2BBlue Mountains Shale Cap Forest (Eucalyptus deanei-E. punctata- Syncarpia glomulifera)

2B Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest (Eucalyptus deanei-E. punctata- Syncarpia glomulifera)

(2B) Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest (Eucalyptus deanei-E. punctata- Syncarpia glomulifera)

This community includes the Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest (BMSCF) that is listed as an endangered ecological community in Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Eucalyptus deanei-E. punctata-Syncarpia glomulifera open to tall open-forest incorporates the vegetation communities found on deep, shale-rich soils on ridges and upper slopes. Within the City, such vegetation occurs only in the lower altitudes whereas it extends to the higher altitudes in the adjoining Hawkesbury City.

Within the City, this community is characterised by Eucalyptus deanei (Mountain Blue Gum), which is dominant or co-dominant with E. punctata (Grey Gum) and Syncarpia glomulifera (Turpentine). The form of Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest that occurs within the City is distinguished from the closely related Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest (STIF) by the presence of Eucalyptus notabilis (Mountain Mahogany). Other tree species that may be present include Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum), A. floribunda (Rough-barked Apple), E. piperita (Sydney Peppermint) and E. punctata (Grey Gum). E. piperita is associated with the edge of this community and a relatively low influence from the shale. The typical vegetation structure is tall open-forest, although this may vary depending on site conditions and history. It is generally a wet sclerophyll forest, with soft-leaved plants prominent in the understorey.

This community is generally characterised in the Blue Mountains by the occurrence of Eucalyptus deanei, E. punctata and Syncarpia glomulifera along with 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 longifolia | Acacia parramattensis | | Acianthus exsertus | Adiantum aethiopicum | Allocasuarina littoralis | | Allocasuarina torulosa | Angophora costata | Angophora floribunda | | Astrotricha latifolia | Backhousia myrtifolia | Blechnum cartilagineum | | Blechnum nudum | Bracteantha bracteata | Breynia oblongifolia | | Callicoma serratifolia | Calochlaena dubia | Cassytha pubescens | | Ceratopetalum gummiferum | Cissus antarctica | Clematis aristata | | Dianella caerulea | Dichelachne rara | Dichondra repens | | Dodonaea triquetra | Doodia aspera | Echinopogon ovatus | | Entolasia marginata | Entolasia stricta | Eucalyptus cypellocarpa | | Eucalyptus deanei | Eucalyptus globoidea | Eucalyptus notabilis | | Eucalyptus paniculata | Eucalyptus piperita | Eucalyptus punctata | | Eustrephus latifolius | Geitonoplesium cymosum | Geranium solanderi | | Glycine clandestina | Hakea dactyloides | Hardenbergia violacea | | Hibbertia diffusa | Imperata cylindrica | Indigofera australis | | Kennedia rubicunda | Lepidosperma laterale | Leucopogon lanceolatus | | Lomandra longifolia | Lomatia silaifolia | Microlaena stipoides | | Oplismenus aemulus | Oplismenus imbecillis | Ozothamnus diosmifolius | | Pandorea pandorana | Persoonia linearis | Phyllanthus hirtellus | | Pittosporum revolutum | Pittosporum undulatum | Platysace lanceolata | | Polyscias sambucifolia | Pratia purpurascens | Pseuderanthemum variabile | | Pteridium esculentum | Pultenaea flexilis | Rubus parvifolius | | Schoenus melanostachys | Smilax australis | Smilax glyciphylla | | Stypandra glauca | Syncarpia glomulifera | Telopea speciosissima | | Themeda australis | Tristaniopsis collina | Tylophora barbata |