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Ecological studies
of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Ecological studies
of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Ecological studies
of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Edited by John Comrie-Greig and Linda Abdo
Published by INPEX on behalf of the Ichthys LNG Project
Page iv Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Ecological Studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
ISBN: 978-0-646-91298-1 (hardback)
ISBN: 978-0-646-91299-8 (online)
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Title: Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin /
edited by John Comrie-Greig and Linda Abdo.
ISBN: 9780646912981 (hardback)
Subjects: Ecological surveys—Western Australia—Bonaparte Archipelago.
Ecological surveys—Western Australia—Browse Basin.
Bonaparte Archipelago (WA)—Environmental conditions.
Browse Basin (WA)—Environmental conditions.
Other Authors/Contributors: Comrie-Greig, John, editor.
Abdo, Linda, editor.
Issuing body: INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd.
Dewey Number: 333.714099414
Organisations contributing to the scientific research presented in this book:
Centre for Whale Research (Western Australia) Inc.
Curtin University
RPS Environment and Planning Pty Ltd
URS Australia Pty Ltd
Western Australian Museum
This book may be cited as follows:
Comrie-Greig, J. and Abdo, L. (eds). 2014. Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin.
INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd, Perth, Western Australia.
Disclaimer
This publication is based on studies that were conducted by third parties for an environmental impact assessment
commissioned by INPEX Browse, Ltd. between 2005 and 2008. The publication relies on the initial, unpublished
reports of those third parties and is published for general interest purposes only and without assuming a duty of care.
Images contained in this publication may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated for any purpose without
written permission of the owner.
© 2014 INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Unless expressly permitted by law, this publication must
not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd excludes all liability, whether through
negligence or otherwise, that may arise from use of this publication or any part of it.
Cover image courtesy of Russell Barrett: North Maret Island, looking south-south-west over South Maret Island
Text designed and typeset by Linkletters Graphic Design, Perth
Printed by Quality Press, Perth
This book has been printed on paper from mills that have international environmental management standard
ISO 14001 accreditation and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation.
The Ichthys LNG Projec t is a Joint Venture between INPEX gro up companies (the Operator), major part ner Total
and the Australian subsidi aries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Chubu Elec tric Power and Toho Gas.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page vii
Table of Contents
PREFACE .....................................................................................................1
B.R. Wilson
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................3
1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................5
TERRESTRIAL ..........................................................................................11
2 INTRODUCTION TO THE TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT ..............13
K.F. Kenneally
3 TERRESTRIAL FLORA.......................................................................19
M. Henson, K.F. Kenneally, E.A. Griffin and R.L. Barrett
4 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA ....................................................................103
C.R. Lamont, M.J. Bamford, M.S. Harvey and J.J. Fitzpatrick
5 TROGLOFAUNA ..............................................................................187
G. Humphreys
MARINE .................................................................................................. 203
6 INTRODUCTION TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT ..................... 205
7 MARINE TURTLES ..........................................................................213
D.A. Waayers
8 MARINE ECOLOGY .........................................................................273
N.L. Rosser, B.R. Wilson, M. Forde, J.J. Fitzpatrick,
R.J.S. Scoones and J.M. Huisman
9 CETACEANS ....................................................................................401
K.C.S. Jenner, M.-N.M. Jenner and R. Pirzl
10 MARINE NOISE .............................................................................. 455
R.D. McCauley
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Numerous biologists have provided advice on the text contained within this book, including Barry Wilson, Kevin
Kenneally, Russell Barrett, David Waayers, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, Curt Jenner, Mike Bamford, Robert McCauley, Mark
Harvey, Garth Humphreys, Natalie Rosser, David Abdo, Christine Erbe, Andrew Heyward, Michael Guinea, Piers
Larcombe, Roy Teale and Helene Marsh. We are grateful for their scientific contribution.
We would also like to express our thanks to Spatial Solutions Pty Ltd for the sourcing and processing of GIS data
and the production of the maps used in this book and to Linkletters Graphic Design for its skilled design and
typesetting work.
Several people kindly permitted us to use their photographs in this book. In particular, we would like to thank Zoe
Richards and Corey Whisson of the Western Australian Museum; Russell Barrett; David Waayers; Curt, Micheline and
Tasmin Jenner; David Abdo; Christine Lamont; Wes Bancroft; and Robert Browne-Cooper.
We would also like to acknowledge the scientists and support staff who took part in this research program and
especially the Uunguu people who are the traditional owners of the Maret Islands. We offer our thanks to RPS
Environment and Planning Pty Ltd for its work as the principal environmental consultancy for the study, and Ian
Milliner and The Underwater Centre Fremantle Pty Ltd (TUCF) are thanked for providing the logistic support which
facilitated the fieldwork component of the research.
We would like to thank Sjaak Lemmens for his project management contribution in the early stages of this project.
Finally, we would like to thank the INPEX colleagues who assisted with the collection of data, conducted reviews
and in other ways contributed to the successful production of this book. Their support was invaluable and
greatly appreciated.
Terrestrial
Photograph courtesy of Russell Barrett
(Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands)
3
Terrestrial flora
Authors – Martin Henson, Kevin F. Kenneally, Edward A. Griffin
and Russell L. Barre
Henson, M., Kenneally, K.F., Griffin, E.A. and Barrett, R.L. 2014. Terrestrial flora. pp. 19–102 in Comrie-Greig, J.
and Abdo, L.J. (eds), Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin. INPEX Operations Australia
Pty Ltd, Perth, Western Australia.
3
Terrestrial flora
Martin Henson, Kevin Kenneally, Edward Griffin and
Russell Barre
Page 20 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
INTRODUCTION
This chapter summarises the findings of the terrestrial
flora and vegetation studies carried out in 2006
and 2007 on a group of islands in the Bonaparte
Archipelago in the Kimberley region of Western
Australia. It is based on unpublished reports by
environmental consultants RPS Environment Pty Ltd.
(RPS 2007, 2008).
Background information
Vegetation
The Northern Kimberley Bioregion is characterised by
shallow sandy soil on outcrops of Proterozoic siliceous
sandstone that supports savannah woodland over high
sorghum grassland and hummock grasses. Riparian
forests occur along drainage lines. There are extensive
mangal systems along the shores of estuaries and
embayments and there are numerous small patches of
vine thicket or monsoon forest.
The “continental stress class”, a means of describing
the landscape health of biogeographic regions in
Australia (on a scale of 1 to 6), is 6 (near-pristine)
(May & McKenzie 2003). A more recent assessment
places the region in stress class 5, but keeps the Maret
Islands and their neighbouring islands as stress class 6
(Mr Norman McKenzie, Principal Research Scientist,
Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth,
Western Australia, pers. comm. December 2007). An
explanation of the criteria used in arriving at a continental
stress class rating is provided by Morgan (2000).
Little is known about the current conservation status of
many individual species and ecosystems in the Kimberley
because of a general lack of research in the area.
There are more than 1500 rainforest patches scattered
across the Kimberley, each with a distinct structure
and floristic composition. Most of the patches are in
high-rainfall areas of the remote north-west Kimberley.
Patch size varies: the average size is 2.5 ha and only
343 are larger than 20 ha (Burbidge 2004). They support
many animal taxa not found in the surrounding savannah
habitats. The rainforest patches provide a haven for
animals during the dry season and allow some species
to persist in areas where they might otherwise fail.
ABSTRACT
This chapter describes studies carried out on the terrestrial flora of the Maret Islands and adjacent islands in the
Bonapar te Archipelago and, on a broader scale, in the Mitchell Subregion of the Northern Kimberley Bioregion as
delineated in the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA). It is based on the results of surveys
carried out in 2006 and 2007 by a team of botanists and environmental consultants to provide the baseline
biological data necessary for the preparation of an environmental impact statement for the establishment of an
industrial operation on the Maret Islands.
The surveys focused on the Maret Islands (the main study site), with secondary studies carried out on Berthier
Island, East Montalivet Island and West Montalivet Island (the “reference islands”) for comparative purposes.
These three islands lie close to the Maret Islands, are of comparable size, have elements of similar lateritic geology
and were expected to have similar floras and vegetation communities. A dry-season survey was later conducted
on Lamarck Island to the south of the Maret Islands, again for comparative purposes because it has dissimilar
(sandstone) geology. A total of 334 plant species from 67 families were collected across all survey locations.
The vegetation of the Maret Islands comprises dune associations above the beaches, coastal vine thickets on the
slopes around the edges of the laterite plateaux and savannah woodland on the plateau surfaces. While these
vegetation types are well represented in the wider region, the extent of the contiguous vine thicket on South Maret
Island makes it one of the largest intact thickets in the Kimberley region. Preliminary observations of the vine
thickets on sandstone islands in the region indicate that they contain different species assemblages and structures
from the vine thickets on the lateritic islands.
Floristically, there are many similarities among the islands. Although community composition varies between
islands, much of the flora is widely distributed in the region. No Western Australian “Declared Rare Flora” were
found on any of the surveyed islands. Two “Priority” species were collected on the Maret Islands and appear to
be in stable populations in the region. Four “new” (= undescribed) plant taxa (and a number of others that require
further investigation) were collected from the Maret Islands and the four reference islands. While none of these plant
taxa are likely to be restricted to these islands, further taxonomic and survey work is needed to determine their
conservation significance.
While not a required aspect of the survey effort, oppor tunistic collections were made of fungi encountered during
the survey program. One new fungus variety of the genus Protoxerula was described from specimens collected
during the 2007 survey on North Maret Island; the variety was also collected on South Maret Island and is known
from similar habitats on mainland Australia.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 21
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Despite covering only a small proportion of the total
land area, rainforest patches are a highly significant
component of the floristic diversity of the Kimberley
region (Kenneally, Keighery & Hyland 1991).
Flora
Collections of plant specimens in the Kimberley began
in 1819 and have continued, boosted in the 1960s by
improvements in transportation and access to the
region. The most complete records of the flora of the
Kimberley are contained in the books Flora of the
Kimberley region (Wheeler et al. 1992) and Broome and
beyond (Kenneally, Edinger & Willing 1995).
In 1998, the Kimberley vascular flora was considered
to comprise 2025 native species of which 230 were
considered to be endemic to the region. Wheeler et al.
(1992) recorded 167 plant families and 660 genera from
the Kimberley, and noted that the flora is dominated by
grasses, pea flowers, sedges, eucalypts, paperbarks
and wattles. Beard, Chapman and Gioia (2000) rate
endemism in the Kimberley as low. In 2007 the Western
Australian Herbarium’s FloraBase database listed nearly
2650 native species of vascular plants in the Kimberley
region (DEC 2007).
Many species are poorly known and collected and
therefore it is difficult to determine the true level of
endemism in the Kimberley flora; however the rate of
species discovery in the region suggests that the level
will rise. The region’s flora bears strong similarities
to vegetation systems across the “Top End” in the
Northern Territory (Clarkson & Kenneally 1988).
There are 18 species of mangrove tree in the Kimberley,
with different species and assemblages from those in
the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions (Pedretti & Paling
2001). Ten of these species do not extend south of the
Kimberley. Well-developed and structurally complex
mangals are present around the mainland coast of
the Kimberley and are particularly well developed in
estuaries, larger bays and inlets. Mangals are less well
developed in coastal bays and on nearshore islands
and are uncommon on outer islands.
Accounts of Kimberley mangroves date back to the
early seagoing explorations in colonial times (e.g. King
1827; Stokes 1846). More recent accounts have been
published by Johnstone (1990), Messel et al. (1977),
Saenger (1996), Semeniuk (1980, 1982, 1985), and
Thom, Wright and Coleman (1975). Their zonation and
structure are described by Semeniuk, Kenneally and
Wilson (1978), Wells (1982), Hutchings and Saenger
(1987), Johnstone (1990) and Wells and Slack-Smith
(1981). The distribution of mangroves around the
Western Australian coast has been assessed by
Pedretti and Paling (2001) and by Bridgewater and
Cresswell (1999).
The cons ervation sig nificance of islan ds
Island populations play an important role in maintaining
biodiversity over geological time-scales. The Kimberley
islands contain floristic populations that have been
isolated from the mainland as a result of increasing
sea levels starting about 19 000 years before present.
In fact, sea levels have fluctuated from about 120
metres below to a few metres above present levels over
the past 1.8 million years of the Pleistocene epoch.
During this time there have been about 20 cycles,
leading to extended alternating periods of isolation and
reassociation. Throughout the world this phenomenon
has given rise to differentiation of new taxa (for
examples see Kitchener & Suyanto 1996 and Schmitt,
Kitchener & How 1995).
Offshore islands are important refuges for species that
are affected by competition with introduced species
or by human activities and impacts on the mainland.
Each Kimberley island population of plants and animals
potentially represents a unique reservoir of genetic
information that could play a major role in maintaining
biodiversity in a region that is increasingly under
threat. The Kimberley islands are essentially free of
introduced plants and animals and have relatively intact
ecosystems compared with the mainland.
The biota of the Kimberley islands is poorly
documented although there have been a few published
surveys (Beard, Clayton-Greene & Kenneally 1984;
Burbidge & McKenzie 1978; How et al. 2006). These
have drawn attention to biodiversity on islands of
the Bonaparte Archipelago, while in the Buccaneer
Archipelago reports are so far available only for
Koolan Island (Keighery et al. 1995; McKenzie et al.
1995). Despite the potential for divergence among
long-separated island populations, few taxa on
Kimberley islands have so far been described as
taxonomically distinct. This is in contrast to island
populations in other archipelagos off the Pilbara coast
to the south-west, which have a number of endemic
taxa. Little is known about the relationships between
the biotas of the Buccaneer Archipelago and the
Bonaparte Archipelago to the north-east, and those of
adjacent localities on the Kimberley mainland.
Page 22 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Koolan Island is a rugged sandstone island about
130 km north of Derby and has a long history of mining
and exploration. As a consequence, its wildlife is the
most thoroughly inventoried of any of the islands in the
Kimberley region. Keighery et al. (1995) described its
flora as comprising 282 taxa in five major vegetation
units, with 12 weed species introduced during human
occupation of the island. The vegetation structure and
underlying geology were similar to that found on the
mainland in nearby sites. Only one native plant species
was thought to be restricted to Koolan Island; otherwise
the flora comprised species that occur widely across
the Kimberley.
While there are obviously strong affinities between the
sandstone Koolan Island and adjacent mainland floras,
the Kimberley islands in general are considered to be
of high conservation value as the variety of ecosystems
and high species diversity they support are likely to
persist in the absence of the impacts and disturbances
caused by human activities on the mainland (Burbidge &
McKenzie 1978).
Rationale for the research
The research studies on the six islands in 2006 and
2007 were carried out to provide baseline environmental
data for a proposal by INPEX Browse, Ltd. to establish
its onshore natural-gas processing plant on the Maret
Islands as part of its Ichthys Gas Field Development
Project. However, in 2008 INPEX selected Darwin in the
Northern Territory as the preferred site for the plant and
the plans to develop the Maret Islands were abandoned.
Before the focus of the Project turned to Darwin,
however, INPEX’s original Maret Islands option
required that information be gathered on how the
Project might impact upon the islands’ terrestrial flora
and vegetation. At the time, little was known about
the botany of the Maret Islands and the surrounding
islands and the survey reported in this chapter
therefore represents the most thorough survey of the
Maret Islands, Berthier Island, the Montalivet Islands
and Lamarck Island to date.
The comprehensive baseline surveys on the flora and
vegetation assemblages of the main study area, the
Maret Islands, was carried out as a “Level 2 survey”
in accordance with the Environmental Protection
Authority’s Guidance Statement No. 51; this consisted
of background research and a reconnaissance survey
followed by detailed seasonal surveys (EPA 2004).
This level of survey was considered appropriate for
the Northern Kimberley IBRA Bioregion under the
Environmental Protection Authority’s Position Statement
No. 3 (EPA 2002).
The survey methods were also selected to be consistent
with the Kimberley regional surveys planned at the time
by Western Australia’s Department of Environment
and Conservation (Mr G. Keighery, Principal
Research Scientist, Department of Environment and
Conservation, Perth, pers. comm. 2006). Surveys
were conducted when fertile plant material was likely
to be available and after significant rainfall when
ephemeral species were expected to appear. Repeated
wet-season surveys of the same area were necessary to
account for the considerable interspecific differences in
reproductive timing and ephemeral growth rates.
