4AEucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii Alluvial Woodlands

4A Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii Alluvial Woodlands

(4A) Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii Alluvial Woodlands

These woodlands are found on alluvial soils along certain creeks in the upper Blue Mountains, in which Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii (Brittle Gum) is the dominant tree species or co-dominant with E. radiata subsp. radiata (Narrow-leaved Peppermint). The association of the community with creekside alluvium is a critical feature in its definition, since E. mannifera subsp. gullickii and E. radiata subsp. radiata may also be common species in other communities in the upper Blue Mountains. The vegetation structure is woodland or open-forest. E. mannifera subsp. gullickii occurs in some sites as a sparse tree layer (an open-woodland) over swamp vegetation, but such stands are better classified within the Blue Mountains swamp communities rather than as E. mannifera alluvial woodland.

Two forms of Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii alluvial woodland may be distinguished. At higher altitudes (Mount Victoria-Blackheath), E. mannifera subsp. gullickii is the main tree species and the community is termed E. mannifera woodland. At slightly lower altitudes (Katoomba-Leura), E. mannifera and E. radiata subsp. radiata are co-dominant and the community is termed E. mannifera-E. radiata woodland.

This community is generally characterised by the occurrence of Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii 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 dealbata | Acacia melanoxylon | Acacia terminalis | | Baeckea linifolia | Banksia cunninghamii | Banksia spinulosa | | Blechnum nudum | Boronia microphylla | Caustis flexuosa | | Chionochloa pallida | Dampiera stricta | Deyeuxia parviseta | | Dillwynia retorta | Empodisma minus | Entolasia stricta | | Epacris spp. | Eucalyptus blaxlandii | Eucalyptus mannifera subsp. gullickii | | Eucalyptus radiata | Gahnia sieberiana | Gleichenia dicarpa | | Gonocarpus teucrioides | Grevillea acanthifolia | Hakea dactyloides | | Helichrysum scorpioides | Hibbertia serpyllifolia | Lepidosperma laterale | | Leptospermum continentale | Leptospermum grandifolium | Leptospermum juniperinum | | Leptospermum polygalifolium | Leptospermum trinervium | Lepyrodia scariosa | | Leucopogon lanceolatus | Lomandra filiformis | Lomandra longifolia | | Microlaena stipoides | Mirbelia platylobioides | Olearia erubescens | | Persoonia myrtilloides | Pimelea linifolia | Poa sieberiana | | Polyscias sambucifolia | Pteridium esculentum | Stipa pubescens | | Stipa rudis | Styphelia tubiflora | Tetrarrhena turfosa |