Targeted Vegetation Survey of Floodplains and Lower Slopes on the ...

CCA08 Far North Coast <strong>Targeted</strong> <strong>Vegetation</strong> <strong>Survey</strong>
3 Results
Of the 346 sites surveyed, more than 40% were on
private l<strong>and</strong> or Crown leasehold, with the rest on
Crown L<strong>and</strong>, National Parks, Nature Reserves, <strong>and</strong>
State Forests. The locations <strong>of</strong> the survey sites are
shown on Figure 3.1.
3.1 Floristics
In total, 1027 taxa (inldudes: species: subpecies
<strong>and</strong> varities), in 160 families, were recorded in the
survey, comprising: two fern allies (in 2 families),
54 ferns (17), one cycad (1), four conifers (4), 706
dicotyledons (109), <strong>and</strong> 260 monocotyledons (27).
The most common plant families by number <strong>of</strong> taxa
were Myrtaceae (77), Poaceae (73), Fabaceae (72),
Cyperaceae (61), Asteraceae (37), Orchidaceae (30),
Lauraceae (29), Rutaceae (28), Sapindaceae (27),
Euphorbiaceae (26), Proteaceae (25), Epacridaceae
(21), Rubiaceae (17), Apiaceae (13), Moraceae (12),
Asclepiadaceae (11), Solanaceae (11), Apocynaceae
(10), <strong>and</strong> Dilleniaceae (10). A full list <strong>of</strong> taxa recorded
from the surveys is given in Appendix 2.
The most common native plant species were climbing
plants: Common Silkpod (Parsonsia straminea),
Lawyer Vine (Smilax australis) <strong>and</strong> Scrambling Lily
(Geitonoplesium cymosum). The trees Broad-leaved
Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Tuckeroo
(Cupaniopsis anarcardioides) <strong>and</strong> Guioa semiglauca
were recorded frequently, as were the ground
covers Ottochloa gracillima, Spiny-headed Mat Rush
(Lom<strong>and</strong>ra longifolia) <strong>and</strong> Blue Flax-lily (Dianella
caerulea) (see Table 3(i)).
Plant life-forms clustered into particular plant
communities <strong>and</strong> assemblages. For example, subtropical
rainforest communities had a pr<strong>of</strong>usion <strong>of</strong> mesic trees
<strong>and</strong> shrubs, epiphytes <strong>and</strong> a large number <strong>of</strong> rainforest
climbing plants. Swamp sclerophyll communities were
typically dominated by sedges or ferns. Other swamp
sclerophyll communities <strong>and</strong> some dry sclerophyll
forest assemblages had a high proportion <strong>of</strong> grasses.
Coastal barrier s<strong>and</strong> sites were characterised by dry
heath <strong>and</strong> shrub species.
Weeds were a major component <strong>of</strong> the flora surveyed,
particularly in the floodplain, lower slope <strong>and</strong> dunal
environments <strong>of</strong> the study area. A total <strong>of</strong> 129 exotic
taxa were recorded. The most common were Lantana
(Lantana camara), Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum
camphora), Senna pendula var. glabra, Ipomoea cairica,
Ochna serrulata, Passiflora suberosa <strong>and</strong> Umbrella Tree
(Schefflera actinophylla) (see Table 3(ii)). Lantana <strong>and</strong>
Camphor Laurel are among the most widespread <strong>and</strong>
abundant <strong>of</strong> all species recorded in the survey.
Species richness varied greatly between communities,
from floristically simple saline sedgel<strong>and</strong> communities
(Communities 7, 8, 9), to mangrove (Community 62),
freshwater wetl<strong>and</strong>s (Communities 24, 25, 26) <strong>and</strong>
shrubl<strong>and</strong> communities (Community 28) to diverse
subtropical rainforest communities (Communities 35,
44, 45, 47) <strong>and</strong> wet sclerophyll forest communities
(Communities 40, 41, 43, 52).
The FNC, <strong>and</strong> especially the Tweed, Brunswick
<strong>and</strong> Richmond lowl<strong>and</strong>s, are a known hotspot for
threatened plant species. A total <strong>of</strong> 39 threatened
plants species were recorded in the survey. In addition,
11 Rare or Threatened Australian Plants (ROTAP)
(Briggs <strong>and</strong> Leigh 1996) <strong>and</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> rare species
or species at the southern limit <strong>of</strong> their distributions
were recorded. Many species are endemic to the
Tweed lowl<strong>and</strong>s. Taxa <strong>of</strong> conservation significance are
discussed in section 3.2.
Some species had not been previously recorded in
systematic vegetation surveys on the north coast <strong>of</strong>
New South Wales. New records included Amyema
mackayense subsp. mackayense <strong>and</strong> Asperula gemella.