Study objectives
The objectives of the study program were as follows:
• to map the distribution of native vegetation
associations on the Maret Islands and selected areas
of the four “reference islands” (Berthier Island, the
Montalivet Islands and Lamarck Island)
• to determine the ecological and conservation
significance of the vegetation and flora in the
study area
• to search for Declared Rare Flora and Priority Flora
species within the study area (see Table 3-1)
• to collect voucher specimens and lodge these with
the Western Australian Herbarium to facilitate future
research in the region.
Conservation codes and definitions for Declared Rare
Flora and Priority Flora in Western Australia (DEC 2012)
are listed in Table 3-1. On each occasion on which a
Priority Flora species is mentioned in this chapter, its
name is followed by its conservation code (e.g. “(P2)”,
“(P4)”).
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 23
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑1: Conservation codes and definitions for Declared Rare Flora and Priority Flora in Western Australia
Conservation
code Declared Rare Flora and Priority Flora category definitions
TDeclared Rare Flora—extant taxa:
Taxa which have been adequately searched for and are deemed in the wild to be either rare, in danger
of extinction, or otherwise in need of special protection, and have been gazetted as such.
1Priority One—poorly known taxa:
Taxa that are known from one or a few collections or sight records (generally less than five), all on
lands not managed for conservation … and under threat of habitat destruction or degradation. Taxa
may be included if they are comparatively well known from one or more localities but do not meet
adequacy-of-survey requirements and appear to be under immediate threat from known threatening
processes.
2Priority Two—poorly k nown taxa:
Taxa that are known from one or a few collections or sight records, some of which are on lands
not under imminent threat of habitat destruction or degradation … Taxa may be included if they
are comparatively well known from one or more localities but do not meet adequacy-of-survey
requirements and appear to be under threat from known threatening processes.
3Priority Three—poorly known taxa:
Taxa that are known from collections or sight records from several localities not under imminent threat,
or from few but widespread localities with either large population size or significant remaining areas
of apparently suitable habitat, much of it not under imminent threat. Taxa may be included if they are
comparatively well known from several localities but do not meet adequacy-of-survey requirements
and known threatening processes exist that could affect them.
4Priority Four—rare, near-threatened and other taxa in need of monitoring:
a. Rare: Taxa that are considered to have been adequately surveyed, or for which sufficient
knowledge is available, and that are considered not to be currently threatened or in need of special
protection, but could be if present circumstances change. These taxa are usually represented on
lands managed for conservation.
b. Near-threatened: Taxa that are considered to have been adequately surveyed and that do not
qualify for “conservation-dependent” status (Priority Five), but that are close to qualifying for
“vulnerable” status.
c. Taxa that have been removed from the list of threatened species during the past five years for
reasons other than taxonomy.
5Priority Five—conservation-dependent taxa:
Taxa that are not threatened but are subject to a specific conservation program, the cessation of which
would result in them becoming threatened within five years.
THE STUDY AREA
The islands of the Bonaparte Archipelago selected for
botanical surveys were as follows:
• North Maret Island—Phase 1 (RPS 2007)
• South Maret Island—Phase 1 (RPS 2007)
• East Montalivet Island—Phase 1 (RPS 2007)
• Berthier Island—Phase 1 (RPS 2007)
• West Montalivet Island—Phase 1 (RPS 2007)
• Lamarck Island—Phase 2 (RPS 2008).
The Maret Islands, the Montalivet Islands and Berthier
Island form part of the Bonaparte Archipelago, which is
made up of several hundreds of small islands and islets
lying close to the north-west Kimberley mainland coast.
Most of the islands within this group are made up of
dissected laterite and are considered to be remnants of
the Mitchell Plateau. The age of the laterite is tentatively
regarded as Tertiary and it consists of bauxitic and
ferruginous components. The complete bauxitic laterite
profile is 3–15 m thick over volcanics (basalt) but forms
only a thin ferruginous layer on sandstone.
Page 24 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
The Maret Islands, Berthier Island and the Montalivet
Islands are all characterised by laterite plateaux
overlying a clay and saprolite layer on a bed of basalt
of variable height above mean sea level. North Maret
Island and South Maret Island are respectively 392.8 ha
and 374.2 ha in extent and have a combined vegetated
surface area of approximately 654 ha. The plateau
surface of these islands lies approximately 20–40 m
above sea level and the edges of the plateaux are
variably eroded into steep boulder-strewn slopes. Sandy
beaches and associated sand dunes have formed in
depositional areas around the islands. With an area
of 556.3 ha, Berthier Island is larger than either of the
Maret Islands, whereas East Montalivet Island (384.0 ha)
and West Montalivet Island (370.0 ha) are approximately
the same size as each of the Maret Islands.
The smaller sandstone Lamarck Island has an area of
292.1 ha.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sampling plan
The flora and vegetation surveys required
a reconnaissance study to gain a high-level
understanding of the community types on each
island and to guide the detailed surveys. The detailed
surveys involved a combination of Declared Rare
Flora and Priority Flora searches and quantitative
community surveys using permanent quadrats and
transects. Relevés were also used to provide vegetation
descriptions where the terrain or vegetation was not
conducive to establishing quadrats.
As a consequence of the difficulties of accessing the
islands and the limited time available, it was decided
that a reconnaissance survey to Lamarck Island was
not practicable and that proposed survey sites should
be chosen from high-resolution aerial photography.
Sufficient quadrats and transects were surveyed to
represent all of the vegetation communities that were
identified during the reconnaissance surveys and
subsequently identified during the ongoing surveys.
Fungi and slime mould specimens were also collected
opportunistically during the vegetation surveys.
Stud y sites
The locations of the quadrats and transects sampled on
each of the six islands are shown in figures 3-1 to 3-6.
Survey schedule
Two reconnaissance surveys were conducted from 25
June to 5 July 2006 and from 19 July to 8 August 2006.
These were followed by a dry-season qualitative survey
of proposed geotechnical sites and four qualitative
surveys of the Maret Islands spanning different
seasons, in order to compile an inventory of taxa and
to collect flowering and fruiting material of a number of
species as an aid to identification during the detailed
phase of the survey. The detailed phase took place in
the period March–May 2007 and covered the Maret
Islands and the three reference islands with lateritic
geology (Berthier, East Montalivet and West Montalivet
islands). Subsequent to the final quantitative survey a
small team revisited the sites proposed for geotechnical
investigation on the Maret Islands and neighbouring
islands to map locations and count the number of
plants of the undescribed taxon Gomphrena sp. Maret
Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414). The Osborn Islands group,
including selected areas of Cape Bougainville, was also
visited in July 2007 to check for its occurrence.
To provide an indication of the level of effort, the survey
dates and personnel numbers were as follows:
• 30 September – 7 October 2006 two
• 22–30 October 2006 two
• 13–21 December 2006 two
• 1–8 February 2007 two
• 26 February – 3 March 2007 four
• 19–28 March 2007 twelve
• 15–26 April 2007 six
• 14–28 May 2007 ten
• 26 May – 2 June 2007 four
• 5–12 July 2007 four.
Sampling methods and equipment
Level of sur vey
The Environmental Protection Authority’s Guidance
Statement 51 (EPA 2004) was used to determine the
level of survey effort required to adequately support the
necessary environmental impact statement.
Reconnaissance surveys revealed that the vegetation
on the Maret Islands was in pristine condition and
that the level of pre-existing clearing or degradation
within the study area was low. As noted above, it was
determined that a Level 2 survey was appropriate for
the preparation of the environmental impact statement.
The three designated stages of the project’s Level 2
survey are described below:
1. The background research or “desktop” study.
A literature search was carried out and all relevant
references available at the time were collected
and examined.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 25
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Figure 3‑1: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on North Maret Island
Figure 3‑2: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on South Maret Island
Page 26 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Figure 3‑3: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on Berthier Island
Figure 3‑4: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on East Montalivet Island
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 27
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Figure 3‑5: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on West Montalivet Island
Figure 3‑6: Flora and vegetation sampling sites on Lamarck Island
Page 28 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
2. The reconnaissance survey. During the June–August
2006 reconnaissance surveys, seven islands were
visited: North Maret Island, South Maret Island,
Berthier Island, Turbin Island, Albert Island1, East
Montalivet Island and Walker Island. Of these, four
were chosen for the detailed survey work: North
Maret Island and South Maret Island because they
were the proposed sites for the development of the
Ichthys Project’s onshore processing plant, and
Berthier Island and East Montalivet Island because
of their geological and landform similarities to the
Maret Islands. West Montalivet Island was later
added to this group. As time and access to the
islands were both constrained, it was determined
that a reconnaissance survey to Lamarck Island
would not be practicable. For these reasons,
proposed survey sites on Lamarck Island were
chosen from high-resolution aerial photography.
3. The detailed survey. A detailed survey involves
surveying both the locality and parts of the local
area at the same intensity, over a longer term
and with several visits. After the reconnaissance
surveys, an initial Level 1 survey was carried out
on the Maret Islands in September and October
2006 on sites proposed for geotechnical drilling, in
support of a vegetation-clearing permit application.
This survey was hampered by the desiccated state
of the vegetation in the late dry season but was later
supplemented by information collected during the
early wet season.
The Level 2 survey in March–April 2007 constituted
the wet-season component of the survey. The rains
associated with Cyclone George in February 2007
were considered sufficient to extend the wet season
through to April of that year. All of the permanent
quadrats were revisited and resurveyed in May
2007, in the early dry season. At this time, additional
quadrats were established on West Montalivet Island
and Berthier Island. West Montalivet Island was
originally excluded from the survey plan because it is
primarily of sandstone geology. However, the island
does have two small lateritic plateaux and it was
added to the survey as progress on the surveys on
East Montalivet Island was faster than expected. The
quadrats on West Montalivet Island and the extra
quadrats on Berthier Island, however, were only
visited once in the early dry season.
Flora
A list of the plant taxa registered with the Western
Australian Herbarium for the Maret Islands was
compiled from the herbarium’s FloraBase database
(DEC 2007). This was examined before the surveys
began in order to familiarise the team with the plant
species expected to be found.
1 Albert Island is the unofficial name used during this study for the
largest island of the Albert Islands group.
This list represented an incomplete collection of
the Maret Island flora from collections made from
opportunistic surveys.
A search of FloraBase revealed one known Priority
species from the Maret Islands: Pittosporum
moluccanum (P4). This shrub or small tree to 6 m was
previously known from only 10 collections in Western
Australia.
Quantitative surveys
After the reconnaissance surveys of the Maret Islands,
Berthier Island, East Montalivet Island and West
Montalivet Island in 2006 and in discussion with the
Department of Environment and Conservation, it was
decided that the survey methods would be tailored to
the different vegetation structures.
Vegetation on the plateaux of the islands was generally
open enough to allow the placement of quadrats.
However, the vine thicket on the slopes and much of the
vine thicket – Corymbia woodland association across
the plateau of South Maret Island was far too dense to
establish quadrats without substantial clearing.
It was decided, in consultation with Mr Greg
Keighery, Principal Research Scientist, Department
of Environment and Conservation, Perth, and
Prof. Kevin Kenneally, AM, Centre for Regional
Development, University of Western Australia, Perth,
to use 50 m × 50 m quadrats on the plateaux of the
islands where possible and 50 m × 10 m transects in
vine-thicket vegetation.
Permanent 50 m × 50 m quadrats were established and
marked out with tape measures to facilitate quantitative
estimates of the cover of various plants within each
quadrat. Global positioning system (GPS) coordinates2
for the north-west corner of each quadrat are given in
Table 3-2 (North Maret Island), Table 3-3 (South Maret
Island), Table 3-4 (Berthier Island), Table 3-5 (East
Montalivet Island) and Table 3-6 (Lamarck Island).
No quadrats were established on West Montalivet
Island as the entire island was not surveyed. Units have
been extrapolated from quadrat and transect data on
aerial photography for those areas mapped, but their
exact extent has not been ground-truthed.
A description of the vegetation within each quadrat
is provided in Table 3-13. The quadrats were marked
at each corner with a stainless-steel pin and at the
north-west corner with an aluminium fence dropper.
2 Coordinates provided relative to the World Geodetic System
1984 (WGS84), utilised by the global positioning system
(GPS), have been referenced in this text as relative to the
Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) to provide a
consistent coordinate reference system (CRS) throughout this
volume. For all practical purposes, GDA94 coordinates can be
considered to be coincident with those of WGS84.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 29
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑2: Survey‑site coordinates—North Maret Island
Typ e Quadrat or transect Easting Northing
Quadrats
NM01 713388 8408012
NM02 7139 80 8407662
NM03 713577 8406942
NM04 713288 8406692
NM05 713450 8407010
NM06 711636 8407212
NM07 712088 8407442
NM08 712371 8407341
NM09 712559 8407615
NM10 712814 8407738
NM11 712610 8498096
NM12 712604 8408354
NM13 712845 8408180
NM14 713035 8408262
NM15 713013 8408550
NM16 713158 8408391
NM17 713300 8407880
NM18 713445 84 07461
NM19 713735 8407442
NM20 713992 8406929
NM21 713977 8407220
NM22 7130 97 8406336
NM23 713091 8406139
NM24 713357 8406065
NM25 713485 8406015
NM26 712932 8405996
NM27 713202 8405583
NM28 713421 8405408
NM29 713528 840 5170
NM30 713771 8404724
NM31 713637 8404997
Transects
NMR01 71317 7 8406857
NMR02 713178 8407484
NMR03 712858 8407520
NMR04 7134 69 8406403
Page 30 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑3: Survey‑site coordinates—South Maret Island
Typ e Quadrat or transect Easting Northing
Quadrats
SM01 713158 84 01234
SM02 713109 8401339
SM03 713385 8401510
SM04 713487 8401916
SM05 7136 01 8401840
SM06 713803 8402027
SM07 713951 8401951
SM08 7130 21 8403293
SM09 714449 840 2117
SM10 714720 8402072
SM11 713578 8402384
SM12 713789 8402435
SM13 713360 8402991
SM14 712884 8402989
SM15 713720 8 403119
SM16 713226 8403254
SM17 713085 8 403145
SM18 713 057 8402958
SM19 713764 8402253
Transects
SMR01 713972 8403883
SMR02 713859 8403731
SMR03 713682 8403592
SMR04 713916 8403620
SMR05 713982 8403731
SMR06 713548 8402186
SMR07 713759 8403168
SMR08 713720 8401630
SMR09 71406 0 840 1817
SMR10 714542 8401877
SMR11 714795 8402561
SMR13 714586 8403214
SMR14 714440 8403348
SMR15 71466 2 8402662
SMR16 71460 0 8402510
SM R17 7143 66 8403044
SMR18 714577 8403054
SMR19 713767 8402255
SMR21 714498 8403268
SMR22 714613 8403197
SMR23 714 042 8403742
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 31
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑4: Survey‑site coordinates—Berthier Island
Typ e Quadrat or transect Easting Northing
Quadrats
BR01 713419 8393625
BR02 713819 8393120
BR03 713567 8393598
BR04 71378 9 8394122
BR05 71430 9 8393890
BR06 714323 839 3742
BR07 714 693 8394226
BR08 714897 8395120
BR08A 714790 8394432
BR09 714935 83 94100
BR10 715011 8394208
BR12 714577 8396648
BR13 714533 8396849
BR14 7145 32 8397444
Transects
BRR01 713622 8393816
BRR02 71370 0 8394372
BRR07 7146 43 83 9740 8
BRR08 71449 9 8397460
BRR09 714415 8396146
BRR10 7142 65 83 9 0674
BRR 11 714889 8395896
BRR15 714575 8397310
Table 3‑5: Survey‑site coordinates—East Montalivet Island
Typ e Quadrat or transect Easting Northing
Quadrats
EM01 747 746 8420218
EM02 748012 8402180
EM03 748202 8420214
EM04 747938 8 419182
EM05 747336 8 419267
Transects
EMR01 748345 8419 986
EMR02 747627 8419846
EMR03 748 071 8419984
Page 32 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
As the vegetation in vine thickets was surveyed using
transects instead of quadrats, less emphasis was
placed on percentage cover values. The species
diversity of the thickets obscured the patterns of
structural dominance and made estimating cover values
problematic. Instead, descriptions were based on the
species present, their heights, and their perceived
structural and floristic dominance.
