Nature conservation

Threatened species

South Coast Sands Dry Sclerophyll Forests

Vegetation class map


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

Structure

Moderately dense eucalypt forest 15-30 m tall, often with tall banksias and wattles and a well-developed, but species-poor, sclerophyllous shrub understorey. The groundcover is highly variable and may be sparse if the eucalypt canopy is particularly dense and produces copious leaf litter. Generally, however, there is a substantial cover of rhizomatous ferns, grasses and herbs, or localised clumps of sedges.

Trees

Eucalyptus botryoides (bangalay), E. pilularis (blackbutt).

Shrubs

Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae (coastal wattle), Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia (coast banksia), B. serrata (old man banksia), Breynia oblongifolia (coffee bush), Correa alba var. alba (white correa), C. reflexa (native fuchsia), Leucopogon parviflorus (coastal bearded-heath), Monotoca elliptica (tree broom-heath), Ricinocarpos pinifolius (wedding bush).

Forbs

Dianella congesta (blue flax lily), Dichondra repens (kidney weed), Gonocarpus teucrioides (raspwort), Pteridium esculentum (bracken), Imperata cylindrica var. major (blady grass), Isolepis nodosa (knobby club-rush), Lepidosperma concavum, Lomandra longifolia (spiny-headed mat-rush).

Habitat

Coastal sand flats and low dunes south from Nowra.

Distribution

Coastal dunefields scattered south from Gerringong, extending into East Gippsland, Victoria. Examples occur at Wreck Bay, Moruya Heads, Tura Beach (Merimbula) and Pambula Beach.

Notes

Composition varies with latitude and local drainage conditions. Grades into Coastal Dune Dry Sclerophyll Forests north from Ulladulla. Fragmented by coastal development over much of the distribution.

Sources

Keith & Bedward (1999); Thomas et al. (2000)

See all threatened species associated with this vegetation class

See a list of species, populations and ecological communities associated with the South Coast Sands Dry Sclerophyll Forests vegetation class.