Flora of the Australian Capital Territory Totally Explained

Everything about The Flora Of The Australian Capital Territory totally explained

The Flora of the Australian Capital Territory is 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're likely to be found elsewhere too. Most plants is 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 remanent 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's dry sclerophyll forest. The trees in this are Eucalyptus dives (broad leaved peppermint), E. mannifera var maculosa (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 (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 meters high form an understorey. Examples of these are Leptospermum lanigerum, Pomaderis 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.

Vascular plants found only in the ACT

Pomaderris pallida family Rhamnaceae. Found along Murrumbidgee, Cotter, Paddys and Molonglo river. A round bush 1 to 2 meters high, creamish c oloured 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 from of a mound of tangled stems 1 m high and 2 m across. Found near pine Island 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 lawrenci (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) Lecanora placodiolica (Lumbsch & Elix) Malcolmiella cinereovirens Vezda var. isidiata (Vezda), Pyrrhospora arandensis (Elix) Xanthoparmelia hyposalazinica (Elix) 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

Note: The bolded names here don't indicate lichens endemic to the ACT.

Chrysothrix candellaris - yellow crustose lichen on wood Ramboldia petraeoides crustose on stone Flavoparmelia rutidota green foliose on wood etc Thamnolia vermicularis in high parts of Namadgi national park - and polar regions Rhizocarpon geographicum