All specimens were labelled and pressed in the field.
After collection, they were kept in air-conditioned
surroundings (at approximately 20 °C) to prevent the
development of destructive fungal moulds under the
humid ambient conditions.
Pressed specimens were air-dried. Once dry, they were
sorted into broad taxonomic groups before the detailed
identification process commenced. Various taxonomic
keys, floras and collections at the Western Australian
Herbarium were used to identify the specimens.
Lamarck Island
The Level 2 survey of Lamarck Island conducted in
October 2007 made up the dry-season component of
the required two-part survey. Twenty-three permanent
quadrats were established in broad-scale vegetation
units identified from aerial photography. Each 50 m × 50 m
quadrat was marked permanently in the north-west
corner and a GPS location to an accuracy of within 5 m
was recorded.
The information recorded for each quadrat included the
following:
• a photograph
• a list of the species present, including their height
and density
• a description of the landform, aspect and soil
• an estimate of the ratio of bare ground to litter
• an assessment of the condition of the vegetation
• the structure of the vegetation.
Table 3‑6: Survey‑site coordinates—Lamarck Island
Typ e Quadrat or transect Easting Northing
Quadrats
LM01 718232 8363993
LM02 7180 36 8 364178
LM03 718035 8364289
LM04 717874 8364389
LM05 718271 8364570
LM06 718486 83 64717
LM07 718544 8364728
LM08 718608 8364849
LM09 718106 8365290
LM10 718053 8365214
LM11 718021 8365379
LM12 718135 8365514
LM13 717817 8365707
LM14 718085 8365593
LM15 717931 8365502
LM16 717942 8365902
LM17 717 900 8366359
LM18 717482 8365646
LM19 717509 8365514
LM20 71769 6 8365852
LM21 717580 8365833
LM22 71763 4 8366043
LM23 71765 5 8365743
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 33
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Specimens of all plants were collected under permits
issued by the Department of Environment and
Conservation and were pressed, dried and labelled
according to Western Australian Herbarium procedures.
Within established quadrats, all species were either
identified in the field or collected and referred back
to by the original collection number. Species were
identified by comparing them with specimens held in
the herbarium, by using appropriate keys and floras,
and by consulting experts. Representative specimens
of all species collected have been lodged with the
Western Australian Herbarium.
Vegetation structural classes were assigned to
vegetation units using the scale outlined in Western
Australia’s “Bush Forever” plan (DEP 2000) as
shown in Table 3-8 below. Vegetation was mapped
from high-resolution aerial photography along with
ground-truthed survey data.
Data analysis
Multivariate analyses were used to determine statistical
dissimilarities between sites in terms of the flora
presence-or-absence data from the quadrats and
transects. Dissimilarity scores were used to separate
or combine the various quadrats into vegetation units
for mapping.
Several modules of the pattern analysis software
package PATN3 (Belbin 1987) were used for
the analyses.
The PATN modules used were ASO (calculation of
similarity matrix), FUSE (classification based on the
results of ASO), DEND (representation of classification),
NNB (determination of sites most similar to each
site—“nearest neighbours”) and SSH MDS (semi-strong
hybrid multidimensional scaling analysis, a form of
ordination to show the relationships of sites to the
whole data set).
Unlike other dissimilarity measures (for example the
Bray–Curtis coefficient), SSH MDS is able to provide
a measure of “ecological distance” between sites
when there are few or no common species (Belbin
1991), as was expected to occur between grassland
and vine-thicket sites, the two extremes of the sites
sampled during this study.
3 PATN is a software package developed in Australia by L. Belbin
and the CSIRO for extracting and displaying patterns in any type
of complex (multivariate) data. It is used in fields such as botany,
chemistry, ecology, fisheries management and genetics.
Floristic analyses
Floristic analyses were carried out to provide
classification to assist in the recognition of plant
communities under study on several Kimberley islands.
The data for the 108 sites used were reviewed for
consistency of nomenclature. Table 3-7 lists the
reconciliations required to run the classification.
Table 3‑7: Species reconciliation for analysis (continued)
Species Lookup
Riccia sp. (liverwort) omitted
Eriachne sp. omitted
Paspalidium sp. omitted
Bulbostylis sp. omitted
Fimbristylis sp. omitted
Ficus sp. omitted
Amyema sanguinea var.
sanguinea
Amyema sanguinea
Amyema sp. omitted
Gomphrena canescens subsp.
canescens
Gomphrena
canescens
Gomphrena sp. omitted
Ptilotus polystachyus var.
longistachyus
Ptilotus polystachyus
Ptilotus polystachyus var.
polystachyus
Ptilotus polystachyus
Ptilotus sp. omitted
Portulaca sp. omitted
Pittosporum phillyreoides Pittosporum
moluccanum
Cajanus sp. omitted
Crotalaria montana var.
angustifolia
Crotalaria montana
Crotalaria sp. omitted
Indigofera monophylla Indigofera linifolia
Indigofera sp.omitted
Rhynchosia minima var.
australis
Rhynchosia minima
Rhynchosia sp. Rhynchosia minima
Euphorbia sp. omitted
Tri umf et t a sp. omitted
Hibiscus sp. omitted
Terminalia sp. omitted
Corymbia sp. omitted
Eucalyptus polycarpa Corymbia polycarpa
Marsdenia sp. omitted
Bonamia sp. omitted
Evolvulus alsinoides var.
decumbens
Evolvulus alsinoides
Ipomoea sp. omitted
(continued overleaf)
Page 34 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑7: Species reconciliation for analysis (continued)
Species Lookup
Heliotropium cunninghamii Heliotropium
cunninghamii
complex
Heliotropium glabellum Heliotropium
glabellum complex
Heliotropium sp. omitted
Buchnera sp. omitted
Spermacoce sp. omitted
The assembled data were run as one data set, with the
species being considered as either present or absent
from a site. Presence or absence has been proved to
be appropriate for assessing the regional nature of the
variation in site composition of quadrat data in earlier
analyses of Pilbara Bioregion data. Data that include the
cover of species at sites tend to be more useful when
analysing data sets from smaller areas.
PAT N an al ys is
As noted above, the modules used for the PATN
analysis were ASO, FUSE, DEND, NNB and SSH MDS.
The default parameter settings were used. The results
of the analyses were imported into a database so that
site characteristics could be joined with the groups
formed in the analysis.
For the data set the modules were run twice:
• with “sites” as the classified objects (i.e. with the
species as the attributes)
• with “species” as the classified objects (i.e. with the
sites as the attributes).
In this way both site and species groups were
generated. The whole data matrix could then be
presented with the rows being ordered by the species
groupings and the columns ordered by the site
groupings. This provided a way of inspecting how well
the data conformed with the classifications. Most of
the interpretation was made from the classification of
sites. The species groups were used to support the
interpretations more than to identify species that might
have been expected to occur in similar habitats.
The way the classified rows (sites or species in the
respective data sets) fuse can be represented in a
dendrogram. This can be used to construct groups
of rows by “cutting” at a particular value or cutting
to obtain a particular number of groups. For the
purpose of this study, three “cuts” were made for the
sites to form “Group 10”, “Group 20” and “Group 40”
classifications and for the species to form “Group 20”,
“Group 40” and “Group 80” classifications. While these
are arbitrary, they provide an opportunity to make
interpretations of the nature of the classification.
In addition to the classifications described above, an
ordination of the site and species data was carried
out using the SSH MDS module of the PATN package
(Belbin 1987). This was performed to diagrammatically
present some of the relationships between sites.
Commonly, there is too much variation in the data
sets to allow useful interpretations to be made using
this technique. However, interpretation from this
analysis suggested that in this case it was useful to
some degree.
The results were imported into a Microsoft Access
database where they were joined and summarised
with Access queries. Key portions were exported to
a Microsoft Excel database in which the two-way
table was formatted for easier visualisation and charts
of ordination distributions were constructed.
Some of t he functions o f the PAT N soware pac kage
The PATN package provides a suite of useful
techniques that have been developed over a number
of years (Belbin 1987). These have involved significant
investigations of the robustness of techniques and
appropriateness of use (e.g. Faith, Minchin & Belbin
1987). PATN is a PC-based graphical interface which
runs on Windows operating systems.
The options available in this package are wide.
However, there is a commonly used set which, through
the extensive research of the developers of PATN, is
recognised to be reasonably robust. The set was used
by Gibson et al. (1994) and Weston, Griffin and Trudgen
(1993) and was used in this analysis partly because of
the desire to follow the same methodology.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 35
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Classification
Many mathematical methods have been developed to
group (classify) abstract (floristic) units. Some of these
attempt to identify discriminating attributes (species)
that might be used as if in a dichotomous key to define
progressively (and hierarchically) more and more
homogeneous (floristic) units. Typically, these are called
divisive classifications and may use one (monothetic)
or a number (polythetic) of attributes (species) in each
division. This tends to not be favoured for species-rich
vegetation with low numbers of dominant species.
Other classifications tend to start from the object (or
site) and aggregate these with the most similar objects.
Fundamental to the technique is the association matrix
that describes how similar each object (or site) is to
each other object (or site). Similarity between pairs of
objects is a function of the attributes (species) they
share and the attributes (species) they do not share. It
may also include or ignore abundance measures (cover,
biomass, frequency scores for species). Different
formulas have been found to emphasise different
characteristics of the data that might, therefore, be
useful in different situations. It is implicit that the
formula should generate a similarity coefficient that
reflects “ecological distances”. Detailed studies of
the robustness and suitability of these methods are
numerous (e.g. Faith, Minchin & Belbin 1987).
The association matrix (or at least an association
coefficient) is just the first step in agglomerative
techniques. There are as many methods of
agglomerating as there are methods for calculating
similarity coefficients. Two basic systems are used:
hierarchical and non-hierarchical.
Hierarchical agglomeration techniques progressively
create fewer and fewer abstract groups of objects
until all are grouped into one. The groups take on the
“combined” attributes of the objects. These new groups
by definition become more and more heterogeneous as
new objects are joined. Once an object joins a group, it
remains with it until there is just one group of all sites.
Non-hierarchical methods attempt to divide up
ecological space by identifying nodes or areas of
concentrations of objects, effectively by using a
series of cookie cutters. One such technique involves
many iterations to “place” the cookie cutters in such
a way as to achieve an “optimal solution”. Different
sizes of cookie cutters imply different degrees of
similarity. While there might be an expectation that
objects grouped together at a certain similarity will
stay together when the similarity is widened (to include
objects that are less similar), this need not be the
case—hence its being described as non-hierarchical.
Ordination
Implicit in any ordination technique, and there are
many, is that a coefficient can be calculated to
represent the ecological distance between objects.
The variation between objects can be represented in
multidimensional space. This abstract space is defined
to have n – 1 axes where n is the number of objects.
Also implicit is that the distribution of objects in this
space is not random and therefore optimum solutions
can be computed which show that many of the
differences can be represented on just a few axes.
This technique is particularly useful in attempting to
describe the influence of environmental variables.
However it has difficulty in representing relationships
between data sets that contain objects that have little or
nothing in common.
Main programs
For each data set, ASO created a symmetric
association matrix, made up of pair-wise calculations
of similarity “distance”. The “distance” was 1 minus the
Czekanowski coefficient, that is, the number of species
in common divided by the average number of species
in the two sites being compared. The more similar
the sites, the smaller the distance. This can therefore
vary, from 0 for absolutely identical, to 1 for absolutely
different. The latter is a very common occurrence
but the former is very rare, except in very simple
communities with just a few species. In moderately rich
shrub communities, sites from the same stand have
values ranging from about 0.25 to 0.4.
Just as the sites can be grouped according to the
similarity of their species composition, so too can the
species be grouped according to the number of sites
in which they occur. To do so, the data matrix was
transposed (i.e. the species in rows and the sites in
columns). A big difference in classifying species is how
a sensible similarity coefficient is calculated, between a
species that, for example, occurs at very few sites, and
one that occurs at most. This stretches the meaning
of the “average” number of species that is used in the
numerator of the Czekanowski coefficient.
TWOSTEP is an alternative method that attempts to
generate a more “sensible” measure of similarity. This
was used in the current analysis, following Gibson et al.
(1994). Once the association matrix had been generated,
the same routines used for the sites were performed.
Using each of these matrices, the routine FUSE
classified the sites, using the “unweighted pair-group
mean average” fusion method. This hierarchical,
agglomerative classification “fuses” the most similar
sites first in such a way that all sites (by definition) are
eventually fused together. FUSE both determines the
fusion order and calculates a measure of the distance
between the sites (or groups of sites).
Page 36 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Since the group “average” calculation is influenced by
its contributing sites, it needs to be appreciated that
the addition or subtraction of sites from the data set will
change the overall fusion. Some of the fusion strategies
tend to create groups of odd sites (ones with little in
common), especially if there are many similar sites in
other groups.
DEND (representation of classification) provides
a one-dimensional, graphic (dendritic or tree)
representation of the fusions. Within a “branch”, the site
sequence is arbitrary, and sites can be swapped and
branches can be rotated as long as no branches cross.
The greater the distance (along a branch) between
junctions, the more distinct the fusing components
are from each other. Belonging to a branch implies
a relative affinity. However, care must be taken in
assigning meaning to higher-order branches, since
these fusions can often be arbitrary. This is particularly
the case where the data set is highly heterogeneous,
and these branches (groups of sites) may have almost
nothing in common.
A number of summary routines were used to assist in
the interpretation. GDF provides group membership
from the output of FUSE for a user-defined number of
groups. NNB provides from the association matrix a list
of “nearest neighbours” for each site.
SSH MDS is a general-purpose multidimensional
scaling algorithm. This group of techniques is
believed to be the most robust form of ordination
available and the algorithm available in PATN has
been shown to be superior to a wide range of other
ordination methods, such as principal components
or coordinates, reciprocal averaging and detrended
correspondence analysis.
Limitations of floristic analyses
The results are a presentation—a view—of the data
structure. The classifications have been prepared to
provide a basis for interpreting variation in site floristic
composition. The absolute composition of groups, as
defined by these analyses, should not be interpreted as
real communities. A process of review and refinement
aided by field knowledge is required. This has not been
done as part of the present study.
Vegetation descriptions and units
Mapping
Vegetation community maps were drawn from aerial
photographs of the Maret Islands and the reference
islands. Polygons were drawn around visible vegetation
boundaries and these were then classified according to
ground-truthed data and the results of the multivariate
community analyses.
Descriptions of the vegetation at each site, by island,
were compiled and sorted by dominant floristics and
structural categories to provide groups of similar
vegetation. These groupings were examined for further
significant differences, and descriptions of each
were combined into a unit that attempted to cover
the variation present, including the major floristic and
structural elements. The dendrogram produced as part
of the PATN analysis and the dissimilarity coefficients
produced as part of the “nearest neighbour” analysis
were used in this process.
Parentheses were used in the unit descriptions to
indicate a qualifying term for occasional variants to the
main unit description. For example “(low) shrubland”
indicates that within the category of “shrubland” there
are areas of vegetation that would more accurately
be described as “low shrubland” but that they are not
sufficiently different to justify creating a separate unit.
Vegetation structural classes
Field survey data were recorded in accordance with
existing structural classes (Table 3-8) with minor
modifications. Taxa covering areas greater than 2%
of each quadrat were included in the description of
each unit. Occasionally, a taxon with a lesser coverage
was included in combination with another to provide a
more rounded description; however, this was avoided
where possible as it creates unwieldy unit descriptions,
especially in the vine thickets. The 2% level was
chosen as a cut-off point as species present below this
density are considered to be “scattered” and have little
influence on vegetation structure.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 37
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Assessment of conservation significance
In Australia, the conservation status of plant
species and communities is addressed under both
Commonwealth and state legislation. Thus, in Western
Australia threatened species and threatened ecological
communities requiring special protection are listed
under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (the EPBC Act) and the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA). Other categories of
conservation significance include taxa listed by Western
Australia’s Department of Environment and Conservation
as Priority Flora species and others that have been
identified in this study as requiring special attention.
