Summary - City of Gosnells

Flora 47Family HaemodoraceaeConostylis festucacea subsp. festucacea. On the Swan Coastal Plain this perennial herb occurs in PinjarraPlain clay-based wetlands from the Anstey/Keane Dampland and Adjacent Bushland (BFS 342) inForrestdale and extends north to the southern end of the Geraldton Sandplains Bioregion. The populations inthe Perth area are disjunct from other occurrences.Family JuncaginaceaeTriglochin muelleri. This annual herb is endemic to the SCP region and is associated with claypans fromCooljarloo to Busselton (B.J. Keighery, pers. comm.). Near Busselton it is found in Tuart Forest Reserve -Ludlow State Forest (Simpson Wetland) and at Fish Road, Yoongarillup and Ruabon Bushlands.Family MalvaceaeLawrencia squamata. This is a spinescent shrub that can grow to about 1 m in height and grows in sandy,saline, gypsum and limestone soils on wetland flats and depressions. It occurs in only two, disjunct areas onthe Swan Coastal Plain; both (Bullsbrook and Cannington-Kenwick) are near Perth. Otherwise, the species iswidespread in semi-arid and arid regions, especially northern and eastern parts of the Southwest BotanicalProvince and the south-western quarter of the Eremaean Botanical Province.Family MimosaceaeAcacia lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa sens. strict. Of the several forms of Acacia lasiocarpa that are currentlyinformally grouped under the name of Acacia lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa and occur on the Swan CoastalPlain, the form that was recorded in the current survey of the MKSEA most closely matches the type conceptof Acacia lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa (Maslin, 1975; B. Maslin, pers. comm.).Family Myrtaceae1. Eucalyptus decipiens subsp. decipiens. The main habitat of this mallee on the SCP is sand over TamalaLimestone in near-coastal areas of the SCP. However, it also occurs (much more rarely) as disjunctpopulations on the Pinjarra Plain on the eastern side of the SCP, where it is an indicator of MucheaLimestone (Keighery and Keighery, 1995). The occurrence in the current survey of the MKSEA is verysignificant as this species and Muchea Limestone were not known previously from the vicinity of BFS387.2. Eucalyptus gomphocephala (Tuart). The main habitat of this large tree on the SCP is sand over TamalaLimestone in near-coastal areas. Some of the occurrences of this species that were recorded in thecurrent survey of the MKSEA at Victoria Rd, although large mature trees, were obviously trees thathave been planted by landowners. However, some of the Tuarts in the MKSEA occur in areas wherethere is calcareous material (that may be Muchea Limestone) in adjacent drainage channels. All of theoccurrences of Tuart in the MKSEA require detailed assessment to determine if they are naturaloccurrences associated with Muchea Limestone (and thus of very high conservation significance) or not.3. Hypocalymma angustifolium Mud Habitat Variant (C. Tauss 1850). The MKSEA and BFS 387populations of this undescribed taxon are significant because this species is a dominant component ofmany vegetation units in these areas. This taxon inhabits muddy palusplains, in contrast to the form ofHypocalymma angustifolium that is prevalent on the SCP (but is relatively uncommon in Kenwick) andinhabits peaty to humic sand on the margins of sumplands and damplands.4. Melaleuca brevifolia. This species is widespread in the south-west of Western Australian including theGeraldton Sandplains, Swan Coastal Plain, Avon Wheatbelt, Mallee and Esperance Plains Bioregions. Itis uncommon on the Swan Coastal Plain where it occurs in a small number of disjunct populations inwetlands of the Pinjarra Plain. The most northerly occurrence of this taxon is at the Bullsbrook NatureReserve and the adjacent bushland (BFS 292). The most southerly occurrence is at Kemerton Bushland.Several of the wetlands inhabited by Melaleuca brevifolia on the SCP are recognised as occurrences ofthe Muchea Limestone Threatened Ecological Community.Tauss, C. and Weston, A.S. (2010). The flora, vegetation and wetlands of the Maddington-Kenwick Strategic Employment Area.A survey of the rural lands in the vicinity of the Greater Brixton Street Wetlands. Report to the City of Gosnells, W.A. Version 18.04.10