List of ACT Lichens

Singular Species

Acarospora citrina

Amygdalaria pelobotryon

Austrella arachnoidea

Bacidina apiahica

Baeomyces heteromorphus

Bapalmuia buchananii

Candelaria concolor

Carbonea montevidensis

Cetraria australiensis

Chrysothrix candelaris

Clauzadeana macula

Coccocarpia palmicola

Cyphelium trachylioides

Dibaeis arcuata

Diplotomma canescens

Dirinaria applanata

Fellhanera parvula

Fuscidea australis

Halecania australis

Hertelidea pseudobotryosa

Hyperphyscia adglutinata

Immersaria athroocarpa

Imshaugia aleurites

Leprocaulon microscopicum

Leptogium coralloideum

Malcolmiella cinereovirens

Melanelia piliferella

Neophyllis melacarpa

Normandina pulchella

Orphniospora moriopsis

Pannaria elixii

Parmeliopsis ambigua

Peltula euploca

Placopsis perrugosa

Placynthiella icmalea

Poeltiaria corralensis

Protoparmelia badia

Pseudephebe pubescens

Psilolechia lucida

Relicina subnigra

Sarcogyne regularis

Schaereria fuscocinerea

Thamnolia vermicularis

Toninia bullata

Trapelia coarctata

Trapeliopsis granulosa

Tremolecia atrata

Tylothallia pahiensis

Buellia Genus

B. georgei

B. molonglo

B. pruinosa

B. substellulans

Calicium Genus

C. adspersum

C. hyperelloides

C. salicinum

C. trabinellum

C. tricolor

C. victorianum

Caloplaca Genus

C. cinnabarina

C. erythrosticta

Candelariella Genus

C. aurella

C. vitellina

C. xanthostigma

C. xanthostigmoides

Canopermelia Genus

C. corrugativa

C. norpruinata

C. pruinata

Chaenotheca Genus

Ch. brunneola

Ch. chlorella

Ch. trichialis

Ch. debilis

Ch. pusilla

Cladia Genus

C. aggregata

C. corallaizon

C. inflata

C. retipora

C. schizopora

Cladonia Genus

C. bimberiensis

C. capitellata

C. celata

C. cervicornis

C. chlorophaea

C. corniculata

C. enantia

C. fimbriata

C. floerkeana

C. furcata

C. glebosa

C. homosekikaica

C. humilis

C. imbricata

C. krempelhuberi

C. macilenta

C. merochlorophaea

C. nudicaulis

C. ochrochlora

C. paeminosa

C. pertricosa

C. pleurota

C. pyxidata

C. ramulosa

C. rigida

C. sarmentosa

C. scabriuscula

C. staufferi

C. subcariosa

C. subradiata

C. subsquamosa

C. sulcata

C. tenerrima

C. tessellata

Collema Genus

C. durietzii

C. flaccidum

C. fragrans

C. laeve

C. leucocarpum

C. quadriloculare

C. subflaccidum

Diploschistes Genus

D. euganeus

D. gyrophoricus

D. muscorum

D. scruposus

D. thunbergianus

Endocarpon Genus

E. helmsianum

E. pusillum

Flavoparmelia Genus

F. haysomii

F. rutidota

F. springtonensis

Fuscopannaria Genus

F. crustata

F. decipiens

F. granulans

F. subimmixta

Hafellia Genus

H. procellarum

H. tetrapla

Heterodea Genus

H. beaugleholei

H. muelleri

Hypocenomyce Genus

H. australis

H. foveata

H. friesii

H. scalaris

Hypogymnia Genus

H. billardierei

H. enteromorphoides

H. kosciuskoensis

H. lugubris

H. mundata

H. pulverata

H. subphysodes

H. tubularis

H. turgidula

Hypotrachyna Genus

H. immaculata

H. revoluta

Lecanora Genus

L. bicincta

L. caesiorubella

L. demersa

L. dispersa

L. epibryon

L. farinacea

L. flavidomarginata

L. galactiniza

L. intricata

L. lugubris

L. oreinoides

L. placodiolica

L. planaica

L. pseudistera

L. pseudogangaleoides

L. swartzii

Lecidea Genus

L. atromorio

L. capensis

L. contigua

L. crassilabra

L. fuscoatrula

L. lapicida

L. ochroleuca

Lecidella Genus

L. elaeochroma

L. stigmatea

L. sublapicida

Lepraia Genus

L. atlantica

L. caesioalba

L. jackii

L. lobificans

L. vouauxii

Lobaria Genus

L. isidiophora

L. scrobiculata

Menegazzia Genus

M. aeneofusca

M. nothofagi

M. platytrema

Micarea Genus

M. assimilata

M. denigrata

Mycobilimbia Genus

M. australis

M. hypnorum

Ochrolechia Genus

O. africana

O. pallescens

Pannoparmelia Genus

P. angustata

P. wilsonii

Paraporpidia Genus

P. glauca

P. leptocarpa

Parmelia Genus

P. erumpens

P. protosignifera

P. pseudotenuirima

P. signifera

P. sulcata

P. tenuirima

Parmelina Genus

P. conlabrosa

P. endoleuca

P. labrosa

P. pseudorelicina

Parmelinopsis Genus

P. afrorevoluta

P. subfatiscens

Parmotrema Genus

P. chinense

P. clavuliferum

P. haitiense

P. reticulatum

P. subtinctorium

Peltigera Genus

P. didactyla

P. dilacerata

P. dolichorrhiza

Pertusaria Genus

P. elliptica

P. gibberosa

P. leucothelia

P. lophocarpa

P. subventosa

Phaeophyscia Genus

P. hispidula

P. orbicularis

Physcia Genus

P. adscendens

P. jackii

P. nubila

P. poncinsii

P. tribacia

Placynthium Genus

P. nigrum

P. subradiatum

Porpidia Genus

P. contraponenda

P. crustulata

P. speirea

Pseudocyphellaria Genus

P. crocata

P. desfontainii

P. neglecta

Punctelia Genus

P. borreri

P. pseudocoralloidea

P. subalbicans

P. subrudecta

Pyrrhospora Genus

P. arandensis

P. laeta

Ramalina Genus

R. fimbriata

R. glaucescens

R. inflata

R. unilateralis

Ramboldia Genus

R. petraeoides

R. plicatula

R. stuartii

R. subnexa

Rhizocarpon Genus

R. disporum

R. geographicum

R. obscuratum

R. tinei

Rimularia Genus

R. exigua

R. insularis

R. psephota

Rinodina Genus

R. asperata

R. murrayi

R. occulta

R. oxydata

R. pyrina

R. thiomela

Stereocaulon Genus

S. corticatulum

S. ramulosum

Teloschistes Genus

T. chrysophthalmus

T. fasciculatus

T. sieberianus

T. velifer

Tephromelia Genus

T. atra

T. sorediata

Thysanothecium Genus

Th.hookeri

Th. scutellatum

Umbilicaria Genus

U. cylindrica

U. hirsuta

U. hyperborea

U. polyphylla

U. subglabra

Usnea Genus

U. inermis

U. maculata

U. molliuscula

U. rubicunda

U. scabrida

U. subalpina

U. torulosa

Verrucaria Genus

V. baldensis

V. hydrela

V. nigrescens

Xanthoparmelia Genus

X. amplexula

X. arapilensis

X. atrocapnodes

X. australasica

X. austroalpina

X. barbatica

X. barbellata

X. bicontinens

X. burmeisteri

X. cheelii

X. congensis

X. congesta

X. consociata

X. cordillerana

X. delisei

X. delisiella

X. dichotoma

X. digitiformis

X. dissitifolia

X. elaeodes

X. elixii

X. exillima

X. filarszkyana

X. flavescentireagens

X. franklinensis

X. furcata

X. glabrans

X. glareosa

X. hypoprotocetrarica

X. hyposalazinica

X. iniquita

X. isidiigera

X. lineola

X. lithophiloides

X. loxodella

X. luminosa

X. luteonotata

X. masonii

X. metaclystoides

X. metamorphosa

X. mexicana

X. microcephala

X. mougeotina

X. murina

X. nebulosa

X. neorimalis

X. neotinctina

X. nigrocephala

X. norcapnodes

X. notata

X. oleosa

X. paraparmeliformis

X. parasitica

X. parviloba

X. pertinax

X. pseudohypoleia

X. pulla

X. pustuliza

X. reptans

X. rubrireagens

X. rupestris

X. scabrosa

X. scotophylla

X. semiviridis

X. spodochroa

X. squamariatella

X. stygiodes

X. subcrustacea

X. subincerta

X. subluminosa

X. subnuda

X. subprolixa

X. substrigosa

X. taractica

X. tasmanica

X. tegeta

X. thamnoides

X. trirosea

X. ustulata

X. verisidiosa

X. verrucella

X. xanthofarinosa

X. xanthomelaena

Xanthoria Genus

X. ligulata

X. parietinaFurther Information

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