BM nature home
flora + fauna
GBMWHA Flora
- a showcase -

by Alan Page
Old Man Banksia Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata)  Photo: Alan Page

GBMWHA Flora
overview - showcase - threatened - exotics

There's 2,362 species* of native plants in the GBMWHA across 150 families and 619 genera.
[* - species in this case includes subspecies and varieties.]

Here's the list of the GBMWHA native flora species.

Showcased on this webpage are some of the species and their families - a family album.

12 families, between them, contain over 61% of the species; 33 families have only 1 species in the GBMWHA.

Dwarf Purple Flag Sunshine Wattle  (Acacia terminalis subsp. Bright yellow flower
(M.Tindale NSW248078))
Photo: Alan Page
The 12 largest families are -
  1. Fabaceae * (252) - pea flowers, acacias
  2. Myrtaceae  (199) - eucalypts, tea-trees
  3. Poaceae  (168) - grasses
  4. Orchidaceae  (165) - orchids
  5. Asteraceae  (161) - daisies
  6. Proteaceae  (114) - banksias, grevilleas
  7. Cyperaceae  (113) - sedges, rushes
  8. Ericaceae  (75) - heaths
  9. Rutaceae  (69) - boronias, zierias
  10. Lamiaceae  (52) - mint-bushes
  11. Asphodelaceae  (37) - flax-lilies, grass trees
  12. Rhamnaceae  (37) - pomaderris
Fabaceae *  Until recently the Mimosaceae (Acacia) and Caesalpiniaceae (Senna) families were separate families. They are now subfamilies, together with Faboideae (pea flowers), of the Fabaceae family.  See here.
some of our floral families
Fabaceae (pea flowers and acacias)
Gorse Bitter Pea Gorse Bitter Pea  Daviesia ulicifolia
Photo: Alan Page
There are 252 native species of the Fabaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 8 are vulnerable and 6 are endangered.

The endangered species are -

* critically endangered.
** endangered population in the Blue Mountains LGA.

The sub-family breakdown is as follows -

With nearly 20,000 species worldwide, it is the third largest flora family. It could be called the legume, pea and bean family.

Myrtaceae (eucalypts, tea-trees and bottlebrushes)
Scribbly Gum Scribbly Gum  (Eucalyptus racemosa)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 199 native species of the Myrtaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 13 are vulnerable and 6 are endangered. A further 6 species are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act

While all animals and plants classed as threatened species under the Act are protected, several non-threatened species are also protected. An example of this is the Waratah (Telopea speciosissima). Protected species are not to be disturbed.

The endangered species are -

* critically endangered. The Scrub Turpentine was gazetted as critically endangered in 2019.

The 1998 World Heritage Nomination lists 90 Eucalypt taxa. This combines Eucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia species.

My 2021 study shows 99 species - Eucalyptus (89), Angophora (6) and Corymbia (4). While my new list of GBMWHA Flora has the same number of Angophora and Corymbia species, it has 11 more Eucalyptus species. This difference can be mainly explained by the supplementary list in my 2021 study of 11 possible inclusions.

Commercial products from the myrtaceae family include essential oils (eucalyptus and tea-tree), cloves, guava and allspice.

Poaceae (Grasses)
grasses Grasses after the Black Summer Bushfires
Photo: Alan Page
There are 168 native species of the Poaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 1 is vulnerable.

The vulnerable species is Ancistrachne maidenii.

One couldn't help but notice the profusion of native grasses appearing after the Black Summer Bushfires. These grasses helped protect the exposed soils and allowed the seeds from other native flora to germinate and grow. Mother Nature's first responders perhaps.

The Poaceae family includes wheat, corn, rice and bamboo.

Orchidaceae (Orchids)
Spotted Sun Orchid Spotted Sun Orchid
(Thelymitra ixioides var. ixioides)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 165 native species of the Orchidaceae family in the GBMWHA.  All members of this family that are native to NSW are protected.

There are 4 species that are vulnerable and 3 that are endangered.

The endangered species are -

* critically endangered.

At 28,000 species, Orchidaceae, with Asteraceae, is one of the two largest families of flowering plants in the world.

The vanilla bean comes from the Vanilla planifolia orchid.

