Description: 10.10.5 is mostly bloodwood open-woodlands including brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia subsp. trachyphloia) or shiny-leaved bloodwood (Corymbia lamprophylla) on skeletal soils on low sandstone hills and valley slopes. 10.10.5 occurs mostly subregion 2 and 4 with minor occurences in subregion 3.

Reservation status:

10.10.5 is currently represented by 28188ha of remnant (1999) in Cudmore National Park, Cudmore Resources Reserve, White Mountains National Park and White Mountains Resources Reserve.

Ecological notes:

10.10.5 has relatively high plant species diversity with over 220 species recorded.

10.10.5 provides habitat for the rare plant species White Mountain's wattle (Acacia ramiflora), western rosewood (Acacia spania), White Mountains myrtle (Babingtonia squarrulosa), round-leaflet sandstone boronia (Boronia eriantha), bottlebrush (Callistemon chisholmii), Gilbert River ghost gum (Corymbia gilbertensis) and White Mountains pigeon grass (Paspalidium spartellum).

The soils are shallow with low water-holding capacity and low fertility. The nature of the soils and the very sparse ground cover of plants renders this ecosystem highly susceptible to erosion. Degradation in the form of soil disturbance or reduction of ground cover will be difficult to reverse and therefore tree-clearing should not occur.

Plant growth is seasonal and pasture productivity is low. There are few palatable species and their cover is very sparse.

It is recommended that grazing be controlled by fencing out areas of land zone 10 (Morgan et al 2002).

Fire management requires consideration of the effect of the expected slow recovery rate of plant cover and the senstivity to burning of species such as lancewood.

Potential threat is mainly wildfire.

Fauna values:

10.10.5 is likely to support moderate fauna richness. It is habitat for specialised or restricted fauna, in particular rock-dwelling species and cave-roosting bats. Three species of conservation significance have been recorded, the common rock-rat (Zyzomys argurus), Gould's long-eared bat (Nyctophilus gouldi) and the common death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus), which are the only records of these species for the Desert Uplands.

Brief vegetation community descriptions:

10.10.5a: Brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) usually with shiny-leaved bloodwood (Corymbia lamprophylla) open-woodland on coarse sandstone.

Brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) dominates the very sparse canopy (10-17m tall). Shiny-leaved bloodwood (Corymbia lamprophylla) is often present in the canopy. Grevillea sessilis, broad-leaved sandstone myrtle (Homoranthus thomasii), hovea (Hovea lanceolata), prickly-leaved pea bush (Labichea rupestris), many-seeded wattle Acacia multisiliqua, thread-leaf hopbush (Dodonaea filifolia), false mint bush (Hemigenia cuneifolia), pink-flowered myrtle (Lithomyrtus microphylla) and Sauropus elachophyllus are usually in the very sparse to mid-dense shrub layer (0.3-6m tall). Schoenus kennyi, spinifexes (Triodia spp.) and sandstone panic (Cleistochloa subjuncea) are frequently present in the very sparse ground layer.

REs with overlapping distribution that have at least some similarities in the dominant canopy species and thereby have the potential to be confused with 10.10.5a in the field are:
10.7.3c

10.10.5b: Mahogany (Eucalyptus mediocris) and brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) open-woodland to woodland on coarse sandstone.

Brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) dominates the very sparse to sparse canopy (6-21m tall). Mahogany (Eucalyptus mediocris) is usually a codominant in the canopy. Prickly-leaved pea bush (Labichea rupestris), Sim's wattle (Acacia simsii), pink-flowered myrtle (Lithomyrtus microphylla), geebung (Persoonia falcata), hair plant (Astrotricha pterocarpa) and hovea (Hovea lanceolata) are frequently present in the very sparse to sparse shrub layere (0.3-4m tall). Schoenus kennyi and sandstone panic (Cleistochloa subjuncea) are often present in the very sparse ground layer.

REs with overlapping distribution that have at least some similarities in the dominant canopy species and thereby have the potential to be confused with 10.10.5b in the field are:
10.5.1h

10.10.5c: Shiny-leaved bloodwood (Corymbia lamprophylla) open-woodland on coarse sandstone.

