|
Shale/Sandstone Transition Forest is a native plant community, which occurs in the narrow band where the gently undulating Cumberland Plain meets steep slopes of the Sandstone Country. It often occurs in linear shape between Turpentine Ironbark Forest and Sandstone Gully Forest and can be found in stands as narrow as 20 metres in width.
This plant community has evolved in the specific conditions characteristic of the transitional areas between the clay soils derived from Wianamatta Shales and the sandy soils and cliffs of the Hawkesbury Sandstone. Its natural distribution is limited to the margins of the Cumberland Plain in the Sydney Region.
The coming together of two distinct landscape types means that the species associated with each of the adjacent ecosystems intermingle to form an individual distinct unit. Characteristics are high diversity and unusual species composition. The structure of the community is forest or woodland with an understorey of shrubs and native grasses and herbs. Typical trees are Grey Gum, White Stringybark, Red Mahogany, Grey Ironbark, Broad-leaved Ironbark, and Narrow-leaved Ironbark.
Small stands of this naturally rare community remain, of which a small number can be found in the northern area of the Ryde LGA along Epping Road and near Macquarie University.
Shale/Sandstone Transition Forest is listed as an endangered ecological community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. In view of the small size of existing remnants and the threat of further clearing and other threatening processes, the community is likely to become extinct unless threatening activities cease.
Native Species List – Shale/Sandstone Transition Forest
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
| Main Tree Species: |
| Blue-leaved Stringybark |
Eucalyptus agglomerata |
| Narrow-leaved Ironbark |
Eucalyptus crebra |
| Thin-leaved Stringybark |
Eucalyptus eugenioides |
| Broad-leaved Ironbark |
Eucalyptus fibrosa |
| White Stringybark |
Eucalyptus globoidea |
| Grey Ironbark |
Eucalyptus paniculata |
|
Grey Gum |
Eucalyptus punctata |
| Red Mahogany |
Eucalyptus resinifera |
| Narrow-leaved Stringybark |
Eucalyptus sparsifolia |
| |
|
| Associated Tree Species: |
|
Strong shale influence |
| Forest Oak |
Allocasuarina torulosa |
| Spotted Gum |
Corymbia maculata |
| Scribbly Gum |
Eucalyptus haemastoma |
| Blackbutt |
Eucalyptus pilularis |
| Turpentine |
Syncarpia glomulifera |
| Strong sandstone influence |
| Narrow-leaved Apple |
Angophora bakeri |
| Smooth-barked Apple |
Angophora costata |
| Yellow Bloodwood |
Corymbia eximia |
| Red Bloodwood |
Corymbia gummifera |
| Blue Mountain Mahogany |
Eucalyptus notabilis |
| Stringybark |
Eucalyptus oblonga |
|
Scribbly Gum |
Eucalyptus racemosa |
| Hard-leaved Scribbly Gum |
Eucalyptus sclerophylla |
| Scaly Bark |
Eucalyptus squamosa |
| |
|
| Associated Understorey Species: Mixture of species found on both Wianamatta Shale and Sandstone |
| Shale |
|
Trees:
|
| Sydney Green Wattle |
Acacia decurrens |
| Sickle Wattle |
Acacia falcata |
| Hickory |
Acacia implexa |
| Parramatta Green Wattle |
Acacia parramattensis |
Shrubs: |
|
Breynia |
Breynia oblongifolia |
| Blackthorn |
Bursaria spinosa |
| Common Hop Bush |
Dodonaea triquetra |
| Cherry Ballart |
Exocarpos cupressiformis |
| Native Indigo |
Indigofera australis |
| Spurge |
Phyllanthus gasstroemii |
| Eggs and Bacon |
Pultenaea villosa |
|
Groundcovers:
|
| Wire Grass |
Aristida vagans |
| Pale Vanilla Lily |
Arthropodium milleflorum |
| Bossiaea |
Bossiaea prostrata, Bracteata bracteantha |
|
Blue Burr-daisy |
Calotis cuneifolia |
| Barbed-wire Grass |
Cymbopogon refractus |
| Wallaby Grass |
Danthonia tenuior |
| Saloop |
Einadia hastata |
| Twining Glycine |
Glycine clandestina |
| False Sarsparilla |
Hardenbergia violacea |
| Guinea Flower |
Hibbertia diffusa |
| Small St John’s Wort |
Hypericum gramineum |
| Prickly Beard Heath |
Leucopogon juniperinus |
| Wattle Mat-rush |
Lomandra filiformis |
| Meadow Rice Grass |
Microlaena stipoides |
| Ball Everlasting |
Ozothamnus diosmifolius |
| Handsome flat-pea |
Platylobium formosum |
| Tussock Grass |
Poa labillardieri |
| White Root |
Pratia purpurascens |
| Indian Weed |
Siegesbeckia orientalis |
| Forest Nightshade |
Solanum prinophyllum |
| Sand Couch |
Sporobolus creber |
| Forest Starwort |
Stellaria flaccida |
| Kangaroo Grass |
Themeda australis |
| Veronia |
Vernonia cinerea |
| Australian Bluebell |
Wahlenbergia spp. |
Sandstone |
Trees: |
| Black She Oak |
Allocasuarina littoralis |
Shrubs: |
| Tea-tree |
Leptospermum trinervium |
| Needle-bush |
Hakea sericea |
| Gorse Bitter-pea |
Daviesia ulicifolia |
| Lance-leaf Beard-heath |
Leucopogon lanceolatus |
| Beard Heath |
Leucopogon muticus |
| Narrow-leaf Geebung |
Persoonia linearis |
| Green Spider-flower |
Grevillea mucronulata |
| Pale Ballart |
Exocarpos strictus |
| Thyme Honey-myrtle |
Melaleuca thymifolia |
| Five-corners |
Styphelia laeta |
| Prickly Wattle |
Acacia brownii |
| Thyme Spurge |
Phyllanthus hirtellus |
| Bitter Cryptandra |
Cryptandra amara |
| Hairpin Banksia |
Banksia spinulosa |
| Long-leaf Star-hair |
Astrotricha latifolia |
| Graceful Bush-pea |
Pultenaea flexilis |
| Spiny Bossiaea |
Bossiaea obcordata |
| Broad-leaved Hakea |
Hakea dactyloides |
| Small-leaved White-beard |
Leucopogon microphyllus |
| Wedge-pea |
Gompholobium grandiflorum |
| Crinkle Bush |
Lomatia silaifolia |
Groundcovers: |
| Spiny-headed Mat-rush |
Lomandra longifolia |
| Wiry Panic |
Entolasia stricta |
| Blue Flax Lily |
Dianella prunina |
| |
| Species typical of shale and sandstone |
Shrubs: |
| Slender Rice-flower |
Pimelea linifolia |
| Prickly Beard-heath |
Leucopogon juniperinus |
| Small-leaved Daisy-bush |
Olearia microphylla |
| Tick Bush |
Kunzea ambigua |
Groundcovers: |
| Pomax |
Pomax umbellata |
| Ivy Goodenia |
Goodenia hederacea |
| Mulga Fern |
Cheilanthes sieberi |
| Button Everlasting |
Ozothamnus diosmifolius |
| Brown’s Love Grass |
Eragrostis brownii |
| Rough Guinea Flower |
Hibbertia aspera | |
