Blue Gum High Forest
Blue Gum High Forest | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Australasia |
Biome | Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Country | Australia |
Elevation | 70–180 metres (230–590 ft) |
Coordinates | 33°44′12″S 151°9′15″E / 33.73667°S 151.15417°E |
Climate type | Humid subtropical climate (Cfa) |
The Blue Gum High Forest of the Sydney Basin Bioregion is a wet
Sydney blue gum and blackbutt which are usually seen between 20 and 40 metres tall. 180 species of indigenous plants have been identified at Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve
.
Distribution
The Blue Gum High Forest is restricted to the northern parts of
Hawkesbury Sandstone. Blue Gum High Forest grades into Turpentine-Ironbark Forest
in drier areas of lower rainfall.
Remnants are found as far west as
Wahroonga. Turiban Reserve in Wahroonga has particularly tall trees. Two of the larger forest remnants are Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve and Sheldon Forest. Around one percent of the original forest remains, and the current remnants amount to an area of 136 hectares (336 acres).[2][2]
Ecological status
Due to fragmentation and the surrounding urban area, the forest remnants are constantly under threat from invasive plant species.camphor laurel.[3]
Fauna
Ring-tail possums, sugar gliders, brushtail possums and grey-headed flying foxes are common. There are occasional sightings of wallabies.[4]
Birds include
silvereyes
.
The yellow-bellied sheathtail-bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris) is present though seldom seen.
Flora
Common name | Botanical name | Approx. height | Plantnet |
---|---|---|---|
Principal tree species | |||
Sydney blue gum | Eucalyptus saligna | 20–40 metres | details |
Blackbutt | Eucalyptus pilularis | 25–45 metres | details |
Associated tree species | |||
Sydney red gum | Angophora costata | 15–35 metres | details |
Grey gum | Eucalyptus punctata | 20–30 metres | details |
White mahogany | Eucalyptus acmenoides | 20–30 metres | details |
Red mahogany | Eucalyptus resinifera | 20–30 metres | details |
Turpentine | Syncarpia glomulifera | 20–30 metres | details |
Grey ironbark | Eucalyptus paniculata | 20–35 metres | details |
White stringybark | Eucalyptus globoidea | 15–30 metres | details |
Understorey tree species | |||
Forest oak | Allocasuarina torulosa | 6–15 metres | details |
Sweet pittosporum | Pittosporum undulatum | to 15 metres | details |
Blueberry ash | Elaeocarpus reticulatus | to 15 metres | details |
Hickory | Acacia implexa | to 10 metres | details |
Lilly Pilly | Acmena smithii
|
to 10 metres | details |
Shrub species | |||
Hairy clerodendrum | Clerodendrum tomentosum | to 10 metres | details |
Coffee bush | Breynia oblongifolia | to 3 metres | details |
Sydney golden wattle | Acacia longifolia | to 8 metres | details |
Myrtle wattle | Acacia myrtifolia | 0.3–3 metres | details |
Bleeding heart | Homalanthus populifolius | 0.5–5 metres | details |
Sweet bursaria | Bursaria spinosa | to 10 metres | details |
Gorse bitter-pea | Daviesia ulicifolia | to 2 metres | details |
Mock olive | Notelaea venosa | to 9 metres | details |
Common hop bush | Dodonaea triquetra | to 3 metres | details |
Cherry ballart | Exocarpos cupressiformis | to 8 metres | details |
Variable muttonwood | Myrsine variabilis | to 8 metres | details |
Yellow pittosporum | Pittosporum revolutum | to 3 metres | details |
Muttonwood | Myrsine howittiana | to 8 metres | details |
Narrow-leaved orangebark | Denhamia silvestris | to 4 metres | details |
Australian indigo | Indigofera australis | to 2.5 metres | details |
Tick bush | Kunzea ambigua | to 3.5 metres | details |
Herbs, grasses and ferns | |||
Tussock grass | Poa affinis | details | |
False bracken | Calochlaena dubia | details | |
Maidenhair fern | Adiantum aethiopicum | details | |
Gristle fern | Blechnum cartilagineum
|
details | |
Sickle fern | Pellaea falcata | details | |
Pixie Caps | Acianthus fornicatus | details | |
Kidney weed | Dichondra repens | details | |
Lilac lily | Schelhammera undulata | details | |
Ivy Goodenia | Goodenia hederacea | details | |
Blady grass | Imperata cylindrica | details | |
Vines | |||
Australian Clematis | Clematis aristata | details | |
Wombat berry | Eustrephus latifolius
|
details | |
Bearded tylophora | Vincetoxicum barbatum (syn. Tylophora barbata) | details | |
Scented milk vine | Leichhardtia suaveolens (syn. Marsdenia suaveolens) | details | |
Dusky coral pea | Kennedia rubicunda | details | |
Five leaf water vine | Cissus hypoglauca | details | |
Twining Glycine | Glycine clandestina | details | |
Wonga wonga vine | Pandorea pandorana | details | |
Other species | |||
|
See also
- List of threatened ecological communities declared by the Commonwealth of Australia
- Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest
References
- ^ a b "Sydney Blue Gum High Forest" (PDF). Nationally Threatened Species and Ecological Communities. Environment.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 18, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Blue Gum High Forest of the Sydney Basin Bioregion". Threatened species & ecological communities. Australian Government. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ "Best practice guidelines for Blue Gum High Forest" (PDF). Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ National Parks & Wildlife Service, info from a Field Officer