Shiny-leaved bloodwood (Corymbia lamprophylla) dominates the very sparse canopy (m tall). Geebung (Persoonia falcata), Chloanthes parviflora, narrow-leaved hopbush (Dodonaea stenophylla), red grevillea (Grevillea decora), bitter pea (Daviesia filipes), wattles (Acacia spp.) and hovea (Hovea lanceolata) are frequently present in the very sparse to sparse shrub layer (0.5-3.5m tall). Buck spinifex (Triodia mitchellii) usually dominates the usually sparse ground layer.

REs with overlapping distribution that have at least some similarities in the dominant canopy species and thereby have the potential to be confused with 10.10.5c in the field are:
10.7.3c

10.10.5d: Bendo (Eucalyptus exserta) and brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) low open-woodland.

Bendo (Eucalyptus exserta) and brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) dominate the very sparse canopy (3-8m tall). Sandstone wattle (Acacia gnidium) and prickly-leaved pea bush (Labichea rupestris) are present and sometimes dominant in the very spare to mid-dense shrub layer (0.5-4m tall). Pink-flowered myrtle (Lithomyrtus microphylla) is present. Soft spinifex (Triodia pungens) dominates the very spare to sparse ground layer.

10.10.5e: Swamp turpentine (Lophostemon suaveolens) usually with Leichhardt's rusty jacket (Corymbia leichhardtii) and Eucalyptus exilipes open-woodland on coarse sandstone.

Swamp turpentine (Lophostemon suaveolens) dominates the very sparse canopy (9-35m tall). Leichhardt's rusty jacket (Corymbia leichhardtii), fine-leaved ironbark (Eucalyptus exilipes), mahogany (Eucalyptus mediocris) and smooth-barked apple (Angophora costata) frequently occur in the canopy. Gorge wattle (Acacia faucium), chain fruit vine (Alyxia spicata), bottlebrush (Callistemon chisholmii), catkin wattle (Acacia julifera), soap bush (Alphitonia excelsa) and hair plant (Astrotricha pterocarpa) commonly occur in the shrub layer (0.5-5m tall). Sandstone panic (Cleistochloa subjuncea) and White Mountains pigeon grass (Paspalidium spartellum) frequently occur as dominants in the very sparse to mid-dense ground layer. Sawsedge (Gahnia aspera) and hill hibiscus (Hibiscus sturtii) are commonly present.

REs with overlapping distribution that have at least some similarities in the dominant canopy species and thereby have the potential to be confused with 10.10.5e in the field are:
10.3.11c

References

Henderson, R.J.F. (ed.) (2002). Names and Distribution of Queensland Plants, Algae and Lichens. Environmental Protection Agency, Toowong.

Lorimer, M.S. (1998). Catchment management in the Desert Uplands. Volume 2. A land resource description and evaluation. Queensland Department of Environment, Brisbane.

Morgan, G. (1999). Desert Uplands. In The Conservation Status of Queensland Biogeographical Ecosystems. Sattler, P.S. and Williams, R.D. (eds). Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.

Morgan, G., Lorimer, M., Morrison, A. and Kutt, A. (2002). The conservation of biodiversity in the Desert Uplands. Environmental Protection Agency, Townsville.

Pedley, L. (1967). Vegetation of the Nogoa-Belyando area. In Lands of the Nogoa-Belyando Area, Queensland. Land Research Series No. 18, CSIRO, Australia.

Morgan, G. (1999). Desert Uplands. In Sattler, P.S. and Williams, R.D. (eds) The Conservation Status of Queensland's Biogeographical Ecosystems. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.

Thompson, E.J. and Turpin, G.P. (In prep.). Vegetation Survey of the Desert Uplands Bioregion. Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency, Toowong.

Turner, E.J., McDonald, W.J.F., Ahern, C.R. and Thomas, M.B. (1993). Western Arid Region Land Use Study, Part V. Tech. Bull. 30, Division of Land Utilisation, Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Compiled by E.J. Thompson and D. Sharp, Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency. Fauna images and information supplied by Alex Kutt, EPA, Townsville. G.Morgan, EPA, Townsville made significant contribution to information provided in the fact sheets. Funded by the NHT Bushcare program and Queensland Herbarium, EPA.