Vegetation class map
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Key:
<1%
1-10%
10-50%
>50%
Estimated percentage landcover for vegetation class
Structure
Closed tussock grassland with occasional chenopods and other shrubs.
Trees
None
Shrubs
Scattered individuals of Acacia pendula (myall), A. stenophylla (river cooba), Alectryon oleifolius subsp. elongatus (western rosewood), Atriplex leptocarpa (slender-fruit saltbush), Maireana decalvans (back cotton bush). Sometimes Chenopodium auricomum (golden goosefoot) and the introduced Acacia farnesiana (mimosa bush) are present.
Forbs
Astrebla lappacea dominates, with varying abundance of Eragrostis Alternanthera denticulata (lesser joyweed), Calotis scabiosifolia (rough burr-daisy) Crotalaria dissitiflora (grey rattlepod), Goodenia glauca (pale goodenia), Sclerolaena biflora, Sclerolaena muricata (black rolypoly), Solanum esuriale (quena). Astrebla lappacea (curly Mitchell grass), is the dominant grass sometimes in pure stands or, depending on grazing pressure, with varying densities of Aristida leptopoda (white speargrass), Dichanthium sericeum (Queensland bluegrass), Eragrostis cilianensis (stinkgrass), E. setifolia (neverfail), Eulalia aurea (silky browntop), Homopholis proluta, Iseilema membranaceum (small Flinders grass), Sporobolus actinocladus (katoora grass), S. caroli (fairy grass).
Habitat
Black clay soils on elevated parts of riverine plains that are only occasionally flooded. Mean annual rainfall is 375-500 mm and falls predominantly in summer.
Distribution
Elevated, infrequently inundated riverine plains of the Darling River and tributaries upstream from Tilpa to Walgett-Narrabri, on the Culgoa River floodplain north of Brewarrina, on the Macquarie River floodplain east of Dubbo, and in the Moree district. There are also patches in the far north-west of the state in localised depressions. Examples are protected in Culgoa national park and the recently established Kirramingly nature reserve, 10 kilometres west of Gurley. Related assemblages extend north through western Queensland to the Gulf of Carpenatria.
Sources
Beadle (1948); White (2000)
See all threatened species associated with this vegetation class
See a
list of species, populations and ecological communities
associated with the Semi-arid Floodplain Grasslands vegetation class.