EasternSuburbs Banksia Scrub is a dry temperateheath or shrubland. Itoccasionally has localised areas of low wind-pruned trees such as Corymbia gummifera (Red Bloodwood) and less commonlyAngophora costata (Smooth-barked Apple, Sydney Red Gum).Shrubs form the dominant layer and may include various combinations of Acacia longifolia (Golden Wattle), Acaciasuaveolens, (Sweet Wattle), Allocasuarina distyla(Scrub Sheoak), Banksiaaemula (Wallum Banksia), Banksia serrata (Old Man Banksia), Bossiaeaheterophylla, Bossiaea scolopendria (Plank Plant), Dillwynia retorta, Isopogon anemonifolius (Broad-leaf Drumsticks), Kunzeaambigua (Tick Bush), Lambertia formosa (Mountain Devil), Leptospermumlaevigatum (Coast Tea Tree), Leucopogon ericoides, Melaleuca nodosa(Prickly-leaved Paperbark), Monotoca elliptica (Tree Broom-heath), Persoonialanceolata (Lance Leaf Geebung), Philotheca buxifolia, Philotheca salsolifoliasubsp. salsolifolia, Pimelea linifolia subsp. linifolia (Slender Rice Flower),Ricinocarpos pinifolius (Wedding Bush) and Woollsia pungens (Snow Wreath). In damper sites or on theinterface between sand and sandstone substrates, Banksia ericifolia subsp. ericifolia (Heath-leaved Banksia)may be locally common, and on sandplains Styphelia viridis (Green Five Corners)is characteristic. The ground layer includes low shrubs such as Dampierastricta, and a mix of forbs, rushes and sedges, such as Haemodorum planifolium(Strap-leaf Bloodroot), Hypolaena fastigiata (Tassel Rope Rush), Lepidospermaconcavum (Sword-sedge), Lomandra glauca (Pale Mat-rush), Xanthorrhoea resinosa(Grass Tree) and Xanthosia pilosa (Woolly Xanthosia). Vines and scramblers arenot prominent, however those that may occur include Billardiera scandens (AppleBerry), Cassytha pubescens (Dodder Laurel), Hardenbergia violacea (Purple CoralPea, False Sarsaparilla), and Smilax glyciphylla (Sweet Sarsaparilla).
Distribution
This community is foundpredominantly along the coastline in the Sydney region, between the mouth ofthe Hawkesbury River and Stanwell Park, in the Sydney Basin Bioregion. Itwas formerly widely distributed in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and possiblythe northern beaches area but is now mainly restricted to elevated headlandsand adjacent areas, with a few examples remaining up to 10 km inland.
Habitat and ecology
- Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub typically occurs on perched, low nutrient, highly podsolised sands associated with dunes and sand sheets of Quaternary age, overlying sandstone plateaux. It occurs on shallow sandstones to deep sands.
Regional distribution and habitat
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