2AMoist Basalt Cap Forest (Eucalyptus viminalis-E. blaxlandii-E. radiata)

2A Moist Basalt Cap Forest (Eucalyptus viminalis-E. blaxlandii-E. radiata)

(2A) Moist Basalt Cap Forest (Eucalyptus viminalis-E. blaxlandii-E. radiata)

The basalt caps of Mt. Wilson, Mt. Tomah, Mt. Bell, Mt. Banks, Mt. Caley and Mt. Hay have weathered to a fertile clay-loam soil. At high altitudes (800–1,000 metres), the summits and slopes of these areas support a tall open forest variously dominated by Eucalyptus viminalis (Ribbon Gum), E. blaxlandii (Brown Stringybark) and E. radiata**subsp.**radiata (Narrow-leaved Peppermint). Other canopy species that may be encountered include E. cypellocarpa (Monkey Gum), E. oreades (Blue Mountain Ash) and E. fastigata (Brown Barrel).

The understorey of Moist Basalt Cap Forest generally has scattered shrubs including Acacia melanoxylon, A. penninervis, Polyscias sambucifolia, Astrotricha floccosa, Davesia ulicifolia and Leucopogon lanceolatus with occasional tree ferns, Cyathea australis. The ground cover includes numerous herbs and ferns.

The Moist Basalt Cap Forest community is generally characterised by the following assemblage of native plant species. Other species also occur, and not all of the following species are present in every stand of the community, but the list is indicative of the species composition of the vegetation.

| Acacia elata | Acacia falciformis | Acacia melanoxylon | | Acacia obtusifolia | Acacia penninervis | Acaena novae-zelandiae | | Ajuga australis | Angophora costata | Angophora floribunda | | Astrotricha floccosa | Astrotricha latifolia | Blechnum cartilagineum | | Blechnum nudum | Bursaria longisepala | Centella asiatica | | Clematis aristata | Cyathea australis | Davesia ulicifolia | | Dianella caerulea | Dianella longifolia | Doodia aspera | | Echinopogon ovatus | Entolasia stricta | Eucalyptus blaxlandii | | Eucalyptus cypellocarpa | Eucalyptus fastigata | Eucalyptus oreades | | Eucalyptus radiata subsp. radiata | Eucalyptus viminalis | Eustrephus latifolius | | Geitonoplesium cymosum | Geranium homeanum | Geranium potentilloides | | Glycine tabacina | Gonocarpus teucrioides | Hymenanthera dentata | | Indigofera australis | Leucopogon lanceolatus | Lomandra longifolia | | Microlaena stipoides | Polyscias sambucifolia | Pteridium esculentum | | Pultenaea flexilis | Rapanea howittiana | Smilax australis | | Stellaria flaccida | Stellaria pungens | Tylophora barbata | | Veronica plebeia | Viola betonicifolia | Viola hederacea |