Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

BYRON FLORA AND FAUNA STUDY, 1999
Byron Shire. Smaller areas were mapped on sediments, aeolian substrates, alluvium, on rhyolite-basalt and
on disturbed soils.
Blackbutt was widespread on the coastal ridges and on the mountainous areas to the north-west of the
Shire. Blackbutt tended to dominate the drier ridge-tops but was also found on old coastal sands. On drier
ridgetops, Blackbutt formed a dry sclerophyll forest with xerophytic plants in the mid and lower strata and
grasses such as Kangaroo Grass dominating the ground cover.
On metasediments at Upper Main Arm (Site BU2), Blackbutt dominated the upper stratum. The mid and
lower strata were comprised of Blackbutt, Pink Bloodwood, Tallowwood, Forest Oak, Blueberry Ash,
Turpentine and Forest Maple Cryptocarya rigida. The ground stratum included Native Ginger, Blue Flax Lily,
a grass-tree Xanthorrhoea sp. and the ground herb Goodenia hederacea.
At Yelgun (Site P10), Blackbutt was recorded on metasediments with Brush Box and Pink Bloodwood also
present in the canopy. The midstratum comprised Forest Oak, Pink Bloodwood, Camphor Laurel, the Rare
Veiny Lace-flower and Black Walnut, Riberry and Hoop Pine. The lower stratum included Tree Heath
Trochocarpa laurina, Guioa and Long-leaved Tuckeroo Cupaniopsis newmannii. Common Ground Fern dominated
the ground stratum with Gristle Fern also present.
On rhyolite in the Koonyum Range (Site H17), Blackbutt occurred with Forest Oak and Callicoma codominant
in the upper stratum. Bangalow Palm and Callicoma dominated the midstratum. The ground
stratum was dominated by juvenile rainforest species and included Walking Stick Palm Linospadix monostachya,
Brush Pepper Bush, Black Walnut, Gristle Fern, Kreysigia and Tall Sword Sedge Lepidosperma elatius.
Blackbutt was recorded on aeolian substrates (coastal sands) at Broken Head. No other species were recorded
in the upper stratum at this site. The mid and lower strata included Turpentine, Hard Corkwood, Saffron
Heart, Prickly Alyxia and Narrow-leaf Wattle Acacia longissima.
West of Taylors Lake on coastal sands near Batson’s quarry (Site BB14, Photo 4), Blackbutt was the only
species recorded in the upper stratum. Turpentine dominated the upper midstratum with Wallum Banksia
sub-dominant and Red Bloodwood present but not common. The mid and lower strata included Sweet
Wattle Acacia suaveolens, Large-leaf Hop-bush Dodonaea triquetra, Yellow Tea-tree Leptospermum polygalifolium
and Midgen Berry. The ground stratum was dominated by Bracken Fern Pteridium esculentum and Blady
Grass.
Site BH6 on coastal sands at Brunswick River was located in Blackbutt tall open forest. Blackbutt dominated
the upper stratum and upper midstratum. Other midstratum species included Brush Ironbark Wattle,
Beach Acronychia and Plum Myrtle Pilidiostigma glabrum. The ground stratum was dominated by Tall Saw
Sedge Gahnia clarkei, Spiny-headed Mat-rush and Blue Flax Lily.
Black She-oak (bO)
(Sites PS2, BB40)
Only small areas of Black She-oak Allocasuarina littoralis were mapped during the survey and are probably a
conservative estimate of the actual extent of this association in Byron Shire. The largest areas were mapped
on rhyolite soils.
At Broken Head on metasediments Black She-oak was dominant with Brush Box also present in the upper
stratum (Site BB40). The mid and lower strata included Brush Box, Umbrella Cheese Tree, Large-leaf
Hop-bush, Coast Banksia, Sessile Burrawang and Midgen Berry. The ground stratum was comprised of
Many-flowered Mat-rush Lomandra multiflora, Spiny-headed Mat-rush and Bracken Fern.
Black She-oak was recorded on alluvial soils in the Ewingsdale wetlands (Site PS2). This area, less than 1 ha,
was not included in the mapping. Black She-oak was dominant with Paperbark and Umbrella Cheese Tree also
present in the upper stratum. The mid and lower strata were comprised of Umbrella Cheese Tree, Camphor
Laurel and Lantana. Harsh Ground Fern, Bracken Fern and Lantana dominated the ground stratum.
Black She-oak on rhyolite was not sampled.
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