Hunter Lowland Redgum Forest

Hunter Lowland Forest Redgum is the name given to the ecological community found on gentle slopes arising from depressions and drainage flats on permian sediments of the Hunter Valley floor.

An array of Eucalypts occurs, with the most frequently recorded being Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Redgum) and Eucalyptus punctata. Angophora floribunda, Eucalyptus crebra, Eucalyptus molucanna and Corymbia maculata may appear where the assemblage grades with the surrounding Spotted Gum-Ironbark Forests. Much of its former extent (from Muswellbrook to the Lower Hunter) has been depleted for agricultural purposes. The Scientific Committee have said this forest type is likely to become extinct in nature if clearing and fragmentation continues. (2380 hectares cleared between 1988 - 2001).

The total list is considerably larger than that given below. The species present will be influenced by size of the site, recent rainfall/drought, fire and other disturbances. Many species will be represented below-ground as seed banks, bulbs, corms, rhizomes, rootstocks, or lignotubers. The community also includes fungi, micro-organisms and a diverse fauna. These components are poorly documented.

Less than 500 hectares of the original distribution survives - and this is highly fragmented. Only 2% is conserved in Werakata (Lower Hunter) National Park. The rest is on private land.

Assemblage of plants.

Austrodanthonia monticola

Billardiera scandens

Brunoniella australia

Breynia oblongifolia

Cheilanthes sieberi subsp. sieberi

Corymbia maculata

Cyanthyllium cinereum

Cymbopogon refractus

Daviesia ulicifolia

Desmodium varians

Dichondra repens

Digitaria parviflora

Echinopogon caespitosus var. caespitosus

Entolasia stricta

Eragrostis brownii

Eragrostis leptostachys

Eucalyptus crebra

Eucalyptus punctata

Eucalyptus tereticornus

Glycine clandestina

Imperata cylindrica var. major

Jacksonia scoparia

Lagenifera stipitata Leucopogon juniperinus

Lomandra longifolia

Lomandra multiflora subsp. multiflora

Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides

Panicum simile

Paspalidium distans

Persoonia linearis

Pomax umbellata

Pratia purpurascens

Solanum prinophyllum

Themeda australis