Nature conservation

Threatened species

Southern Warm Temperate Rainforests

Vegetation class map


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Key:
<1%
1-10%
10-50%
>50%
Estimated percentage landcover for vegetation class

Structure

Closed forest with tree canopy typically 15-20 m tall, and dominated by a few species (generally <4) with similar leaf sizes. Occasional lianas and epiphytes, open shrub/sapling stratum and open to relatively dense ferny groundcover.

Trees

Acacia melanoxylon (blackwood), Acmena smithii (lilly pilly), Doryphora sassafras (sassafras), Pittosporum undulatum (sweet pittosporum).

Shrubs

Coprosma quadrifida (prickly currant bush), Eupomatia laurina (bolwarra), Hedycarya angustifolia (native mulberry), Rapanea howittiana (brush muttonwood).

Scramblers

Cissus hypoglauca (giant water vine), Marsdenia rostrata (common milk vine), Morinda jasminoides, Smilax australis (sarsaparilla).

Forbs

Blechnum cartilagineum (gristle fern), B. patersonii (strap water fern), Doodia aspera (prickly rasp-fern), Lastreopsis microsora (creeping shield fern), Microsorum scandens (fragrant fern).

Habitat

Moist, sheltered gullies among the coastal ranges and foothills up to about 800 m elevation, on soils of moderate fertility derived from granites or sedimentary substrates. Annual rainfall varies from 1000 to 1300 mm, although some sites receive less than 900 mm.

Distribution

Coastal ranges and foothills principally south from the Shoalhaven river to the Victorian border and along the Gippsland coastal foothills.

Notes

Low to moderate diversity, with relatively consistent composition thoughout State range. Grades into Northern Warm Temperate Rainforests north from Batemans Bay and Southern Cool Temperate Rainforests at elevations above c. 800 m. Generally occurs in small stands restricted to small patches, rarely larger than 50-100 ha, though these may be common in some parts of the landscape. The undulating topography of Robertson Plateau supports the largest areas of high elevation Southern Warm Temperate Rainforest, alhtough these have been largely extensively cleared.

Sources

Floyd (1990); Keith & Bedward (1999); NPWS (2002)

See all threatened species associated with this vegetation class

See a list of species, populations and ecological communities associated with the Southern Warm Temperate Rainforests vegetation class.