been reported on inaturalist, however from what literature I have been able to search these two species of waratah have been known to hybridise where their populations overlap. Due to this being a novel addition to inaturalist there is no label for me to report this as a possible hybrid. I am considering seeking guidance from national parks as to this suspected hybrid population to see if it can be confirmed.