Criterion 2 of the Commonwealth guidelines for
listing ecological communities under the EPBC Act
and Regulations uses a total area of occupancy
of 1000 ha or less as an indicative threshold for
identifying terrestrial vegetation communities with small
distributions as “very restricted” (TSSC undated).
As the Maret Islands are in total less than 1000 ha in
area, this criterion would classify all vegetation units
mapped as “very restricted”. However, it is clear that
categorising units of less than 1000 ha in this way
implies that the study scale is greater than that covered
by the current survey, possibly more of a regional size.
As this survey was not conducted on a regional scale
the vegetation was studied in finer detail, hence the
number of much smaller vegetation units.
When measuring total areas of mapped units on the
Maret Islands, there is an apparent division in sizes.
The majority of units cover either less than 10 ha or
more than 20 ha with only three units in between these
sizes. For this reason it was decided to concentrate
on the units that cover less than 10 ha as “significant”,
owing to their limited distribution on the islands.
Three levels of conservation significance4 are
recognised in this report:
Conservation significance 1
This category includes species or communities listed
as Declared Rare Flora or as “threatened ecological
communities”. Plant taxa listed as Declared Rare Flora
under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA) or the
EPBC Act are species that have been identified as being
under threat of extinction or otherwise in need of special
protection. They are listed in the Wildlife Conservation
(Rare Flora) Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western
Australia 2006). “Threatened ecological communities”
are listed under state or Commonwealth Acts.
Conservation significance 2
This category includes species or infraspecific taxa
that may be rare or threatened but that have not been
sufficiently well surveyed for a decision to be made to
have them listed as Declared Rare Flora. New species
known only from the current survey and limited in
areal extent are considered likely to be Priority Flora.
The Department of Environment and Conservation
maintains a list of Priority Flora species (see Tabl e 3-1).
Conservation significance 3
This category includes species or infraspecific taxa not
listed under the Western Australian or Commonwealth
Acts or in publications, but which are of conservation
value for reasons consistent with the intent of the EPA’s
Guidance Statement 51 (EPA 2004).
4 Note: the definitions of these three levels of conservation
significance (for any possibly undescribed or genetically distinct
species-group taxon collected on the survey) were developed
by the RPS scientific team in recognition of the published
conservation status of previously named species of plants and
animals, the perceived ecological importance of the taxon, the
rarity of the taxon in the study area and the likelihood of it being
part of a genetically distinct and localised population.
Table 3‑8: Vegetation structural classes (layers)*
Life form and
height class
Canopy cover
100%–70% 70%–30% 30%–10% 10%–2%
Trees >30 m
Trees 10–30 m
Trees <10 m
Tall closed forest
Closed forest
Low closed forest
Tall open forest
Open forest
Low open forest
Tall woodland
Woodland
Low woodland
Tall open woodland
Open woodland
Low open woodland
Tree mallee Closed tree mallee Tree mallee Open tree mallee Very open tree mallee
Shrub mallee Closed shrub mallee Shrub mallee Open shrub mallee Very open shrub mallee
Shrubs >2 m
Shrubs 1–2 m
Shrubs <1 m
Closed tall scrub
Closed heath
Closed low heath
Tall open scrub
Open heath
Open low heath
Tall shrubland
Shrubland
Low shrubland
Tall open shrubland
Open shrubland
Low open shrubland
Grasses Closed grassland Grassland Open grassland Very open grassland
Herbs Closed herbland Herbland Open herbland Very open herbland
Sedges Closed sedgeland Sedgeland Open sedgeland Very open sedgeland
* These vegetation structural classes are the ones defined and used in Western Australia’s “Bush Forever” plan (DEP 2000,
p. 46 (Table 11) and p. 493) to describe vegetation in Bush Forever sites.
Page 38 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
These include the following:
• taxa that are potentially new or unrecognised
• taxa with distributions known to be restricted
• taxa with significant range extensions
• taxa that have been poorly collected
• taxa that are new records for Western Australia.
Also included in this category are vegetation units
considered significant because they have only limited
representation in the survey area, with a combined area
of less than 10 ha.
Limitations
Repeatability
Vine-thicket surveys were not repeatable as the dense
vegetation made the definition of transect boundaries
extremely difficult. This contrasts with the quadrats set
out on the plateaux of the islands where boundaries
were defined more easily. The approach in this study is
consistent with accepted survey methods.
This is not considered to have had a significant effect
on the quality of the data collected as particular
care was taken to survey the vine thickets with
thoroughness.
Timing considerations
Targeted surveys were conducted throughout the main
growing seasons to ensure that ephemeral plants were
collected and also to ensure that different flowering
periods were represented. Despite this, some species
might not have been present or identifiable at the
times of the surveys, for example species which flower
outside the main growing season, or which do not
flower every year, or which are not identifiable or even
visible except for short periods before, during and after
flowering. Some species flower more, or will flower only
for a few seasons after a fire.
The survey on Lamarck Island was conducted during
the late part of the dry season. No ephemerals were
collected and very few species were in flower at the
time of the survey. A complete Level 2 vegetation
assessment requires at least one survey during the
main flowering season with a follow-up survey in an
out-of-season flowering period. This requirement
is usually met in the Kimberley region by surveying
during the wet and dry seasons. The Lamarck Island
species list should therefore be taken as an incomplete
inventory of the flora of the island as no wet-season
survey was carried out.
In spite of the incompleteness of the Lamarck Island
data, the species list presented in Table 3-10 for the six
islands may be regarded as relatively comprehensive in
respect of the sites where collections were made. It is
estimated that more than 90% of the species present
on the islands have been collected and identified.
Survey accuracy
Representative areas of vegetation were systematically
sampled by means of quadrats and transects. Other
areas of interest were surveyed opportunistically.
Despite attempting to cover all of the vegetation types,
the species lists will be incomplete to some degree,
particularly on the reference islands.
The vegetation map was based on interpretation
of aerial photography combined with analyses of
the field-survey data. Extrapolation from survey
sites to other areas that appear similar on the aerial
photography always engenders a level of uncertainty
in classification accuracy. The vegetation maps of the
Maret Islands have been ground-truthed by walking
them several times, with the one exception being the
area behind Brunei Bay Beach on North Maret Island
(Figure 3-1) for Aboriginal cultural reasons (see below).
Access difficulty
The difficulty of access into some sections of the survey
area placed additional restrictions on the coverage of
the surveys. This was in part addressed by extensive
foot traverses, although in very dense vegetation even
this was difficult. For safety reasons, most vegetation
on cliff edges had to be surveyed from a boat using
binoculars.
The part of Brunei Bay Beach behind the foredune was
not surveyed as this area possesses Aboriginal cultural
heritage significance.
Taxonomic constraints
Some specimens could not be identified to genus
or species level because of a lack of taxonomic
features in juvenile or sterile specimens. Where these
specimens are referred to in the text of this document,
they may be described by family (e.g. “Apocynaceae
sp. ‘A’”), by genus (e.g. “Spermacoce sp. ‘Blue’”), or
include qualifications such as “?” (e.g. “Helicteres
?rhynchocarpa”) or “aff.” (e.g. “Tephrosia sp. aff. rosea”).
The relative lack of detailed and systematic study of
the taxonomy of the Kimberley flora has led to some
plant groups, for example of the genus Corymbia, not
being well defined (Prof. Kevin Kenneally, AM, Centre for
Regional Development, University of Western Australia,
pers. comm. August 2007), and some taxa are known
only from a few specimens. Future work may result in
revisions of some of the species names used in this study.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 39
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Fungi, slime moulds, lichen and algae were sampled
opportunistically. However, the lack of taxonomists
specialising in lichen and algae precluded identification
of these two groups to a level suitable for inclusion in
this chapter.
Reference islands
The vegetation maps for Berthier Island and the
Montalivet Islands are necessarily incomplete, as
these islands were not fully surveyed. Units have
been extrapolated from quadrat and transect data for
those areas mapped, but their exact extent has not
been ground-truthed. The maps should therefore be
considered to be provisional only.
In the absence of a reconnaissance trip to Lamarck
Island, survey sites there were selected on the
basis of observations in the field and by analysing
high-resolution aerial photography. For this reason,
and as a consequence of access and time constraints
during the survey, two of the island’s vegetation
units, TmG (Triodia microstachya grassland) and UVU
(undescribed vegetation unit), were recognised only
during data analysis and were therefore not adequately
surveyed in the first part of this survey.
Additional sites
Extra, unplanned, sites were surveyed on West
Montalivet Island and Berthier Island. Because these
sites were visited only once, the data obtained can
be considered provisional only. The information has
proved useful for comparative purposes, however, and
has therefore been included in analyses and as part of
this report.
RES ULTS
A total of 334 species from 67 families were collected
across all survey locations. Berthier Island was the
most species-rich of the islands sampled, with 208
species located, while East Montalivet Island was the
least species-rich of the islands where the surveys were
completed, with only 142 species sampled5 ( Table 3-9).
Table 3‑9: Summary table of the number of species found
at each island
Island Number of species
North Maret 162
South Maret 185
Berthier 208
East Montalivet 142
West Montalivet 121
Lamarck 140
Two fern species (from 1 family), 44 monocotyledon
species (from 9 families) and 288 dicotyledon taxa
(from 57 families) were identified during the surveys
(Table 3-10). Tree and shrub species were most
numerous (143 species) followed by herbaceous plants
(93 species).
Forty-seven taxa were found at all six of the islands
sampled, while 123 taxa were only found at a
single island.
5 Fewer species were found on West Montalivet Island and
Lamarck Island because only one survey was carried out on
each, and in the case of Lamarck Island the sur vey was carried
out in the late dry season.
Page 40 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 )
Family Species Life form Distribution
FERNS
Pteridaceae Cheilanthes caudata Perennial herb BER, EMI
Cheilanthes contigua Perennial herb BER
MONOCOTYLEDONS
Pandanaceae Pandanus spiralis Tre e NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Poaceae Bothriochloa ewartiana Grass BER
Cenchrus elymoides var. elymoides Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(now Cenchrus brevisetosus)
Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Chrysopogon fallax Grass BER
Cymbopogon procerus Grass LAM
Enneapogon pallidus Grass NMI, SMI, BER
Enneapogon purpurascens Grass SMI
Eragrostis ?spartinoides (SM13 -16) Grass SMI
Eragrostis cumingii Grass NMI
Eriachne avenacea Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Eriachne burkittii Grass EMI
Eriachne ciliata Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Eriachne pauciflora Grass SMI, BER, EMI
Eriachne sulcata Grass SMI, LAM
Heteropogon contortus Grass NMI, SMI, WMI
Leptochloa fusca Grass BER
Mnesithea formosa Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Paspalidium rarum Grass NMI
Schizachyrium fragile Grass LAM
Sehima nervosum Grass SMI, BER, WMI
Sorghum amplum Grass EMI
Sorghum plumosum Grass WMI
Sorghum timorense Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Spinifex longifolius Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Sporobolus virginicus Grass SMI, LAM
Triodia bynoei Grass NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Triodia microstachya Grass NMI, WMI, LAM
Yakirra pauciflora Grass BER, EMI, WMI
Cyperaceae Bulbostylis barbata Sedge NMI, SMI, WMI, LAM
Fimbristylis cymosa Sedge NMI
Fimbristylis sp. “E” Sedge EMI
Fimbristylis trigastrocarya Sedge NMI, SMI, WMI
Fuirena ciliaris Sedge LAM
Scleria brownii Sedge SMI, BER, WMI
Flagellariaceae Flagellaria indica Climber or herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Commelinaceae Cartonema spicatum Herb LAM
Commelina ensifolia Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Asparagaceae Asparagus racemosus Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Amaryllidaceae Crinum angustifolium Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Taccaceae Tacca leontopetaloides Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Tacca maculata Herb EMI
Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea bulbifera Climber NMI, SMI, BER
Dioscorea transversa Climber SMI, BER, EMI
Notes: NMI = North Maret Island; SMI = South Maret Island; BER = Berthier Island; EMI = East Montalivet Island;
WMI = West Montalivet Island; LAM = Lamarck Island.
The use of an asterisk (*) preceding a species name is a botanical convention indicating a taxon that is introduced or
considered to be introduced.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Pa ge 41
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
DICOTYLEDONS
Cannabaceae Celtis philippensis Tree or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Trema tomentosa Tree or shrub BER
Moraceae Fatoua pilosa (now Fatoua villosa)Herb BER
Ficus aculeata var. aculeata Tree or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Ficus aculeata var. indecora Tree or shrub NMI
Ficus atricha Tree or shrub LAM
Ficus brachypoda Tree or shrub LAM
Ficus podocarpifolia Shrub LAM
Ficus sp. aff. podocarpifolia (BOpp1) Shrub BER
Ficus virens Tree SMI, LAM
Trophis scandens (now Malaisia
scandens)
Tree, shrub or
climber
NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Proteaceae Grevillea agrifolia Tree or shrub WMI
Grevillea heliosperma Tree or shrub BER
Grevillea pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis Tree or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Grevillea refracta subsp. refracta Tree or shrub WMI
Hakea arborescens Tree or shrub EMI
Santalaceae Exocarpos latifolius Tree or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Opiliaceae Opilia amentacea Climber or shrub LAM
Loranthaceae Amyema benthamii Mistletoe NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Amyema sanguinea var. sanguinea Mistletoe NMI, SMI, BER, WMI
Dendrophthoe acacioides subsp.
acacioides
Mistletoe LAM
Lysiana subfalcata Mistletoe LAM
Chenopodiaceae Salsola tragus (now = S. australis sensu
lato)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Amaranthaceae Achyranthes aspera Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Amaranthus pallidiflorus Herb SMI
Gomphrena affinis Herb LAM
Gomphrena canescens subsp.
canescens
Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Gomphrena connata Herb EMI
Gomphrena flaccida Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Gomphrena parviflora Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands
(A.A. Mitchell 5414)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, WMI
Ptilotus conicus Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Ptilotus exaltatus Herb WMI
Ptilotus fusiformis Herb NMI, BER
Ptilotus polystachyus Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
*Pupalia micrantha Herb SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia dominii Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Boerhavia sp. Herb NMI, SMI, LAM
Commicarpus chinensis subsp.
chinensis
Perennial, climber
or herb
SMI, BER
Pisonia aculeata Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (continued)
Page 42 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Portulacaceae Calandrinia quadrivalvis Herb NMI, SMI
Calandrinia uniflora Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Portulaca clavigera Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Portulaca filifolia Herb NMI
Portulaca sp. “River Mud” (R.L. Barrett
3285)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Caryophyllaceae Polycarpaea involucrata Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Menispermaceae Pachygone ovata Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Tinospora smilacina Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Annonaceae Polyalthia australis Tree WMI
Lauraceae Cassytha candida Herbaceous
climber
NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Cassytha capillaris Herbaceous
climber
NMI, SMI, EMI, LAM
Cassytha filiformis Herbaceous
climber
NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Hernandiaceae Gyrocarpus americanus subsp.
americanus
Tre e EMI, LAM
Capparaceae Cadaba capparoides Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Capparis jacobsii Shrub or tree BER, LAM
Capparis quiniflora Climber, shrub
or tree
BER, WMI
Capparis sepiaria Climber, shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Capparis spinosa var. nummularia Shrub NMI, SMI, BER
Cleomaceae Cleome viscosa Herb SMI
Cleome sp. Bonaparte Archipelago
(A.A. Mitchell 4774)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Pittosporaceae Pittosporum moluccanum (P4) Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER
Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2) Shrub WMI
Acacia deltoidea subsp. deltoidea Shrub LAM
Acacia gonocarpa Shrub or tree LAM
Acacia retinervis Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Acacia stigmatophylla Shrub NMI, SMI, BER
Cathormion umbellatum subsp.
moniliforme
Shrub or tree SMI, BER
Neptunia gracilis f. gracilis Shrub SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Vachellia pachyphloia subsp.
brevipinnula
Shrub or tree BER
Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
Bauhinia cunninghamii (now Lysiphyllum
cunninghamii)
Shrub or tree BER
Chamaecrista absus Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
*Chamaecrista nigricans Shrub EMI
Erythrophleum chlorostachys Shrub or tree LAM
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (cont inued)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 43
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
Abrus precatorius Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Alysicarpus schomburgkii Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Austrodolichos errabundus var.
