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

ESCARPMENT GREY MYRTLE - BRUSH BOX DRY RAINFORESTSCIENTIFIC NAME Escarpment Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia) –Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus) Dry RainforestSTATEWIDE CLASS Rainforests – Dry Rainforest (Keith 2006)CH_RF06PLANT COMMUNITY TYPE Brush Box – Grey Myrtle – Water Gumdry rainforests of poorer soils of gorges and river valleys, NSW NorthCoast Bioregion and South Eastern Queensland Bioregion (NSW75-23)CH_RF06DescriptionA dry rainforest in which the canopy is dominated by Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia) with emergent Brush Box(Lophostemon confertus). Mid stratum species are mostly Prickly Alyxia (Alyxia ruscifolia), Grey Myrtle (Backhousiamyrtifolia), Water Gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), Tree Heath (Trochocarpa laurina) and Palm Lily (Cordyline stricta).Orchids and ferns are often common growing on rocks including Cestichis and Dendrobium spp. The succulentleaved vine (Hoya australis) is common. Ground layer species are Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia),rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) and Gristle Fern (Blechnum cartilagineum). The community generally grows below 200metres altitude in sheltered locations on steep rocky slopes or rocky boulder strewn creek beds derived frommetasediments of the Coramba Beds and conglomerates of the Bundamba Group. It is often associated with theSuicide soil landscape.The community is located in protected drier narrow gullies and watercourses in the Nana Creek and coast rangein Conglomerate State Forest.Vegetation Mapping of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area Page 29