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 Spinifex | Spinifex sericeus |
| * | Hare’s-tail Grass | Lagurus ovatus |
| Knobby Club-rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| * | Marram Grass | Ammophila arenaria |
| Prickly Spear-grass | Austrostipa stipoides |
| Sand Fescue | Vulpia fasciculata |
| Strand Sedge | Carex pumila |
| | |
| Forbs | |
| Bidgee-Widgee | Acaena novae-zelandiae |
| * | Cat’s Ear | Hypochoeris radicata |
| * | Common Sow-thistle | Sonchus oleraceus |
| * | False Sow-thistle | Reichardia tingitana |
| * | Hairy Hawkbit | Leontodon taraxacoides |
| Karkalla | Carpobrotus rossii |
| * | Rough Sow-thistle | Sonchus asper |
| Rounded Noon-flower | Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum |
| Sand Rocket | Diplotaxis tenuifolia |
| * | Sea Spurge | Euphorbia paralias |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| Variable Groundsel | Senecio pinnatifolius |
| | |
| Shrubs and Trees | |
| Coast Saltbush | Atriplex cinerea |
| * | Mirror-bush | Coprosma repens |
Exposed Cliffs and Rocky Foreshores | | |
Grasses and Rush-like Plants | | |
| Blue Tussock-grass | Poa poiformis |
| Coast Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis billardierei |
| * | Hare’s-tail Grass | Lagurus ovatus |
| Knobby Club-rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| Prickly Spear-grass | Austrostipa stipoides |
| | |
| Forbs | |
| Dune Thistle | Actites megalocarpa (syn. Sonchus megalocarpus) |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| | |
| Shrubs and Trees | |
| Coast Correa | Correa alba |
| Coast Tea-tree | Leptospermum laevigatum |
| Coast Wattle | Acacia longifolia var. sophorae |
| Climbing Lignum | Muehlenbeckia adpressa |
| Cushion Bush | Leucophyta brownii |
| Drooping She-oak | Allocasuarina verticillata |
| Seaberry Saltbush | Rhagodia candolleana |
| Sea Box | Alyxia buxifolia |
| * | Mirror-bush | Coprosma repens |
| | |
Secondary and Tertiary Dunes | | |
Grasses and Rush-like Plants | | |
| Coast Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis billardierei |
| Coast Spear-grass | Austrostipa flavescens |
| Coast Sword-sedge | Lepidosperma gladiatum |
| Coast Tussock-grass | Poa poiformis |
| * | Hare’s-tail Grass | Lagurus ovatus |
| Knobby Club-rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| * | Parramatta Grass | Sporobolus africanus |
| Sand Fescue | Vulpia fasciculata |
| Spiny-headed Mat-rush | Lomandra longifolia |
| | |
|
| |
| Angled Lobelia | Lobelia anceps |
| Bidgee-Widgee | Acaena novae-zelandiae |
| * | Bladder Campion | Silene vulgaris |
| Bower Spinach | Tetragonia implexicoma |
| * | Cat’s Ear | Hypochoeris radicata |
| Coast Stackhousia | Stackhousia spathulata |
| Coast Swainson’s Pea | Swainsonia lessertiifolia |
| Coast Twin-leaf | Zygophyllum billardierei |
| * | Common Sow-thistle | Sonchus oleraceus |
| * | False Sow-thistle | Reichardia tingitana |
| * | Hairy Hawkbit | Leontodon taraxacoides |
| Karkalla | Carpobrotus rossii |
| * | Purple Groundsel | Senecio elegans |
| Rounded Noon-flower | Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum |
| * | Rough Sow-thistle | Sonchus asper |
| Ruby Saltbush | Enchyaena tomentosa |
| Sand Rocket | Diplotaxis tenuifolia |
| Variable Groundsel | Senecio pinnatifolius |
| | |
| | |
| Shrubs and Trees | |
| Austral Seablite | Suaeda australis |
| Coast Banksia | Banksia integrefolia |
| Coast Beard-heath | Leucopogon parviflorus |
| Coast Bonefruit | Threlkeldia diffusa |
| Coast Correa | Correa alba |
| Coast Everlasting | Ozothamnus turbinatus |
| Coast Pomaderris | Pomaderris paniculosa subsp. paralia |
| Coast Tea-tree | Leptospermum laevigatum |
| Coast Wattle | Acacia longifolia var. sophorae |
| Coastal Daisy-bush | Olearia axillaris |
| Common Correa | Correa reflexa |
| Climbing Lignum | Muehlenbeckia adpressa |
| Crimson Berry | Leptecophylla juniperina subsp. oxycedrus |
| Cushion Bush | Leucopogon brownii |
| Drooping She-oak | Allocasuarina verticillata |
| * | Mirror-bush | Coprosma repens |
| * | Myrtle-leaf Milkwort | Polygala myrtifolia |
| Rare Bitterbush | Adriana quadripartita |
| Sea Box | Alyxia buxifolia |
| Seaberry Saltbush | Rhagodia candolleana |
| Scented Groundsel | Senecio odoratus |
| Small-leafed Clematis | Clematis microphylla |
| Sticky Daisy-bush | Olearia glutinosa |
| Sweet Bursaria | Bursaria spinosa |
| Twiggy Daisy-bush | Olearia ramulosa |
| Wirilda | Acacia retinoides |
| | |
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