errabundus
Herb or climber BER
Cajanus acutifolius Shrub SMI, LAM
Cajanus marmoratus Herb BER
Cajanus pubescens Shrub EMI
Canavalia papuana Climber NMI, LAM
Canavalia rosea Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Christia australasica Herb SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Crotalaria medicaginea var. neglecta Herb SMI, BER, EMI
Crotalaria montana var. angustifolia Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Crotalaria retusa Herb BER
Crotalaria verrucosa Herb BER
Crotalaria sp. “White” (EM6-11) Herb EMI
Cullen badocanum Shrub NMI, BER
Cullen leucanthum Shrub EMI
Desmodium filiforme Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Galactia tenuiflora Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Glycine tomentella Herb or climber SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Indigastrum par viflorum Herb BER, EMI
Indigofera colutea Herb SMI, BER, EMI
Indigofera linifolia Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Indigofera polygaloides Herb EMI, WMI
Indigofera trifoliata Herb BER
Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi Climber NMI, EMI
Rhynchosia minima var. australis Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Tephrosia leptoclada Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Tephrosia remotiflora Shrub BER
Tephrosia rosea var. rosea Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Tephrosia sp. aff. rosea (BR1-R01) Shrub BER
Tephrosia sp. aff. stipuligera (EM5-R09) Herb or shrub EMI
Uraria cylindracea (now
U. lagopodioides)
Herb or shrub SMI, BER, WMI
Vigna sp. cf. lanceolata (BR3-06) Herb or climber BER, EMI
*Vigna radiata var. setulosa Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER
Zygophyllaceae Tribulopis pentandra Herb NMI, SMI
Tribulus cistoides Herb NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Rutaceae Glycosmis macrophylla Shrub LAM
Glycosmis trifoliata Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Harrisonia brownii Shrub or tree LAM
Luvunga monophylla Shrub or climber SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Zanthoxylum parviflorum Tre e NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Burseraceae Canarium australianum var. glabrum Tre e LAM
Canarium australianum var. velutinum Tree LAM
Garuga floribunda var. floribunda Tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Meliaceae Aglaia elaeagnoidea Tree BER, LAM
Turraea pubescens Shrub or tree WMI
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (continued)
Page 44 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Polygalaceae Polygala linariifolia Herb NMI
Polygala sp. aff. linariifolia form “A”
(EM5-R12)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Polygala sp. aff. linariifolia form “B”
(SM10-05) (now P. galeocephala)
Herb SMI
Polygala sp. aff. linariifolia form “C”
(EM5-R02)
Herb EMI
Euphorbiaceae Acalypha pubiflora subsp. australica Shrub WMI
Croton habrophyllus Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Euphorbia distans Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Euphorbia drummondii Herb NMI
Euphorbia schultzii Herb NMI, SMI, EMI
Microstachys chamaelea Herb or shrub BER, EMI
Phyllanthaceae Breynia cernua Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Bridelia tomentosa Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Glochidion disparipes Shrub or tree LAM
Glochidion perakense var. supra-axillare Tre e LAM
Leptopus decaisnei var. decaisnei (now
Notoleptopus decaisnei)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Phyllanthus exilis Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Phyllanthus maderaspatensis Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Phyllanthus reticulatus Climber, shrub
or tree
LAM
Sauropus trachyspermus Herb BER, LAM
Putranjivaceae Drypetes deplanchei Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Anacardiaceae Buchanania oblongifolia Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, WMI, L AM
Buchanania sp. aff. obovata Shrub or tree LAM
Buchanania obovata Shrub or tree LAM
Celastraceae Elaeodendron melanocarpum Shrub or tree LAM
Stackhousia intermedia Herb EMI, WMI
Sapindaceae Alectryon connatus Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, WMI
Atalaya salicifolia Shrub or tree SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Distichostemon hispidulus var.
phyllopterus (now Dodonaea hispidula
var. phylloptera)
Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Dodonaea lanceolata var. lanceolata Shrub NMI, BER
Ganophyllum falcatum Tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Vitaceae Ampelocissus acetosa Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Cayratia maritima Herb or climber NMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Cissus reniformis Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (cont inued)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 45
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Malvaceae Abutilon indicum Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Bombax ceiba Tree BER
Brachychiton diversifolius Tre e NMI, SMI, BER
Brachychiton tridentatus (P3) Tree LAM
Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4) Tre e NMI, EMI, WMI
Corchorus aestuans Herb BER
Corchorus pumilio Herb or shrub NMI, SMI, BER
Fioria vitifolia (now Hibiscus vitifolius)Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Grewia breviflora Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Grewia glabra Shrub or tree SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Grewia oxyphylla Climber, shrub
or tree
NMI, SMI, BER, WMI, LAM
Helicteres cana Shrub LAM
Helicteres ?rhynchocarpa (WM03-07) Shrub WMI
Helicteres rhynchocarpa Shrub LAM
Hibiscus fryxellii Shrub EMI, WMI
Hibiscus geranioides Herb or shrub NMI, WMI, LAM
Hibiscus leptocladus Herb or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Hibiscus peralbus Herb or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Melhania oblongifolia Herb or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Melochia umbellata Shrub or tree BER, EMI
Sida sp. A Kimberley Flora
(P.A. Fryxell & L.A. Craven 3900)
Shrub WMI
Sterculia quadrifida Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Triumfetta aquila Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, LAM
Triumfetta coronata Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Triumfetta plumigera Shrub LAM
Triumfetta triandra Shrub LAM
Waltheria indica Herb or shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Bixaceae Cochlospermum fraseri Shrub or tree BER
Passifloraceae Adenia heterophylla Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
*Passiflora foetida Climber BER, LAM
Combretaceae Terminalia canescens Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Terminalia carpentariae Tree BER, LAM
Terminalia ferdinandiana Tr ee SMI
Terminalia petiolaris Tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Myrtaceae Corymbia bleeseri Tree SMI
Corymbia clavigera Tre e NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Corymbia greeniana Tr ee WMI
Corymbia polycarpa Tree NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Syzygium eucalyptoides subsp. bleeseri Shrub or tree NMI, BER
Melaleuca leucadendra Tr ee LAM
Melaleuca viridiflora Shrub or tree LAM
Onagraceae Ludwigia perennis Herb LAM
Haloragaceae Gonocarpus leptothecus Herb or shrub SMI, WMI, LAM
Araliaceae Trachymene didiscoides Herb NMI, SMI, BER, WMI, LAM
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (cont inued)
Page 46 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Plumbaginaceae Plumbago zeylanica Shrub LAM
Sapotaceae Mimusops elengi Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Pouteria sericea (now Sersalisia sericea) Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Ebenaceae Diospyros rugosula Tre e SMI, BER, EMI
Diospyros humilis Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Diospyros maritima Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Oleaceae Jasminum didymum subsp. didymum Climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Jasminum molle Shrub or climber BER, LAM
Loganiaceae Mitrasacme connata Herb EMI
Strychnos lucida Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Apocynaceae Apocynaceae sp. “A” (SM10-22) (indet.)6Climber SMI
Apocynaceae sp. “B” (BR1-R105) (indet.) Climber BER
Alyxia spicata Shrub or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Carissa lanceolata Shrub LAM
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata intergrade
(N M10-15)
Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Gymnanthera oblonga Shrub or climber BER
Marsdenia angustata Shrub SMI
Marsdenia geminata Climber SMI
Marsdenia velutina Climber WMI
Marsdenia viridiflora subsp. tropica Climber LAM
Parsonsia velutina Climber SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Sarcostemma viminale subsp. australe
(now Cynanchum viminale subsp.
australe)
Shrub NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Sarcostemma viminale subsp.
brunonianum (now Cynanchum viminale
subsp. brunonianum)
Climber SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Secamone elliptica subsp. elliptica Climber SMI, BER, EMI
Secamone timoriensis Climber SMI, BER, WMI, LAM
Tylophora flexuosa (now Vincetoxicum
flexuosum)
Climber BER
Wrightia pubescens Shrub or tree EMI
Wrightia saligna Shrub or tree SMI
Convolvulaceae Bonamia media Herb NMI, BER
Bonamia pannosa Herb NMI, BER
Cuscuta sp. Herb or climber LAM
*Cuscuta campestris Herb or climber WMI
Evolvulus alsinoides Herb LAM
Evolvulus alsinoides var. decumbens Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Evolvulus sp. “White Flower” (NM14-05)
(now known to be Evolvulus alsinoides
var. alsinoides)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, WMI
Ipomoea eriocarpa Herb or climber NMI, SMI, EMI, WMI
Ipomoea macrantha Herb or climber BER
Ipomoea nil Herb or climber BER, EMI
Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EM, WMI, LAM
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (cont inued)
6 The two apocynaceous species recorded here from South Maret Island (SM10-22) and Berthier Island (BR1-R105) were seedlings which
could not be identified to genus or species level during the survey period.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Pag e 47
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Convolvulaceae
(continued)
Ipomoea trichosperma Herb or climber SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Jacquemontia paniculata Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Merremia incisa Herb WMI
Merremia quinata Herb or climber SMI, WMI
Operculina brownii Herb or climber WMI
Polymeria ambigua Herb NMI, SMI, BER, WMI
Xenostegia tridentata Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Boraginaceae Cordia subcordata Shrub or tree SMI
Heliotropium cunninghamii complex 1 Herb NMI, SMI
Heliotropium cunninghamii complex 2 Herb EMI, WMI
Heliotropium glabellum Herb NMI, SMI, WMI
Heliotropium sp. aff. dichotomum Herb NMI, SMI
Trichodesma zeylanicum Herb or shrub BER, LAM
Lamiaceae Callicarpa candicans Shrub or tree BER
Clerodendrum floribundum Shrub or tree LAM
Clerodendrum floribundum var.
angustifolium
Shrub or tree LAM
Clerodendrum floribundum var.
coriaceum
Shrub or tree BER, LAM
Clerodendrum floribundum var.
floribundum
Shrub or tree BER
Clerodendrum floribundum var. ovatum Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
Premna acuminata Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Vitex glabrata Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Vitex acuminata Shrub or tree LAM
Solanaceae Solanum heteropodium Shrub LAM
Orobanchaceae Buchnera asperata Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI
Buchnera linearis Herb SMI
Buchnera ramosissima Herb BER, WMI
Buchnera urticifolia Herb BER
Striga curviflora Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Plantaginaceae Stemodia lythrifolia Herb LAM
Acanthaceae Dicliptera armata Herb BER, LAM
Hypoestes floribunda var. suaveolens Herb or shrub BER, EMI, WMI
Thunbergia arnhemica Herb or climber BER, SMI
Rubiaceae Morinda citrifolia Shrub or tree NMI, EMI
Oldenlandia galioides Herb NMI, SMI, LAM
Pavetta muelleri Shrub or tree NMI, SMI, BER, EMI, WMI, LAM
Spermacoce brachystema Herb NMI
Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31-13) Herb NMI, SMI
Spermacoce sp. “White” (NM21-01) Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Spermacoce sp. Berthier Dunes
(R.L. Barrett RLB 5753) (P3)
Herb BER, LAM
Synaptantha scleranthoides Herb NMI, SMI, EMI, WMI, LAM
Tarenna dallachiana Tree WMI
Tarenna pentamera Shrub or tree SMI, EMI
Cucurbitaceae Diplocyclos palmatus Herb or climber BER
Mukia maderaspatana (= Cucumis
maderaspatanus)
Herb or climber NMI, SMI, BER, LAM
*Cucumis melo Herb or climber BER, EMI
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (cont inued)
Page 48 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Species Life form Distribution
Goodeniaceae Goodenia sp. aff. arachnoidea
(WM02-08)
Herb BER, WMI
Goodenia sp. aff. microptera (NM27-19) Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Goodenia sepalosa var. sepalosa Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Stylidiaceae Stylidium pachyrrhizum Herb NMI, SMI, BER
Asteraceae *Bidens pilosa Herb SMI, BER, WMI
Cyanthillium cinereum Herb BER
Pterocaulon verbascifolium Herb BER
Wedelia asperrima (= Apowollastonia
cylindrica)
Herb NMI, SMI, BER, EMI
Species densities
Of the five islands analysed (North Maret, South Maret, Berthier, East Montalivet and West Montalivet), Berthier Island
had the greatest density of species (Table 3-11). It is, however, the largest of the five and is approximately 50% larger
in vegetated area than South Maret Island, the second largest of the surveyed islands. As the remaining four islands
are similar in size to one another, with only approximately 23 ha separating the largest and the smallest in vegetated
area, the species-density comparisons were more applicable.
Table 3‑11: Species densities on survey quadrats and transects for the five islands analysed
Island Mean number of
species per quadrat
Mean number of
species per transect
Mean number of
species (combined)
Vegetated area
(ha)
North Maret 27. 6 24.6 27. 3 6 320.8
South Maret 42.9 35.4 39.5 333.8
Berthier 56.9 45.4 50.4 510
East Montalivet 45 31.7 40.5 333
West Montalivet 35.25 32.25 33.75 311
Table 3‑10: Flora species inventory for the six islands surveyed ( RPS 2007, 2008 ) (continued)
Significant species
Declared R are Flora
No Declared Rare Flora species was identified during
the course of the surveys.
Priorit y Flora
Four Priority Flora taxa were recorded during
the surveys:
• Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2)
• Brachychiton tridentatus (P3)
• Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4)
• Pittosporum moluccanum (P4).
The known Western Australian distribution ranges
of each are described in the Western Australian
Herbarium’s FloraBase database (DEC 2007–2013).
The shrub Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2) and the
small trees Brachychiton tridentatus (P3) and
B. xanthophyllus (P4) are all restricted entirely to the
Shire of Wyndham – East Kimberley in the north-eastern
corner of the state, while the small tree Pittosporum
moluccanum (P4) occurs in the shires of Wyndham – East
Kimberley and Broome but has a wider distribution in the
Northern Territory, Taiwan, the Philippines and Malesia.
For images of these taxa, refer to figures 3-7 to 3-10.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 49
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑7: Flowering branches and fruit of Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2)
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑9: Leaves, fruit and flowers of Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4)
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑8: Leaves, fruit and a flower of Brachychiton tridentatus (P3)
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑10: Leaves, fruit and flowers of Pittosporum moluccanum (P4)
Page 50 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Significant species: potential Priority Flora species
During the surveys, 20 taxa were found that appear not
to have been previously collected from the survey area
and for this reason are considered significant:
• Cathormion umbellatum subsp. moniliforme
• Cayratia maritima
• Cleome sp. Bonaparte Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell
4774)
• Commicarpus chinensis subsp. chinensis
• Cordia subcordata
• Corymbia bleeseri
• Corymbia clavigera
• Eriachne sulcata
• Evolvulus sp. “White Flower”7 (NM14 - 05)
• Glochidion perakense var. supra-axillare
• Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414)
• Goodenia sp. aff. microptera (N M27-19 )
• Heliotropium sp. aff. dichotomum
• Hibiscus peralbus
• Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi
• Pavetta muelleri
• Portulaca sp. “River Mud” (R.L. Barrett 3285)
• *Pupalia micrantha
• Spermacoce sp. Berthier Dunes (R.L. Barrett
RLB 5753)
• Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31-13)
• Spermacoce sp. “White” (NM21-01).
For images of these taxa, refer to figures 3-11 to 3-31.
Most of these taxa have not yet been classified by the
Department of Environment and Conservation, but have
the potential to be listed as Priority Flora because of
their apparent scarcity.
Voucher specimens of a number of taxa have been
lodged with the Western Australian Herbarium,
identified under phrase names until they can be
properly described and named. Their broader
distribution is generally unknown.
