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Salt-spray Tolerant Plants - Coastal Region

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Purpose

A list of salt-spray plants that commonly occur in the Coastal Region appear below. These species are largely confined to sand dune systems where drainage and salt leaching is likely to be high but some species may also encroach on saline flats and salt-marshes. Sometimes, inter-dune hollows or swales may be less well drained and may accumulate higher soil salt concentrations than those found on the dunes themselves. For the majority of plant species found on dune systems, little work on their tolerance to soil salinity has been undertaken but plant rooting depth, water access and salt duration across dune profiles would be important factors to consider. The list has been divided into species of primary (or fore) dunes, species of exposed sea cliffs and rocky foreshores and species of secondary and tertiary dunes. Some plant species will occupy more than one of these zones but will only appear in more than one habitat list if a dominant member of such. Plant species found in exposed positions are often wind-pruned and stunted, compared to the same species in more protected areas. Species confined to secondary or tertiary dunes and the swales between, are likely to be less tolerant of sea-spray as those growing on primary dunes and exposed cliffs and foreshores.


Primary Dunes (Foredunes) | Exposed Cliffs and Rocky Foreshores | Secondary and Tertiary Dunes

* Indicates introduced and exotic species

Primary Dunes (Foredunes)


Grasses and Rush-like Plants

Hairy SpinifexSpinifex sericeus
*Hare’s-tail GrassLagurus ovatus
Knobby Club-rushFicinia nodosa
*Marram GrassAmmophila arenaria
Prickly Spear-grassAustrostipa stipoides
Sand FescueVulpia fasciculata
Strand SedgeCarex pumila


Forbs

Bidgee-WidgeeAcaena novae-zelandiae
*Cat’s EarHypochoeris radicata
*Common Sow-thistleSonchus oleraceus
*False Sow-thistleReichardia tingitana
*Hairy HawkbitLeontodon taraxacoides
KarkallaCarpobrotus rossii
*Rough Sow-thistleSonchus asper
Rounded Noon-flowerDisphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum
Sand RocketDiplotaxis tenuifolia
*Sea SpurgeEuphorbia paralias
*Sea RocketCakile edentula / C. maritima
Variable GroundselSenecio pinnatifolius


Shrubs and Trees
Coast SaltbushAtriplex cinerea
*Mirror-bushCoprosma repens

Exposed Cliffs and Rocky Foreshores


Grasses and Rush-like Plants

Blue Tussock-grassPoa poiformis
Coast Blown-grassLachnagrostis billardierei
* Hare’s-tail GrassLagurus ovatus
Knobby Club-rushFicinia nodosa
Prickly Spear-grassAustrostipa stipoides


Forbs
Dune ThistleActites megalocarpa (syn. Sonchus megalocarpus)
*Sea RocketCakile edentula / C. maritima


Shrubs and Trees

Coast CorreaCorrea alba
Coast Tea-treeLeptospermum laevigatum
Coast WattleAcacia longifolia var. sophorae
Climbing LignumMuehlenbeckia adpressa
Cushion BushLeucophyta brownii
Drooping She-oakAllocasuarina verticillata
Seaberry SaltbushRhagodia candolleana
Sea Box Alyxia buxifolia
*Mirror-bushCoprosma repens


Secondary and Tertiary Dunes



Grasses and Rush-like Plants

Coast Blown-grassLachnagrostis billardierei
Coast Spear-grassAustrostipa flavescens
Coast Sword-sedgeLepidosperma gladiatum
Coast Tussock-grassPoa poiformis
*Hare’s-tail GrassLagurus ovatus
Knobby Club-rushFicinia nodosa
* Parramatta GrassSporobolus africanus
Sand FescueVulpia fasciculata
Spiny-headed Mat-rushLomandra longifolia


Forbs

Angled LobeliaLobelia anceps
Bidgee-WidgeeAcaena novae-zelandiae
*Bladder CampionSilene vulgaris
Bower SpinachTetragonia implexicoma
*Cat’s EarHypochoeris radicata
Coast StackhousiaStackhousia spathulata
Coast Swainson’s PeaSwainsonia lessertiifolia
Coast Twin-leafZygophyllum billardierei
*Common Sow-thistleSonchus oleraceus
*False Sow-thistleReichardia tingitana
*Hairy HawkbitLeontodon taraxacoides
KarkallaCarpobrotus rossii
*Purple GroundselSenecio elegans
Rounded Noon-flowerDisphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum
*Rough Sow-thistleSonchus asper
Ruby Saltbush Enchyaena tomentosa
Sand RocketDiplotaxis tenuifolia
Variable GroundselSenecio pinnatifolius


Shrubs and Trees

Austral SeabliteSuaeda australis
Coast BanksiaBanksia integrefolia
Coast Beard-heathLeucopogon parviflorus
Coast BonefruitThrelkeldia diffusa
Coast CorreaCorrea alba
Coast EverlastingOzothamnus turbinatus
Coast PomaderrisPomaderris paniculosa subsp. paralia
Coast Tea-treeLeptospermum laevigatum
Coast WattleAcacia longifolia var. sophorae
Coastal Daisy-bushOlearia axillaris
Common CorreaCorrea reflexa
Climbing LignumMuehlenbeckia adpressa
Crimson BerryLeptecophylla juniperina subsp. oxycedrus
Cushion BushLeucopogon brownii
Drooping She-oakAllocasuarina verticillata
*Mirror-bushCoprosma repens
*Myrtle-leaf MilkwortPolygala myrtifolia
Rare BitterbushAdriana quadripartita
Sea BoxAlyxia buxifolia
Seaberry SaltbushRhagodia candolleana
Scented GroundselSenecio odoratus
Small-leafed ClematisClematis microphylla
Sticky Daisy-bushOlearia glutinosa
Sweet BursariaBursaria spinosa
Twiggy Daisy-bushOlearia ramulosa
WirildaAcacia retinoides
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