Vegetation class map
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Key:
<1%
1-10%
10-50%
>50%
Estimated percentage landcover for vegetation class
Structure
Structure varies from forest dominated by straight-trunked eucalypts reaching 35 m in height on young dunes, to woodland of short and twisted trees, barely reaching 10 m tall on old dunes. A prominent and diverse layer of sclerophyll shrubs occurs throughout, although the understorey may also vary in height, density and composition. The open ground layer is composed mainly of sclerophyllous sedges with scattered herbs and occasional grasses.
Trees
On young dunes the canopy includes Angophora costata (Sydney red gum), Corymbia gummifera (red bloodwood), Eucalyptus pilularis (blackbutt) and Eucalyptus planchoniana (bastard tallowwood). On old dunes north from Tomago , C. gummifera and E. signata (scribbly gum) dominate the canopy.
Shrubs
Aotus ericoides, Banksia serrata (old man banksia), Dillwynia glaberrima (egg and bacon pea), D. retorta (egg and bacon pea), Gompholobium grandifolium (large wedge pea), G. latifolium (golden glory pea), Leucopogon lanceolatus, Macrozamia communis (burrawang), Monotoca elliptica (tree broom-heath), Persoonia virgata, Ricinocarpos pinifolius (wedding bush), Xanthorrhoea glauca subsp. glauca (grass tree), Xylomelum pyriforme (woody pear). On old dunes north from Sydney Banksia aemula (wallum banksia) is common as a large shrub or small tree.
Forbs
Dianella caerulea (blue flax lily), Gonocarpus teucrioides (raspwort), Pteridium esculentum (bracken), Hypolaena fastigiata (tassel rope-rush), Imperata cylindrica var. major (blady grass), Lomandra longifolia (spiny-headed mat-rush).
Habitat
Ridges and slopes of young (Holocene) and old (Pleistocene) coastal sand dunes with deep, well-drained podsolised soils.
Distribution
Coastal dunefields north from Jevis Bay, extending into south-east Queensland, although the woodlands on old dunes do not occur south of Sydney. Examples occur within a string of coastal reserves including Seven Mile Beach near Nowra, Tomaree, Myall Lakes, Crowdy Bay, Hat Head, Yuraygir, Bundjalung National Park and Broadwater near Ballina.
Notes
Florisitic composition varies with latitude and extent of soil podsolisation, and hence dune age. A relatively diverse group of assemblages with affinities to North Coast Dry Sclerophyll Forests and Sydney Sandstone Dry Sclerophyll Forests.
Sources
Myerscough & Carolin (1985); NPWS (1999); Griffiths et al. (2000)
See all threatened species associated with this vegetation class
See a
list of species, populations and ecological communities
associated with the Coastal Dune Dry Sclerophyll Forests vegetation class.