7 Later identified as Evolvulus alsinoides var. alsinoides.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 51
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑11: Cathormion umbellatum subsp. moniliforme: leaves, spined branchlets and new growth
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑13 : Cleome sp. Bonaparte A rchipelago (A.A. Mitchell 4774): leaves, fruit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑12 : Cayratia maritima: trifoliate leaves, fruit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑14 : Commicarpus chinensis subsp. chinensis: leaves, fruit and flowers
Page 52 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑15 : Cordia subcordata : plant, fruit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑17: Corymbia clavigera: tree, leaves and fruit
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑16 : Corymbia bleeseri: bark, fruit and buds
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑18 : Eriachne sulcata: tussocks and inflorescence
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 53
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑19 : Evolvulus sp. “White Flower”8 (NM14‑05): plant, fruit and flower
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑21: Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414): habit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑20 : Glochidion perakense v ar. supra‑axillare: tree (left‑hand trunk in left image)
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑22: Goodenia sp. aff. microptera (NM27‑19): habit, leaves and flowers
8 Later identified as Evolvulus alsinoides var. alsinoides.
Page 54 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑23 : Heliotropium sp. aff. dichotomum: habit, fruit and flower
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑25: Vines of Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi: massed growth, fruit and leaves
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑24: Hibiscus peralbus: habit, fr uit and flower
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑26: Pavetta muelleri: leaves, fr uit and flowers
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 55
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑27: Portulaca sp. “River Mud” ( R.L. Barrett 3285): flowering plant, fruit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑29 : Spermacoce sp. Berthier Dunes (R.L. Barrett RLB 5753) (P3): habit, fruit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑28 : *Pupalia micrantha: leaves, fr uit and flowers
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑30 : Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31‑13): habit and flowers
Page 56 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Introduced species
The vegetation of the surveyed islands has been
minimally disturbed by introduced species. No
introduced taxa were recorded for North Maret Island,
while South Maret Island had two introduced taxa,
or 0.4% of its flora inventory. Berthier Island had four
introduced taxa (1.9%), East Montalivet Island had three
(2.1%), West Montalivet Island had two (1.6%), and
Lamarck Island had three (2.0%).
At less than 2% of the total species richness, the
proportions of introduced species on the Maret
Islands and the reference islands are extremely low.
By comparison, in 1987 the Northern Territory’s Kakadu
National Park had an introduced flora of 5.3% (Cowie &
Werner 1987, not seen, cited in Woinarski et al. 2000),
while 9.3% of the Northern Territory’s flora as a whole
consists of introduced taxa (Kerrigan & Albrecht 2007)
and 8.75% of Western Australia’s Kimberley flora is
introduced (DEC 2007). In total, approximately 15% of
the flora of Australia is made up of introduced species
(Bean 2007).
In total, six taxa classified as introduced or with
uncertain status were recorded during the surveys.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑31: Spermacoce sp. “White” (NM21‑01): habit, fruit and flowers
They are listed in Table 3-12 with codes showing how
often and in what situation they were found.
Both *Pupalia micrantha and *Cucumis melo have
previously been classified as introduced but are now
considered by some to be native, although there
remains some uncertainty about their status. All of the
species listed in the table, except *P. micrantha, are
reasonably well collected and widespread. Before the
survey took place, *P. micrantha was represented in the
Western Australian Herbarium by only four collections,
although one further collection is held in Canberra
(CHAH 2007). During the survey, however, it was
collected on four of the six islands surveyed.
Environmental weeds
The Environmental weed strategy for Western Australia
(CALM 1999) gives *Passiflora foetida a “High” rating.
This means it scored on three criteria describing its
invasiveness, distribution and environmental impacts.
This weed was only recorded from Berthier and
Lamarck islands and is considered a priority for control
and/or research. None of the other weeds above are
listed as environmental weeds.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 57
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑12: Potentially introduced species
Species
Presence on surveyed islands
(number of records and
nature of record)
Notes
*Bidens pilosa SMI (1 O), BER (1 Q), WMI (1 Q) An erect annual herb, which is possibly an introduction
pre-dating European settlement of Australia.
*Chamaecrista nigricans EMI (1 Q) This shrub is treated as an introduced species in the Flora
of Australia (ABRS 1981–ongoing) but some questions still
remain.
*Cucumis melo BER (7 Q, 1 R), EMI (1 Q) A trailing annual herb or climber. Still listed as a weed in
the Western Australian Herbarium’s FloraBase database,
but generally accepted as native (Hussey et al. 2007).
*Cuscuta campestris WMI (1 O), LAM (as “Cuscuta
sp.”)
Parasitic, twining, annual herb or climber. Cosmopolitan
with debatable natural distribution.
*Passiflora foetida BER (1 O), LAM Woody climber. Weed.
*Pupalia micrantha SMI (2 R), BER (1 Q, 6 R), EMI
(1 R), LAM
Low slender shrub. Almost certainly naturalised since it is
a pre-European introduction.
O = from opportunistic collection (RPS 2007).
R = recorded from relevé (transect) (RPS 2007).
Q = recorded from quadrat (RPS 2007).
BER = Berthier Island (RPS 2007).
EMI = East Montalivet Island (RPS 2007).
SMI = South Maret Island (RPS 2007).
WMI = West Montalivet Island (RPS 2007).
LAM = Lamarck Island (RPS 2008).
Fungi and slime moulds
While not a required aspect of the survey effort,
opportunistic collections were made of fungi
encountered during the survey. Little is known of
fungi in tropical Australia (May 2001) and many of the
collections made during this survey have not been fully
identified because of a lack of taxonomic knowledge
of tropical Australian fungi, which remain very
poorly collected.
A number of identifiable species are discussed and
illustrated below (figures 3-32 to 3-43). They were
identified by Dr Matt Barrett (Botanic Gardens and
Parks Authority, Perth, Western Australia). Most fungi
located during the surveys were found in vine thickets
following prolonged periods of rainfall.
Family Ceratiomyxaceae (order Ceratiomyxales)
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Müll.) Mac.
This is a slime mould that grows on moist bark in vine thickets. It is a cosmopolitan species.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑32 : Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Page 58 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Auriculariaceae (order Auriculariales)
Auricularia cornea Ehrenb.
The “pig’s ear” fungus is relatively common in vine thickets, where it grows on dead bark. It has a tropical distribution.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑33 : Auricularia cornea in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Family Xylariaceae (order Xylariales)
Daldinia eschscholtzii (Ehrenb.) Rehm
This is a woody fungus with a pantropical distribution. When broken open, the fruiting body shows distinct concentric
rings inside (Figure 3-34, left).
Family Agaricaceae (order Agaricales)
Podaxis pistillaris (L .) Fr.
This common, cosmopolitan fungus holds its spores inside the elongated cap. It grows on the roots of plants, usually
in loam soils in arid and seasonally arid areas (Figure 3-34, centre).
Family Marasmiaceae (order Agaricales)
Marasmius sp.
This is a tiny fungus that grows on dead leaves and wood. There is insufficient information on this genus to allow
identification to species level (Figure 3-34, right).
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑34: Daldinia eschscholtzii in vine thicket on South Maret Island (left), Podaxis pistillaris photographed on the
plateau of North Maret Island (centre), and Marasmius sp. photographed in vine thicket on South Maret
Island (r ight)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 59
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Pluteaceae (order Agaricales)
Volvopluteus earlei (Murrill) Vizzini, Contu & Justo
This is the first published record of this pantropical species occurring in Australia.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑35: Volvopluteus earlei in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Family Psathyrellaceae (order Agaricales)
Coprinopsis clastophylla (Maniotis) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo
This species, which grows on dead wood, is only rarely collected in Australia and is so far known only from the
Kimberley region (Barrett 2006). This is the non-agaricoid form widely known as Rhacophyllus lilacinus Berk. &
Broome (the agaricoid form is known only in culture).
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑36: Coprinopsis clastophylla in vine thicket on Sout h Maret Island
Page 60 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Polyporaceae (order Polyporales)
Hexagonia tenuis (Hook.) Fr.
This is a woody bracket fungus with distinct, somewhat hexagonal pores on the lower surface of its fruiting body. It is
one of the most common bracket fungi in the tropics.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑37: Hexagonia tenuis in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Polyporus arcularius (Batsch) Fr.
The fruiting body of this relatively common cosmopolitan fungus has distinct hairs around the margin of the cap.
It grows on dead wood.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑38 : Polyporus arcularius in vine thicket on North Maret Island
Polyporus tricholoma Mont.
This species is found on dead wood in vine thickets in the tropics.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑39 : Polyporus tricholoma in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 61
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Trametes muelleri Berk.
The colourful woody fruiting body of this bracket fungus grows on tree trunks. It is common throughout tropical
Australia.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑40 : Trametes muelleri in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Truncospora ochroleuca (Berk.) Pilát
This bracket fungus is a widespread species, common throughout Australia.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑41: Truncospora ochroleuca in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Family Ramalinaceae (order Lecanorales)
Ramalina subfraxinea Nyl.
This is a pendulous lichen that grows on the branches of trees along the coastline, in both vine thickets and
mangroves.
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑42: Ramalina subfraxinea in coastal vine thicket on North Maret Island
Page 62 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Family Physalacriaceae (order Agaricales)
Protoxerula flavo-olivacea var. kimberleyana
(R.H. Petersen & M.D. Barrett) R.H. Petersen
This is a new fungus variety that was described from
specimens collected on North Maret Island on basaltic
soil in deep litter under the tree Garuga floribunda on
24 March 2007. This relatively large fungus, to 200 mm
tall, whose fruiting body has a green to yellow cap up to
50 mm across, has a large distinctive underground stem
that gradually tapers into the soil. It was found in dense
leaf litter in vine thickets on both North Maret Island
and South Maret Island. It is also known from similar
habitats on mainland Australia.
Fungal taxonomy is being transformed by advances
in DNA sequencing and this variety has undergone
two name changes since being described in 2008. It is
currently placed in the genus Protoxerula, which is
endemic to tropical Australia, but was originally placed
in Xerula (Petersen 2008) and then Oudemansiella
(Yang et al. 2009).
The synonymy is as follows:
Protoxerula flavo-olivacea var. kimberleyana
(R.H. Petersen & M.D. Barrett) R.H. Petersen in
R.H. Petersen & K.W. Hughes, Beihefte zur Nova
Hedwigia 137: 322 (2010).
Xerula flavo-olivacea var. kimberleyana R.H. Petersen &
M.D. Barrett in R.H. Petersen, Nova Hedwigia
87(1–2): 23 (2008); Oudemansiella flavo-olivacea var.
kimberleyana (R.H. Petersen & M.D. Barrett) Z.-L. Yang,
G.M. Mueller, G.W. Kost & K.-H. Rexer, Mycosystema
28(1): 7 (2009).
Type: Western Australia: On basaltic soil in deep litter
under Garuga floribunda, North Maret Island, 24 March
2007, R.L. Barrett (holotype: PERTH).
Photographs courtesy of Russell Barrett
Figure 3‑43: Protoxerula flavo‑olivacea v ar. kimberleyana in vine thicket on South Maret Island
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 63
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Vegetation units
The species found at each island were grouped into vegetation units (Table 3-13). Sixty-seven different vegetation
units were described. Of these, only three—ArTb (Figure 3-44), TbG (Figure 3-45) and CpcTASt (Figure 3-46)—were
found on two islands, North Maret Island and South Maret Island (which are linked by an isthmus at low tide).
The vegetation unit Gmi containing the undescribed new taxon Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414)
was found on North Maret Island, South Maret Island, Berthier Island and West Montalivet Island.
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
AddFa Acacia deltoidea subsp. deltoidea, Ficus atricha, Sterculia
quadrifida and Pavetta muelleri closed tall scrub over Acacia
gonocarpa low shrubland over Triodia bynoei very open hummock
grassland, and Sorghum timorense annual grassland with
Flagellaria indica lianas.
–––––x
Addg Acacia deltoidea subsp. deltoidea tall scrub over Acacia
gonocarpa scrub or shrubland over Triodia microstachya and
Triodea bynoei hummock grassland.
–––––x
AgTm Acacia gonocarpa closed heath to tall open scrub over Triodia
microstachya and Triodia bynoei (open) hummock grassland,
Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) and
Sorghum timorense annual grassland.
–––––x
AiTSpC Abutilon indicum, Tephrosia rosea var. rosea low (open)
shrubland over Spinifex longifolius and Sorghum timorense
grassland over Commelina ensifolia and Tribulus cistoides (very)
open herbland with lianas of Canavalia rosea, Ipomoea
pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis, Cassytha filiformis and Rhynchosia
minima var. australis.
x–––––
ArGa Acacia retinervis and Grevillea agrifolia tall shrubland over
Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2) low shrubland over Tri odi a
bynoei hummock grassland over Synaptantha scleranthoides
herbland.
– – – – x –
ArGfDh Acacia retinervis, Ganophyllum falcatum, Diospyros humilis
and Drypetes deplanchei tall open scrub or shrubland over Celtis
philippensis and Gyrocarpus americanus subsp. americanus (low)
shrubland over Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) (closed to open) grassland, and Triodia bynoei
and Triodia microstachya (closed to open) hummock grassland.
–––––x
ArGS Acacia retinervis, Grevillea heliosperma and Strychnos lucida
tall open scrub over Premna acuminata, Buchanania oblongifolia
and Croton habrophyllus low shrubland over Distichostemon
hispidulus var. phyllopterus (= Dodonaea hispidula var. phylloptera)
scattered low shrubs over Triodia bynoei, Cenchrus elymoides
var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus), Eriachne ciliata and Scleria
brownii annual grassland.
– – x – – –
Ar gT b Acacia retinervis tall scrub (or scattered low trees) over Acacia
gonocarpa scattered shrubs or open scrub over Cenchrus
elymoides var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) annual grassland,
and Triodia bynoei and Triodia microstachya hummock grassland
over Gonocarpus leptothecus and Trachymene didiscoides herbland.
–––––x
ArsTbS Acacia retinervis and Acacia stigmatophylla low open shrubland
over Triodia bynoei hummock grassland and Sorghum timorense
open annual grassland.
x–––––
ArT b Acacia retinervis scattered shrubs or low open shrubland over
Triodia bynoei hummock grassland over Gomphrena parviflora
and Ptilotus conicus very open herbland.
x x – – – –
ArTcTb Acacia retinervis (or with Terminalia canescens) (tall) open
shrubland over Triodia bynoei open hummock grassland over
Gomphrena canescens subsp. canescens, Gomphrena parviflora
and Synaptantha scleranthoides very open herbland.
– x – – – –
Note: NMI = North Maret Island; SMI = South Maret Island; BER = Berthier Island; EMI = East Montalivet Island;
WMI = West Montalivet Island; LAM = Lamarck Island.
Page 64 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
ArVT Acacia retinervis, Vitex glabrata, Terminalia canescens and
Croton habrophyllus tall open scrub over open heath over
Diospyros humilis, Pavetta muelleri, Distichostemon hispidulus
var. phyllopterus (= Dodonaea hispidula va r. phylloptera) and
Mimusops elengi open shrubland over Triodia microstachya
hummock grassland over Xenostegia tridentata very open
herbland.
– – – – x –
AsSt Acacia stigmatophylla low open shrubland over Sorghum
timorense annual grassland.
x–––––
AsT b Acacia stigmatophylla low open shrubland over Triodia bynoei
hummock grassland over Gomphrena parviflora very open
herbland.
x–––––
AsTm Acacia stigmatophylla open shrubland over Flueggea virosa
subsp. melanthesoides low open shrubland over Sorghum
timorense (closed) annual grassland and Triodia microstachya
open grassland.
x–––––
BcBd Bombax ceiba, Brachychiton diversifolius, Vitex glabrata
and Zanthoxylum parviflorum (low) open woodland over
Cochlospermum fraseri, Bridelia tomentosa, Pavetta muelleri,
Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides and Grewia glabra
shrubland over Melhania oblongifolia and Tephrosia rosea var.
rosea scattered low shrubs over Sorghum timorense and Sehima
nervosum grassland over Polymeria ambigua and Commelina
ensifolia scattered herbs.
– – x – – –
BdGff Brachychiton diversifolius and Garuga floribunda var. floribunda
scattered low trees over Cochlospermum fraseri, Capparis
quiniflora and Grewia glabra tall open shrubland over Pavetta
muelleri, Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides, Premna
acuminata and Bridelia tomentosa open heath over Cenchrus
elymoides var. elymoides (or with Sorghum timorense) (closed)
annual grassland with Ampelocissus acetosa, Jasminum didymum
subsp. didymum and Cissus reniformis scattered lianas.
– – x – – –
Bt TpTcS Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4), Terminalia petiolaris and
Terminalia canescens tall open scrub (or low open forest) over
Bridelia tomentosa, Vitex glabrata, Grewia breviflora and Croton
habrophyllus shrubland over Indigastrum parviflorum, Ptilotus
conicus and Gomphrena parviflora open herbland over Tr iod ia
bynoei hummock grassland, and Eriachne avenacea, Eriachne
burkittii, Sorghum timorense and Cenchrus elymoides var.
brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) (open) annual grassland.
