VOLUME 2: Vegetation Community Profiles - Coffs Harbour City ...

CH_WSF17Floristic summaryLayer Height (m) Cover (%) Dominant SpeciesTallest 5-40 40-75 Syncarpia glomulifera, Eucalyptus microcorys, Eucalyptus propinqua,Eucalyptus siderophloia, Eucalyptus acmenoides, Lophostemon confertus.Middle Layer 1 10-20 15-55 Allocasuarina torulosa, Acacia oshanessi, Notelaea longifolia, Callistemonsalignus, Trochocarpa laurina, Breynia oblongifolia, Cryptocarya rigida, Guioasemiglauca, Synoum glandulosum subsp. glandulosum, Tabernaemontanapandacaqui.Lower 0-1.5 5-45 Doodia aspera Entolasia stricta Gymnostachys anceps, Lomandra longifolia,Dianella caerulea, Pseuderanthemum variabile.* Data collated from 12 of 13 full floristic sitesStructural and floristic variationsConsiderable variation in the canopy species has been observed in this community. Although the main canopyspecies are usually present, often other species are locally abundant. In other situations, only 2 or 3 canopyspecies may be present. At some sites there is a high proportion of Small-fruited Grey Gum (Eucalyptus propinqua)and at other sites there are higher proportions of Grey Ironbark (Eucalyptus siderophloia), Turpentine (Syncarpiaglomulifera), Thick-leaved White Mahogany (Eucalyptus carnea) or White Mahogany (Eucalyptus acmenoides).ExoticsCinnamomum camphora, Lantana camara, Ligustrum sinense, Oxalis radicosa, Passiflora edulis,Paspalum dilatatumSpecies richnessNumber of plots 13Total species 200Average number of species 45 ±12Conservation statusThis community is reserved in Sherwood Nature Reserve (37ha) and Madman’s Creek Flora Reserve (4ha).TenureArea (ha)Crown Land 24Freehold 1 691Nature Reserve 35NSW State Forest 1 299NSW State Forest Flora Reserve 4TOTAL 3 053Threatened and Rare plants:Boronia umbellataRelationship to other communitiesRelated to CH_DOF05 (Foothills Grey Gum - Ironbark - Mahogany Dry Forest) which is a drier variant of CH_WSF17. CH_WSF17 occupies more sheltered to intermediate aspects on lower slopes and is distinguished fromCH_DOF05 by the high cover of Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) and the presence of moist vegetation speciesin the mid and lower strata such as Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera), Wet Bracken (Calochlaena dubia) and Guioa (Guioasemiglauca). CH_WSF17 often occurs adjacent to CH_DOF01 (Coast and Escarpment Blackbutt Dry Forest), CH_DOF05 and CH_DOF06 (Lowlands Swamp Box - Paperbark - Red Gum Dry Forest). In comparison to these driercommunities, the lower layer of CH_WSF17 contains a higher cover abundance of wet shrubby species such asVegetation Mapping of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area Page 169