Flora of the Australian Capital Territory

The Flora of the Australian Capital Territory are the plants that grow naturally in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The environments range from Alpine area on the higher mountains, sclerophyll forest, to woodland. Much of the ACT has been cleared for grazing, and is also burnt off by bushfires several times per century. The kinds of plants can be grouped into vascular plants that includes gymnosperms, and flowering plants, ferns, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, and freshwater algae. Four flowering plants are endemic to the ACT. Also several lichens are unique to the ACT, however as further study is undertaken they are likely to be found elsewhere too.

Most plants in the ACT are characteristic of Flora of Australia and include well known plants such as Grevillea, Eucalyptus trees and kangaroo grass.

Vegetation habitats

Grassland originally occurred on the low plains around north Canberra, Woolshed creek in Majura, Jerrabomberra Creek in Symonston, Gerrabomberra Creek in Belconnen, Tuggeranong Creek in Isabella Plains and Yarralumla Creek in Woden Valley. Almost all of these areas have been built over by suburbs, or modified by farming. The main plants from the grasslands were Stipa, Danthonia and Themeda (spear grass, wallaby grass and kangaroo grass). Trees do not exists on the grasslands due to the frost hollow effect where cold heavy air sinks on frosty mornings killing off larger vegetation. The remains of the grasslands are now full of introduced weeds and grasses. A small reserve of remnant grasslands is found at Yarramundi on the north side of Lake Burley Griffin.

Most of the trees in the ACT are Eucalyptus species.

Low altitude woodland is dominated by Eucalyptus melliodora (yellow box) and Eucalyptus polyanthemos (red box). E. blakelyi is found in lower lying areas. E. bridgesiana grows along creeks. In sandy soil near rivers Casuarina cunninghamiana is common. On the border between woodland and grassland Eucalyptus pauciflora (snow gum) and Eucalyptus rubida are the only trees growing. These trees can survive lower temperatures.

High altitude woodland occupies the floor of the higher valleys in the south of the ACT. The trees are dominated by E. stellulata (black sally) and snowgums.

On the ground above the woodland there is dry sclerophyll forest. The trees in this are Eucalyptus dives (broad leaved peppermint), E. mannifera var maculosa[1] (red spotted gum), the scribbly gum (Eucalyptus rossii) and red stringy gum (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha). Mount Majura, Mount Ainslie, Bullen Range, and Black Mountain are covered in this kind of forest. Dry sclerophyll forest also grows on the north and west side of hills, below 660 meters, which is warmer and dryer. Gulleys in this kind of forest can contain Eucalyptus viminalis (manna gum) and Eucalyptus radiata var robertsonii[2] (narrow leaved peppermint).

Wet sclerophyll forest is found growing on the western mountainous parts of the ACT where rain fall is higher and the ground is more elevated. E. fastigata (brown barrel) and Eucalyptus delegatensis (alpine ash) dominate the forest. Dense shrubs up to five metres high form an understorey. Examples of these are Leptospermum lanigerum, Pomaderris aspera, Olearia argophylla, and Bedfordia salicina. The top side of this forest has Eucalyptus dalrympleana and E. pauciflora starting to take over.

Alpine woodland is found in the highest levels of the ACT with E. pauciflora the dominant tree. This grows either thinly or in clumps, with the intervening ground feature Poa species.[3]

Vascular plants found only in the ACT

Kambah Karpet a variety of Acacia dealbata discovered at the Kambah Village

Pomaderris pallida family Rhamnaceae. Found along Murrumbidgee, Cotter, Paddys and Molonglo Rivers. A round bush 1 to 2 meters high, creamish coloured flowers.

Arachnorchis actensis (Canberra Spider-orchid).

Lepidium ginninderrense (Ginninderra Peppercress). Found in the Northwest corner of the Belconnen Naval Transmission Station at Lawson

Muehlenbeckia tuggeranong (Tuggeranong Lignum). The plant takes the form of a mound of tangled stems 1 m high and 2 m across. Found near Pine Island on the Murrumbidgee River but is extremely rare.