– – – x – –
CcAr Corymbia clavigera scattered low trees over Acacia retinervis
and Vitex glabrata tall open scrub over Croton habrophyllus and
Buchanania oblongifolia open shrubland over Premna acuminata
and Pavetta muelleri low open shrubland over Triodia bynoei
open hummock grassland, and Eriachne ciliata very open annual
grassland over Desmodium filiforme very open herbland.
– – x – – –
Cc ArTb Corymbia clavigera low open woodland over Acacia retinervis tall
open shrubland over Bridelia tomentosa, Breynia cernua and Vitex
glabrata open shrubland over Triodia bynoei closed hummock
grassland and Eriachne ciliata very open annual grassland.
– – – x – –
CcGAr Corymbia clavigera scattered low trees over Grevillea
refracta subsp. refracta tall shrubland over Acacia retinervis
open shrubland over Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2) and
Buchanania oblongifolia low open shrubland over Sorghum
timorense very open annual grassland and Triodia bynoei
hummock grassland over Synaptantha scleranthoides and
Trachymene didiscoides open herbland with scattered lianas of
Cassytha filiformis.
– – – – x –
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 65
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
CcpAr Corymbia clavigera (or with Cor ymbia polycarpa), Acacia
retinervis woodland (or low open forest) over Celtis philippensis,
Diospyros maritima, Strychnos lucida, Pittosporum moluccanum
(P4), Vitex glabrata and Sterculia quadrifida closed tall scrub
(or open shrubland) over Pavetta muelleri, Croton habrophyllus,
Mimusops elengi, Breynia cernua, Sterculia quadrifida and
Tarenna pentamera closed shrubland over Corchorus pumilio low
open shrubland over Sorghum timorense grassland with lianas of
Adenia heterophylla, Asparagus racemosus, Flagellaria indica and
Jacquemontia paniculata.
– x – – – –
CcPmVg Corymbia clavigera low open woodland over Pittosporum
moluccanum (P4), Premna acuminata, Zanthoxylum parviflorum,
Vitex glabrata and Drypetes deplanchei tall open scrub over
Capparis sepiaria, Mimusops elengi, Bridelia tomentosa, Capparis
jacobsii, Croton habrophyllus, Alyxia spicata, Flueggea virosa
subsp. melanthesoides, Pavetta muelleri and Carissa lanceolata –
C. ovata intergrade (NM10-15) open heath over Glycine tomentella
low open shrubland over Sorghum timorense open annual
grassland.
– – x – – –
CcpV TSt Cor ymbia clavigera and Corymbia polycarpa low open forest
over Acacia retinervis, Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides,
Vitex glabrata, Alectryon connatus and Diospyros maritima tall
open shrubland over Croton habrophyllus, Premna acuminata,
Pavetta muelleri, Acacia stigmatophylla and Distichostemon
hispidulus var. phyllopterus (= Dodonaea hispidula var. phylloptera)
(open) shrubland over Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata intergrade
(N M10-15), Galactia tenuiflora and Triumfetta aquila low open
shrubland over Sorghum timorense, Cenchrus elymoides var.
brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) and Sehima nervosum annual
grassland.
– x – – – –
CcTp V Corymbia clavigera and Terminalia petiolaris low open woodland
over Acacia retinervis, Croton habrophyllus, Premna acuminata,
Pavetta muelleri, Mimusops elengi, Exocarpos latifolius and
Vitex glabrata closed tall scrub over Grewia breviflora, Grewia
oxyphylla, Bridelia tomentosa and Hibiscus fryxellii open
shrubland over Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata intergrade (NM10-15),
Distichostemon hispidulus var. phyllopterus (= Dodonaea hispidula
var. phylloptera), Hibiscus peralbus and Sida sp. A Kimberley
Flora (P.A. Fryxell & L.A. Craven 3900) low open shrubland over
Eriachne ciliata and Sorghum plumosum annual grassland, and
Triodia microstachya open hummock grassland over Ptilotus
polystachyus very open herbland with lianas of Cassytha filiformis,
Jacquemontia paniculata, Tinospora smilacina, Flagellaria indica,
Luvunga monophylla, Abrus precatorius and Capparis sepiaria.
– – – – x –
CcVTSt Corymbia clavigera low open forest over Pittosporum
moluccanum (P4), Garuga floribunda var. floribunda, Buchanania
oblongifolia, Celtis philippensis, Diospyros maritima and Croton
habrophyllus tall shrubland over Ficus aculeata var. aculeata,
Distichostemon hispidulus var. phyllopterus (= Dodonaea hispidula
var. phylloptera) and Triumfetta aquila open shrubland over
Sorghum timorense very open grassland.
x–––––
CgTp Cor ymbia greeniana and Terminalia petiolaris low open
woodland over Mimusops elengi, Drypetes deplanchei, Celtis
philippensis and Grewia breviflora tall shrubland (or open scrub)
over Croton habrophyllus, Capparis quiniflora and Pavetta
muelleri shrubland over Indigofera polygaloides scattered
herbland with Heteropogon contortus and Sehima nervosum
very open grassland with lianas of Jacquemontia paniculata,
Luvunga monophylla, Abrus precatorius, Asparagus racemosus,
Ampelocissus acetosa and Rhynchosia minima var. australis.
– – – – x –
Page 66 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
CpAbSp Corymbia polycarpa, Aglaia elaeagnoidea, Ficus virens and
Erythrophleum chlorostachys woodland over Diospyros maritima,
Drypetes deplanchei, Elaeodendron melanocarpum, Ganophyllum
falcatum, Garuga floribunda var. floribunda and Terminalia
petiolaris low open forest over Pavetta muelleri, Acacia deltoidea
subsp. deltoidea (tall) open shrubland over Triodia microstachya
hummock grassland, and Spinifex longifolius and Sporobolus
virginicus very open grassland over Spermacoce sp. Berthier
Dunes (R.L. Barrett RLB 5753) (P3) and Ipomoea pes-caprae
subsp. brasiliensis open herbland with Capparis sepiaria and
Opilia amentacea lianas.
–––––x
CpAr Corymbia polycarpa and Acacia retinervis woodland (or low open
forest) over Celtis philippensis, Diospyros maritima, Strychnos
lucida, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4), Vitex glabrata and Sterculia
quadrifida closed tall scrub (or open shrubland) over Pavetta
muelleri, Croton habrophyllus, Mimusops elengi, Breynia cernua,
Sterculia quadrifida and Tarenna pentamera closed shrubland
over Corchorus pumilio low open shrubland over Sorghum
timorense grassland with lianas of Adenia heterophylla, Asparagus
racemosus, Flagellaria indica and Jacquemontia paniculata.
– – x – – –
CpArg Corymbia polycarpa and Acacia retinervis low open forest over
Acacia gonocarpa, Diospyros maritima and Pavetta muelleri tall
shrubland over Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) annual grassland or closed grassland.
–––––x
CpArG Corymbia polycarpa and Acacia retinervis low (open) woodland
over Grevillea heliosperma, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4),
Mimusops elengi and Vitex glabrata tall shrubland over Croton
habrophyllus, Alyxia spicata and Pavetta muelleri open heath over
Acacia stigmatophylla, Distichostemon hispidulus va r. phyllopterus
(= Dodonaea hispidula var. phylloptera) and Carissa lanceolata –
C. ovata intergrade (NM10-15) low (open) shrubland over Cenchrus
elymoides var. elymoides and Sorghum timorense very open
grassland.
– – x – – –
CpcGSt Corymbia polycarpa (or with Corymbia clavigera) (low) open
woodland over Pittosporum moluccanum (P4), Ficus aculeata var.
aculeata, Grevillea pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis and Acacia
retinervis tall open shrubland over Sorghum timorense annual
grassland over Gomphrena parviflora open herbland.
Note: this vegetation unit was too small in area to be displayed on
Figure 3-48.
– x – – – –
Cp cTASt Cor ymbia polycarpa and Corymbia clavigera (or with
Terminalia petiolaris) low woodland over Acacia retinervis,
Acacia stigmatophylla, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4) and
Terminalia canescens tall open shrubland over Celtis philippensis,
Croton habrophyllus, Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides,
Pavetta muelleri, Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea) and
Premna acuminata open shrubland over Triumfetta aquila,
Vitex glabrata and Galactia tenuiflora low open shrubland over
Sorghum timorense and Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) (closed) annual grassland.
x x – – – –
Cp cTcAr Corymbia polycarpa (or with Corymbia clavigera) low woodland
over Terminalia canescens (or with Grevillea pyramidalis subsp.
pyramidalis) (tall open) shrubland over Acacia retinervis and
Premna acuminata (low) open shrubland over Triodia bynoei (open)
hummock grassland and Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) (very open) annual grassland.
x–––––
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 67
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
CpTc As Corymbia polycarpa low woodland over Terminalia canescens
tall open shrubland over Pavetta muelleri, Premna acuminata,
Croton habrophyllus, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4), Flueggea
virosa subsp. melanthesoides and Acacia stigmatophylla (open)
shrubland over Distichostemon hispidulus var. phyllopterus
(= Dodonaea hispidula var. phylloptera) and Galactia tenuiflora
scattered low shrubs over Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) and Sorghum timorense annual grassland.
x–––––
CpTp Corymbia polycarpa, Terminalia petiolaris, Garuga floribunda var.
floribunda and Mimusops elengi low closed forest over Pavetta
muelleri, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4), Sterculia quadrifida,
Diospyros maritima and Vitex acuminata tall (open) shrubland
with lianas of Abrus precatorius, Asparagus racemosus, Capparis
sepiaria, Luvunga monophylla and Sarcostemma viminale subsp.
brunonianum (= Cynanchum viminale subsp. brunonianum).
x–––––
CpT S t Corymbia polycarpa low open woodland over Pavetta muelleri,
Trophis scandens (= Malaisia scandens), Premna acuminata
and Celtis philippensis shrubland over Sorghum timorense and
Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) closed
tussock grassland over Galactia tenuiflora low open shrubland
over Indigofera linifolia, Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31-13) and
Gomphrena canescens subsp. canescens open herbland.
Where vegetation unit CpTSt occurs in gullies, its vine-thicket
elements may become markedly denser. Although in some ways
such a gully community may appear to be a discrete vegetation
unit, in fact its species composition is essentially the same as
that of the main extent of the CpTSt unit. In Figure 3-47 the
gully community is the southernmost portion of the CpTSt unit
in the vicinity of the latitude–longitude coordinates 14°24´25˝S,
124°58´35˝E.
x–––––
FaGtSt Ficus aculeata va r. aculeata open shrubland over Galactia
tenuiflora and Melhania oblongifolia low open shrubland
over Sorghum timorense annual grassland over Gomphrena
canescens subsp. canescens and Ptilotus conicus very open
herbland with lianas of Tinospora smilacina.
– – x – – –
GfVT Garuga floribunda var. floribunda low open woodland over
Diospyros maritima, Celtis philippensis, Drypetes deplanchei,
Sterculia quadrifida, Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides
and Pavetta muelleri closed tall scrub with lianas of Luvunga
monophylla, Secamone timoriensis, Capparis sepiaria and
Abrus precatorius.
– x – – – –
GfZC Garuga floribunda var. floribunda, Zanthoxylum parviflorum,
Mimusops elengi, Ganophyllum falcatum and Terminalia petiolaris
low (open) woodland over Celtis philippensis, Pavetta muelleri and
Sterculia quadrifida tall open shrubland over Acacia gonocarpa
and Diospyros maritima low open shrubland over Cenchrus
elymoides var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) annual grassland,
and Triodia microstachya open hummock grassland with
Tinospora smilacina lianas.
–––––x
GGMd Ganophyllum falcatum, Garuga floribunda var. floribunda,
Diospyros rugosula and Diospyros maritima low woodland
over Vitex glabrata, Sterculia quadrifida, Capparis sepiaria and
Trophis scandens (= Malaisia scandens) tall open scrub with
closed lianas of Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi, Jasminum
didymum subsp. didymum, Flagellaria indica, Pisonia aculeata and
Pachygone ovata.
– – – x – –
Page 68 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
GGVT Ganophyllum falcatum, Garuga floribunda va r. floribunda,
Gyrocarpus americanus subsp. americanus and Glycosmis
trifoliata low open forest over Diospyros maritima, Grewia
breviflora, Vitex glabrata, Diospyros rugosula, Mimusops elengi,
Trophis scandens (= Malaisia scandens), Drypetes deplanchei
and Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea) tall open scrub over
Capparis sepiaria, Luvunga monophylla shrubland over Hypoestes
floribunda var. suaveolens low open shrubland with lianas of
Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi, Pisonia aculeata, Ipomoea
trichosperma, Flagellaria indica and Adenia heterophylla.
– – – x – –
Gmi Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414) open
grassland with scattered grasses and herbs, often at low densities,
usually at the edge of cliffs and ridges on the margins of the island.
x x x – x –
GpPGS Grevillea pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis (tall) open shrubland
over Pavetta muelleri and Mimusops elengi (tall to low) open
shrubland over Gomphrena canescens subsp. canescens,
Ptilotus conicus and Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31-13) very open
herbland over Sorghum timorense open annual grassland.
– x – – – –
Lr Lumnitzera racemosa scattered low trees over Sorghum
timorense open annual grassland, and Spinifex longifolius (open)
grassland over Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis, Canavalia
rosea and Ipomoea macrantha open herbland.
– x – – – –
MdAi Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi and Flagellaria indica closed
lianas over Morinda citrifolia scattered tall shrubs over Abutilon
indicum (low) open shrubland over Xenostegia tridentata very
open herbland.
x–––––
MlFi Melaleuca leucadendra open forest over Mimusops elengi,
Terminalia petiolaris, Exocarpos latifolius, Drypetes deplanchei
and Canarium australianum var. velutinum low woodland over
Acacia deltoidea subsp. deltoidea and Acacia gonocarpa tall
open shrubland over Sorghum timorense open annual grassland,
and Triodia microstachya very open hummock grassland with
*Passiflora foetida, Capparis sepiaria and Flagellaria indica lianas.
–––––x
PmCSt Pavetta muelleri, Mimusops elengi and Premna acuminata
open shrubland over Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) and Sorghum timorense (closed) annual
grassland.
– x – – – –
PmPa Pavetta muelleri, Premna acuminata and Mimusops elengi tall
shrubland over Sterculia quadrifida, Grewia breviflora, Grewia
glabra, Drypetes deplanchei and Celtis philippensis (open)
shrubland with lianas of Abrus precatorius and Jacquemontia
paniculata.
– x – – – –
PmSpCSt Pavetta muelleri, Mimusops elengi and Premna acuminata open
shrubland over Spinifex longifolius grassland, and Cenchrus
elymoides var. brevisetosus (= C. brevisetosus) and Sorghum
timorense (very) open grassland.
– x – – – –
PsS Pandanus spiralis screw pine stands over Sorghum timorense
annual grassland.
x–––––
PsTbSt Pandanus spiralis screw pine stands with Premna acuminata,
Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides, Grewia oxyphylla,
Mimusops elengi, Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea) and
Garuga floribunda var. floribunda (tall) shrubland over Capparis
spinosa var. nummularia and Fioria vitifolia (= Hibiscus vitifolius)
over Triodia bynoei hummock grassland, Sorghum timorense
annual grassland with lianas of Tinospora smilacina and
Ampelocissus acetosa.
x–––––
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 69
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
SqTp Sterculia quadrifida, Terminalia petiolaris, Exocarpos latifolius,
Ganophyllum falcatum and Mimusops elengi (closed tall scrub) to
closed low forest over Drypetes deplanchei, Celtis philippensis,
Pavetta muelleri, Croton habrophyllus, Flueggea virosa subsp.
melanthesoides and Premna acuminata (tall) shrubland over
Abutilon indicum, Hibiscus peralbus and Luvunga monophylla
scattered shrubs or open shrubland over Commelina ensifolia,
Boerhavia dominii and Achyranthes aspera (very) open herbland
with lianas of Adenia heterophylla, Asparagus racemosus,
Jacquemontia paniculata, Pachygone ovata and Cissus reniformis.
x–––––
SVCe Sterculia quadrifida, Vitex glabrata, Garuga floribunda var.
floribunda, Ganophyllum falcatum and Drypetes deplanchei tall
open scrub over Cenchrus elymoides va r. brevisetosus
(= C. brevisetosus) very open annual grassland.
