The Flora of the Australian Capital Territory are 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 include gymnosperms, flowering plants, and 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 are likely to be found elsewhere too.
Most plants in the ACT are characteristic of the Flora of Australia and include well known plants such as Grevillea, Eucalyptus trees and kangaroo grass.
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 remnant 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 is dry sclerophyll forest. The trees in this are Eucalyptus dives (broad leaved peppermint), E. mannifera var maculosa [1] (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 metres, which is warmer and drier. Gulleys in this kind of forest can contain Eucalyptus viminalis (manna gum) and Eucalyptus radiata var robertsonii [2] (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 metres high form an understorey. Examples of these are Leptospermum lanigerum , Pomaderris 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. [3]
Only two species of gymnosperms are native to the ACT. These are a shrub called Podocarpus lawrencei (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 .
In the ACT, the government manages over 760,000 trees on public urban land as well as trees on leased land. [4]
There are 210 tree species that have been approved by the ACT government for landscape projects. The trees include native trees, exotic trees and conifers: [5]
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.
(Note: The lichens here are not endemic to the ACT.)
The Chavez Ravine Arboretum, in Elysian Park, just north of Dodger Stadium, at 929 Academy Road, Los Angeles, California, contains more than 100 varieties of trees from around the world, including what are believed to be the oldest and largest Cape Chestnut, Kauri, and Tipu trees in the United States. Admission to the arboretum is free.
The University of Delaware Botanic Gardens are botanical gardens and an arboretum located on the campus of the University of Delaware, in Newark, Delaware, United States. The gardens are open to the public without charge.
The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is an arboretum located on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. It is open to the public without charge.
The Alice Abel Arboretum is a 25 acres arboretum located at 5000 St. Paul Street on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Fell Arboretum is an arboretum located across the campus of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by hydrophilic plants. Riparian zones are important in ecology, environmental resource management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, their habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, or even non-vegetative areas. In some regions, the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone,riparian corridor, and riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word riparian is derived from Latin ripa, meaning "river bank".
Peavy Arboretum is an arboretum operated by Oregon State University and located on Arboretum Road, Corvallis, Oregon. It is open to the public daily without charge.
The Museo e Arboreto Carlo Siemoni is a museum and historic arboretum located in Badia Prataglia, Poppi, Province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy.
Weeping trees are characterized by soft, limp twigs. This characterization may lead to a bent crown and pendulous branches that can cascade to the ground. While weepyness occurs in nature, most weeping trees are cultivars. Because of their shape, weeping trees are popular in landscaping; generally they need a lot of space and are solitary so that their effect is more pronounced. There are over a hundred different types of weeping trees. Some trees, such as the cherry, have a variety of weeping cultivars. There are currently around 550 weeping cultivars in 75 different genera, although many have now disappeared from cultivation.
This is an alphabetical list of useful timber trees, indigenous and exotic, growing in the Gauteng area of South Africa. These trees range in size up to some 1.5m DBH, such as Cedrus deodara, the Himalayan Cedar. Hobbyists will seek out even small pieces of highly valued timber, such as Buxus macowanii, the South African counterpart of Buxus sempervirens, for turnery or the making of boxes and small items. Despite the wealth of useful woods available in Gauteng, most of the trees, felled or fallen, are dumped or cut into short lengths for fuel. Trees grown in urban or suburban environments are rarely pruned and are consequently often knotty. Timber frequently holds nails, wire and spikes, attesting to a variety of abuse during the lifetime of a tree, and requiring the use of a metal detector by the sawmiller. Garden cuttings and dead leaves are occasionally piled next to trees and burnt, leaving charred scars and inclusions.
Muellerina eucalyptoides, commonly known as creeping mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic arial shrub in the family Loranthaceae. The species is endemic to Australia. M. eucalyptoides is pendulous in habit, unlike other Muellerina species, but has the long epicortical runners of all Muellerina species.
Xanthoparmelia lineola, commonly known as the tight rock-shield, is a foliose lichen species in the genus Xanthoparmelia. It is a common species with a temperate distribution. Found in North America and South Africa, it grows on rocks.