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

CH_H05Floristic summaryLayer Height Cover Dominant SpeciesMid 2-3m 35-95 Melaleuca nodosa, Hakea actites, Leptospermum liversidgei, Leptospermumsemibaccatum.Lower layer 0.1-1.5 35-70 Ptilothrix deusta, Banksia oblongifolia, Notelaea ovata, Patersonia glabrata,Patersonia sericea, Schoenus melanostachys, Cassytha glabella f. glabella,Dampiera stricta, Epacris pulchella.Ground 0-0.5 5 Lindsaea linearis, Gonocarpus teucrioides, Austrostipa pubescens.* Data collated from 3 of 3 full floristic sitesStructural and floristic variationsTwo structural variations were noted based on time since the last fire. Unburnt sites had a dense cover ofMullaway Needlebush (Hakea actites) which may develop a shrubland structure up to 3m in height, seen as adarker brown pattern on aerial photographs. More open areas occur where grasses and sedges dominate andHakea is less common, and these areas are denoted as lighter colour on adjacent photograph.Species richnessNumber of plots 3Total species 59Average number of species 30 ±3.8Conservation statusThis community is reserved in Coffs Coast Regional Park (12ha) and Garby Nature Reserve (23ha)TenureArea (ha)Nature Reserve 23Regional Park 11TOTAL 34Relationship to other communitiesRelated to and grades into CH_FW05 (Coastal Wallum Paperbark Wet Heathland), in wetter sites. Related toCH_H04 (Coastal She-oak – Hakea Clay Heathland), which is a clay heathland occurring in Yuraygir National Parkwhere Hakea actites is replaced by Hakea laevipes subsp. laevipes in better drained sites.EquivalentsBiometric:167- Graminoid clay heaths of the coastal lowlands of the North CoastOther: xSG 5502/ 6003/ 6004 Wet Heath/Shrubland (Fisher et al. 1996);LocationsMullaway, Garby Nature ReserveVegetation Mapping of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area Page 265