Nature conservation

Threatened species

Northern Hinterland Wet Sclerophyll Forests

Vegetation class map


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

Structure

Tall, open, dry eucalypt forests to 40m with a diverse array of species, an open understorey of both mesophyllous and sclerophyllous shrubs anda   continuous grassy groundcover.

Trees

The canopy is dominated by Eucalyptus microcorys (tallowwood), E. pilularis (blackbutt), E. propinqua (grey gum), E. siderophloia (grey ironbark), Syncarpia glomulifera (turpentine). Other species with minor occurrences or localised dominance include Angophora subvelutina (broad-leaved apple), Corymbia intermedia (pink bloodwood) and Eucalyptus carnea (thick-leaved mahogany).

Shrubs

Allocasuarina torulosa (forest oak) present as small trees. Smaller shrubs include  Breynia oblongifolia (coffee bush), Jacksonia scoparia (dogwood), Leucopogon lanceolatus, Maytenus sylvestris (narrow-leaved orange bark), Notelaea longifolia (large mock-olive), Ozothamnus diosmifolius (white dogwood), Persoonia linearis (narrow-leaved geebung), P. media, Pittosporum revolutum (yellow pittosporum), Podolobium ilicifolium (prickly shaggy pea), Polyscias sambucifolia (elderberry panax), Trochocarpa laurina (tree heath).

Scramblers

Cissus hypoglauca (giant water vine), Hibbertia dentata, H. scandens (climbing guinea flower), Pandorea pandorana (wonga wonga vine), Smilax australis (sarsaparilla).

Forbs

Amperea xiphoclada var. xiphoclada (broome spurge), Desmodium rhytidophyllum (rusty tick-trefoil), D. varians (slender tick-trefoil), Dianella caerulea (blue flax lily), Geranium homeanum, Glycine clandestina, Pratia purpurascens (white root), Vernonia cinerea, Pteridium esculentum (bracken). Dense swards of Imperata cylindrica var. major (blady grass) and Lomandra longifolia (spiny-headed mat-rush) may be present. Also often present are Entolasia stricta (wiry panic), Lepidosperma confertifolia subsp. pallida, L. laterale, Oplismenus aemulus, O. imbecillus, Themeda australis (kangaroo grass).

Habitat

Upper slopes and ridges in coastal foothills and plateaux below 600 m throughout the coastal hinterland of northern New South Wales. On moderately fertile soils derived from siltstones and metasediments where mean annual rainfall exceeds 1000 mm.

Distribution

Foothills and escarpment north from the Sydney region, extending into south-east Queensland. Most extensive in the Coffs Harbour   Port Macquarie district.

Notes

An extensive, variable and diverse group of floristic assemblages having affinities with North Coast Wet Sclerophyll Forests, which co-occur in more sheltered and mesic parts of the landscape. Extensive areas grazed and burnt frequently develop a simplified grassy understorey.

Sources

NPWS (1999); NPWS (2000); Clarke et al. (2000)

See all threatened species associated with this vegetation class

See a list of species, populations and ecological communities associated with the Northern Hinterland Wet Sclerophyll Forests vegetation class.