Corunastylis ectopa (Brindabella Midge-orchid, Ectopic Midge-orchid).

Gymnosperms

Only two species of gymnosperms are native to the ACT. These are a shrub called Podocarpus lawrencei (mountain plum pine) and a small tree Callitris endlicheri (black cypress pine). The cypress grows in steep stony soil in places such as Molonglo Gorge, Murrumbidgee River valley and Ginninderra Gorge.

Other gymnosperms are cultivated in the ACT such as Pinus radiata.

Endemic Lichens of the ACT

Australian Capital Territory has 384 known species of lichens of which 8 are endemic. Study continues on these life forms, so more will be discovered.

The following are found in the ACT, but not in other parts of Australia, those in bold are endemic to the ACT. Those not in bold are found in other parts of the world, but not elsewhere in Australia.

Buellia molonglo (U.Grube & Elix) [4]

Lecanora placodiolica (Lumbsch & Elix)[5]

Malcolmiella cinereovirens Vezda var. isidiata (Vezda),

Pyrrhospora arandensis (Elix)[6]

Xanthoparmelia hyposalazinica (Elix)[7]

Xanthoparmelia paraparmeliformis (Elix)

Xanthoparmelia parasitica (Elix)

Xanthoparmelia subluminosa (Hale)

Collema fragrans

Fellhanera parvula

Fuscopannaria granulans

Lepraria caesioalba (de Lesd.)

Micarea denigrata (Fr.)

Peltigera dilacerata (Gyeln.)

Common lichens in the ACT

Chrysothrix candellaris - yellow crustose lichen on wood

Ramboldia petraeoides crustose form on stone

Flavoparmelia rutidota is a green foliose lichen found on wood and rocks.

Thamnolia vermicularis is found in high parts of Namadgi National Park - and polar regions (not in ACT).

Rhizocarpon geographicum (map lichen)

List of ACT Lichens

Singular Species

Buellia Genus

Calicium Genus

Caloplaca Genus

Candelariella Genus

Canopermelia Genus

Chaenotheca Genus

Cladia Genus

Cladonia Genus

Collema Genus

Diploschistes Genus

Endocarpon Genus

Flavoparmelia Genus

Fuscopannaria Genus

Hafellia Genus

Heterodea Genus

Hypocenomyce Genus

Hypogymnia Genus

Hypotrachyna Genus

Lecanora Genus

Lecidea Genus

Lecidella Genus

Lepraia Genus

Lobaria Genus

Menegazzia Genus

Micarea Genus

Mycobilimbia Genus

Ochrolechia Genus

Pannoparmelia Genus

Paraporpidia Genus

Parmelia Genus

Parmelina Genus

Parmelinopsis Genus

Parmotrema Genus

Peltigera Genus

Pertusaria Genus

Phaeophyscia Genus

Physcia Genus

Placynthium Genus

Porpidia Genus

Pseudocyphellaria Genus

Punctelia Genus

Pyrrhospora Genus

Ramalina Genus

Ramboldia Genus

Rhizocarpon Genus

Rimularia Genus

Rinodina Genus

Stereocaulon Genus

Teloschistes Genus

Tephromelia Genus

Thysanothecium Genus

Umbilicaria Genus

Usnea Genus

Verrucaria Genus

Xanthoparmelia Genus

Xanthoria Genus

References

  1. ↑ Australian Plant Name Index
  2. ↑ Australian Plant Name Index entry
  3. ↑ Flora of the Australian Capital Territory, Nancy T. Burbidge and Max Gray ANU Press Canberra 1979 ISBN 0-7081-0073-2
  4. ↑ Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories A-D
  5. ↑ Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories E-O
  6. ↑ Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories P-R
  7. ↑ Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories S-Z
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