Asteraceae (Daisies)
Silky Daisy Bush Silky Daisy Bush  (Olearia erubescens)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 161 native species of the Asteraceae family in the GBMWHA of which 2 are vulnerable and 1 is endangered. A further 3 species are protected.

The vulnerable species are -

The endangered species is - Senecio linearifolius var. dangarensis.

It is noted that it is "restricted to a single known population in the Goulburn River National Park" - which is not in the GBMWHA.

However, this is in close proximity to the Wollemi National Park, and as it is an endangered species it has been retained here to highlight it.

In my 2016 GBMWHA native flora analysis, it was mentioned that Rhaponticum australe (Austral Cornflower or Native Thistle) was an endangered species. It was reclassified in 2021 to being extinct in NSW.

At 32,000 known species, Asteraceae, with orchidaceae, is one of the two largest families of flowering plants in the world.

Plants include lettuces and artichokes, chrysanthemums and dahlias, and the Calendula and Echinacea genera.

Proteaceae (Banksias, Grevilleas)
Broad-leaf Drumsticks Broad-leaf Drumsticks  (Isopogon anemonifolius)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 114 native species of the Proteaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 8 are vulnerable and 6 are endangered. A further 34 species are protected.

The endangered species are -

All members of the Isopogon (drumsticks), Persoonia (geebungs) and Petrophile (conesticks) genera that are native to NSW are protected.

The Waratah (Telopea speciosissima) is the floral emblem of NSW.

Cyperaceae (Sedges)
Old Man's Beard Old Man's Beard  (Caustis sp.)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 113 native species of the Cyperaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 1 that's vulnerable and another that's endangered. A further 5 species are protected.

The vulnerable and endangered species are -

All species of the Causis genus native to NSW are protected - see image shown here.

Members of the Cyperaceae family include the water chestnut and papyrus.

Ericaceae (Heaths)
Pink Swamp Heath Pink Swamp Heath  (Sprengelia incarnata)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 75 native species of the Ericaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 3 are vulnerable, 2 are endangered, and 1 is protected - Sprengelia incarnata (Pink Swamp Heath).

The vulnerable and endangered species are -

Members of the Ericaceae family include cranberries, blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas.

Rutaceae (Boronias)
Leionema lachnaeoides Leionema lachnaeoides  Photo: Alan Page
There are 69 native species of the Rutaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 3 are vulnerable and 4 are endangered. A further 36 species are protected,

The endangered species are -

All members of the Boronia and Philotheca genera that are native to NSW are protected.

Members of the Rutaceae family include oranges, lemons and limes.

Lamiaceae (Mint-bushes)
Chloanthes glandulosa Chloanthes glandulosa
Photo: Robin Murray
There are 52 native species of the Lamiaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 5 are vulnerable.

The vulnerable species are -

Members of the Lamiaceae family include basil, mint, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme and lavender, and the teak tree.

Asphodelaceae (flax-lilies, grass trees)
Grass Tree Grass Tree in flower  (Xanthorrhoea sp.)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 37 native species of the Asphodelaceae family in the GBMWHA of which is endangered. A further 12 are protected.

The endangered species is Caesia parviflora var. minor (Small Pale Grass-lily).

The Asphodelaceae family now includes the Aloeaceae, Phormiaceae, Dianellaceae, Hemerocallidaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae families.

Members of the Asphodelaceae family include Aloe vera and grass trees (Xanthorrhoea sp.) - the latter being endemic to Australia and all its species are protected.

Rhamnaceae (Pomaderris)
Bitter Cryptandra Bitter Cryptandra  (Cryptandra amara)
Photo: Alan Page
There are 37 native species of the Rhamnaceae family in the GBMWHA of which 1 is vulnerable and 4 are endangered.

The endangered species are -

27 of the 37 species recorded as being in the GBMWHA belong to the Pomaderris genus. [I find it hard to identify the actual species.]

Other Protected and Threatened Species
Mountain Christmas Bell the protected Mountain Christmas Bell  (Blandfordia cunninghamii)
Photo: Alan Page
The other 138 flora families in the GBMWHA have between them 920 native species of which 10 are vulnerable and 15 are endangered. A further 37 are protected,

The endangered species are -

* critically endangered.

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an Alan Page - Ian Brown initiative