–––––x
TbEc Triodia bynoei (closed) hummock grassland, Eriachne ciliata
very open annual grassland over Synaptantha scleranthoides,
Gomphrena parviflora, Spermacoce sp. “White” (NM21-01) and
Buchnera asperata very open herbland.
– – – x – –
TbG Triodia bynoei (open) hummock grassland over Gomphrena
canescens subsp. canescens, Gomphrena flaccida, Gomphrena
parviflora, Ptilotus conicus and Calandrinia uniflora open herbland
over Bulbostylis barbata very open sedgeland.
x x – – – –
TcA r Terminalia canescens tall open shrubland over Acacia retinervis
scattered shrubs over open shrubland over Triodia bynoei (open)
hummock grassland and Sorghum timorense open annual
grassland over Gomphrena flaccida open herbland.
x–––––
TcAsTbS Terminalia canescens tall open shrubland over Acacia
stigmatophylla, Wrightia saligna, Breynia cernua, Flueggea
virosa subsp. melanthesoides open shrubland over Triodia
bynoei hummock grassland and Sorghum timorense very open
annual grassland.
– x – – – –
TcF Terminalia canescens and Flueggea virosa subsp.
melanthesoides scattered shrubs over Buchanania oblongifolia,
Melhania oblongifolia and Tephrosia rosea var. rosea low open
shrubland over Gomphrena canescens subsp. canescens and
Hibiscus geranioides herbland over Heteropogon contortus,
Enneapogon pallidus and Sorghum timorense closed annual
grassland over Fimbristylis cymosa very open sedgeland.
x–––––
TcG Terminalia canescens, Grevillea pyramidalis subsp.
pyramidalis, Pavetta muelleri and Ficus aculeata var. aculeata
open shrubland over Acacia stigmatophylla, Flueggea virosa
subsp. melanthesoides, Hibiscus leptocladus, Pouteria sericea
(= Sersalisia sericea) and Triumfetta aquila open low heath over
Sorghum timorense closed annual grassland and Triodia bynoei
scattered hummock grasses.
x–––––
TdG f f Tarenna dallachiana, Garuga floribunda var. floribunda and
Terminalia petiolaris scattered low trees over Grewia breviflora,
Premna acuminata, Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea)
and Diospyros maritima open heath or tall open scrub over
Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides and Hibiscus peralbus
low shrubland over Xenostegia tridentata and Indigofera linifolia
open herbland with lianas of Jacquemontia paniculata, Luvunga
monophylla, Abrus precatorius and Capparis sepiaria.
– – – – x –
TmG Triodia microstachya grassland on coastal dunes. –––––x
TpA rT b Corymbia clavigera and Terminalia petiolaris low open woodland
over Acacia retinervis tall open shrubland over Flueggea virosa
subsp. melanthesoides, Garuga floribunda var. floribunda and
Pavetta muelleri open shrubland over Gomphrena parviflora and
Gonocarpus leptothecus very open herbland over Triodia bynoei
hummock grassland.
– x – – – –
Page 70 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑13: Vegetation unit codes and descriptions for each of the islands surveyed (continued)
Vegetation
unit code Description
Island
NMI SMI BER EMI WMI LAM
TpGf Diospyros maritima, Mimusops elengi, Terminalia petiolaris,
Garuga floribunda var. floribunda and Ganophyllum falcatum
low closed forest over Celtis philippensis, Trophis scandens
(= Malaisia scandens), Glycosmis trifoliata, Premna acuminata and
Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea) (open) shrubland with lianas
of Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi, Pachygone ovata, Pisonia
aculeata and Adenia heterophylla.
x–––––
TpGffMe Terminalia petiolaris, Ganophyllum falcatum, Garuga floribunda
var. floribunda and Glycosmis trifoliata low woodland over Croton
habrophyllus, Sterculia quadrifida, Mimusops elengi, Flueggea
virosa subsp. melanthesoides, Diospyros maritima, Celtis
philippensis, Strychnos lucida and Exocarpos latifolius tall open
scrub over Tarenna pentamera and Grewia glabra shrubland over
Hibiscus peralbus low shrubland over Sorghum timorense very
open grassland over Achyranthes aspera and Commelina ensifolia
very open herbland with lianas of Jacquemontia paniculata,
Luvunga monophylla, Capparis sepiaria, Abrus precatorius and
Rhynchosia minima var. australis.
– x – – – –
TpP M Terminalia petiolaris, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4) and
Mimusops elengi scattered low trees over Pavetta muelleri,
Premna acuminata, Buchanania oblongifolia and Celtis
philippensis shrubland over Acacia stigmatophylla low open
shrubland over Triodia bynoei open hummock grassland and
Sorghum timorense open annual grassland with lianas of
Jacquemontia paniculata.
x–––––
TpS q Terminalia petiolaris low open woodland over Sterculia
quadrifida closed tall scrub over Pittosporum moluccanum (P4),
Drypetes deplanchei, Pouteria sericea (= Sersalisia sericea),
Flueggea virosa subsp. melanthesoides, Pavetta muelleri
and Celtis philippensis open shrubland with lianas of Adenia
heterophylla, Ipomoea macrantha and Flagellaria indica.
x–––––
UVU Undescribed vegetation unit. –––––x
Figure 3‑44: Vegetation unit ArTb—
South Maret Island
(SM01)
Figure 3‑45: Vegetation unit TbG—
North Maret Island
(SM13 )
Figure 3‑46 : Vegetation unit
CpcTASt—South Maret
Island (SM12)
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Vegetation distributions by island
North Maret Island
A total of 162 taxa from 54 families were collected or recorded on North Maret Island (see tables 3-10 and 3-14).
Table 3‑14: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on North Maret Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Amaranthaceae 8Amaryllidaceae 1Anacardiaceae 1
Apocynaceae 3Araliaceae 1Asparagaceae 1
Asteraceae 1Boraginaceae 3Burseraceae 1
Cannabaceae 1Capparaceae 3Caryophyllaceae 1
Chenopodiaceae 1Cleomaceae 1Combretaceae 2
Commelinaceae 1Convolvulaceae 9Cucurbitaceae 1
Cyperaceae 3Dioscoreaceae 1Ebenaceae 2
Euphorbiaceae 4Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
1Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
14
Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
2Flagellariaceae 1Goodeniaceae 2
Lamiaceae 3Lauraceae 3Loganiaceae 1
Loranthaceae 2Malvaceae 15 Menispermaceae 2
Moraceae 3Myrtaceae 3Nyctaginaceae 3
Oleaceae 1Orobanchaceae 2Pandanaceae 1
Passifloraceae 1Phyllanthaceae 6Pittosporaceae 1
Poaceae 13 Polygalaceae 2Portulacaceae 5
Proteaceae 1Putranjivaceae 1Rubiaceae 7
Rutaceae 2Santalaceae 1Sapindaceae 4
Sapotaceae 2Stylidiaceae 1Taccaceae 1
Vitaceae 3Zygophyllaceae 2
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006) were found on North Maret Island.
• Conservation significance 2: two Priority Flora species were collected during this survey:
– Pittosporum moluccanum (P4): this species is widely distributed across North Maret Island on slopes, in vine
thicket and on the plateau, in a variety of vegetation units but not including grassland units such as TbG, ArTb
an d AsT b.
– Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4): this species occurs intermittently in woodland, specifically in the CpTSt,
CpcTcAr and CpTcAs vegetation units.
• Conservation significance 3: a summary list of the 14 taxa in this category found on North Maret Island is provided
in Table 3 -15.
Page 72 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑15: North Maret Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their distribution ranges
Name Notes
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata
intergrade (NM10-15)
This plant is possibly more of taxonomic interest than of conservation significance.
It is widely distributed in most vegetation units.
Cayratia maritima Prior to this survey, there was only one other record from Western Australia from a
nearby island (held in a Queensland herbarium and therefore not registered on the
Western Australian plant census). It appears locally common but is of unknown wider
distribution. It was recorded in the vegetation units CpTcAs, CptSt and MdAi.
It was also found during this survey on Berthier Island, East Montalivet Island and
Lamarck Island.
Cleome sp. Bonaparte
Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell 4774)
This is a new taxon, previously confused with Cleome viscosa, found on several
Kimberley islands. Further work is required to determine how widespread it is.
It was recorded from a variety of vegetation units: ArTb, ArTcTb, TbG, AsTb, AsTm,
TcF, CpTcAs, CpTSt and CpcTcAr.
Commicarpus chinensis subsp.
chinensis
This subspecies is also known from two nearby islands, but was not previously
recognised as this species. This was an opportunistic collection at 713235mE,
8405336mN9 (WGS84), in a gully behind Speargrass Beach (see Figure 3-1).
Corymbia clavigera Prior to this survey, this species was only known from five records. It is very poorly
known and is potentially of restricted distribution. It was recorded on the plateau in
the vegetation units CpcTASt and CpcTcAr but it is not widely distributed on North
Maret Island.
Evolvulus sp. “White Flower”
(NM14-05)
Recorded once in the TbG vegetation unit, at the time of the survey this taxon was
thought to be possibly “new”. It has since been confirmed to be Evolvulus alsinoides
var. alsinoides.
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands
(A.A. Mitchell 5414)
This taxon was first found on South Maret Island prior to this survey, and also later on
West Montalivet Island. It was recorded in the Gmi vegetation unit.
Goodenia sp. aff. microptera
(N M27-19)
This is possibly a new taxon. It is currently known only from North Maret Island and
Berthier Island and was recorded in the vegetation units ArTb, ArsTbs, CpcTcAr and
TcF.
Heliotropium sp. aff. dichotomum This is possibly a new taxon. It was recognised late in the survey program as being
related to Heliotropium dichotomum, a species from the east Kimberley. Further
taxonomic studies are required to determine its identity. It was found scattered in
open grasslands on North Maret Island and South Maret Island.
Hibiscus peralbus Of restricted distribution and probably a good indicator species for rainforest health,
this species was recorded or observed in the vegetation units CpTp, SqTp and TpGf.
Mucuna diabolica subsp.
kenneallyi
This subspecies has only four previous records in the Western Australian Herbarium.
It is possibly widespread but its extent is not known. It was recorded in the vegetation
unit MdAi.
Portulaca sp. “River Mud”
(R.L. Barrett 3285)
This is a recently recognised species that is still poorly known, but probably
widespread. It was an opportunistic collection from 713310mE, 8406986mN, on the
edge of Brunei Bay Beach (see Figure 3-1), but it was also observed on the North
Maret Island plateau.
Spermacoce sp. “Blue”
(N M31-13)
The taxonomy of this plant has still to be resolved, but it is possibly new. It was
recorded in the CpTSt and AsTb vegetation units, and opportunistically in the TbG
vegetation unit.
Spermacoce sp. “White”
(NM21- 01)
The taxonomy of this plant has still to be resolved, but it is possibly new. It was
recorded in the AsTb, ArsTbS, ArTb and CpcTASt vegetation units.
9 Coordinates provided relative to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84), utilised by the global positioning system (GPS), have been
referenced in this text as relative to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) to provide a consistent coordinate reference system
(CRS) throughout this book. For all practical purposes, GDA94 coordinates can be considered to be coincident with those of WGS84.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Vegetation
Twenty-four vegetation units were described for North
Maret Island from data collected in the quadrats and
vine-thicket transects (Figure 3-47). In total, North Maret
Island has 26.40 ha of vine thicket (vegetation units
SqTp, Tp Gf, TpPM, and TpSq ).
It should be noted that one example of the vegetation
unit AiTSpC, from behind Brunei Bay Beach (see
Figure 3-1), has been largely extrapolated from aerial
photography and has not been ground-truthed. This is
because this area could not be accessed for Aboriginal
cultural heritage reasons by the survey team. This
AiTSpC unit was confirmed at the northern part of this
area where it is adjacent to the CpTp unit.
The following 12 vegetation units were considered to be
significant:
Ar sT bS: a shrubland–grassland unit represented by
one community on the northern tip of North Maret
Island covering 2.03 ha.
AsSt: a shrubland–grassland unit represented by one
community towards the southern tip of North Maret
Island covering 8.1 ha.
AsTm : a shrubland–grassland unit represented by one
community above the south-western beach; this is the
major representation of Triodia microstachya on the
Maret Islands and covers 4.48 ha.
CcVTSt: a Corymbia low open forest unit with
vine-thicket elements occurring in an incised drainage
line above the cliffs on the north-western side of the
island; it covers 2.36 ha.
Gmi: a shrubland unit which includes the new taxon
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414); it is
restricted to small patches on cliffs above beaches.
MdAi: a unit with vine-thicket elements, restricted to a
deeply incised gully on the south-east side of the island
covering only 0.36 ha. It is the only representation of
the vine Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi on the
Maret Islands, the nearest populations being found on
Berthier Island and East Montalivet Island.
PsS: a shrubland community consisting of a dense
pure stand of Pandanus spiralis (all other examples
of P. spiralis communities on North Maret Island are
mixed); it covers 0.16 ha on the north-west coast.
TcA r : a single community of shrubland vegetation on
the plateau above Queenfish Beach (see Figure 3-1)
covering 2.2 ha.
TcF : a shrubland unit represented by one community on
the south-west side of the island covering 3.3 ha.
TcG : a shrubland unit represented by one community
covering 1.5 ha in a shallow drainage line on the western
side of the island.
TpPM: a unit with vine-thicket elements represented by
a single community on the north-eastern side of North
Maret Island that appears to receive extra drainage
from surrounding slopes; it covers 2.9 ha.
TpS q: a unit with vine-thicket elements; although
occurring at a number of sites around the island,
it covers only 2.75 ha.
Pa ge 74 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Figure 3‑47: Vegetation units of Nort h Maret Island (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descriptions)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 75
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
South Maret Island
A total of 185 taxa from 56 families were collected or otherwise recorded on South Maret Island (see tables 3-10
an d 3-16).
Table 3‑16: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on South Maret Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Acanthaceae 1Amaranthaceae 9Amaryllidaceae 1
Anacardiaceae 1Apocynaceae 11 Araliaceae 1
Asparagaceae 1Asteraceae 2Boraginaceae 4
Burseraceae 1Cannabaceae 1Capparaceae 3
Caryophyllaceae 1Chenopodiaceae 1Cleomaceae 2
Combretaceae 3Commelinaceae 1Convolvulaceae 9
Cucurbitaceae 1Cyperaceae 3Dioscoreaceae 2
Ebenaceae 3Euphorbiaceae 3Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
1
Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
17 Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
4Flagellariaceae 1
Goodeniaceae 2Haloragaceae 1Lamiaceae 3
Lauraceae 3Loganiaceae 1Loranthaceae 2
Malvaceae 14 Menispermaceae 2Moraceae 3
Myrtaceae 3Nyctaginaceae 4Oleaceae 1
Orobanchaceae 3Pandanaceae 1Passifloraceae 1
Phyllanthaceae 6Pittosporaceae 1Poaceae 16
Polygalaceae 2Portulacaceae 4Proteaceae 1
Putranjivaceae 1Rubiaceae 6Rutaceae 3
Santalaceae 1Sapindaceae 4Sapotaceae 2
Stylidiaceae 1Taccaceae 1Vitaceae 2
Zygophyllaceae 2
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006) were found on South Maret Island.
• Conservation significance 2: one Priority Flora species was recorded during this survey:
– Pittosporum moluccanum (P4): this species is widespread in a variety of habitats and was recorded at 14 sites
in five vegetation units, CpcTASt, CcpVTSt, GpPGS, CcpAr and TpGffMe.
• Conservation significance 3: sixteen taxa were collected on South Maret Island that are considered to be
significant although they do not currently have a conservation code (Tab le 3 -17 ).
Page 76 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑17: South Maret Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and t heir distribution ranges
Name Notes
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata
intergrade (NM10-15)
This plant is possibly more of taxonomic interest than of conservation significance. It
was found in a wide variety of habitats in the vegetation units ArTb, ArTcTb, TcAsTbS,
CcpVTSt, CpcTASt, CcpAr, PmPa and TpArTb.
Cathormion umbellatum
subsp. moniliforme
This collection (together with another on Berthier Island) represents a significant range
extension westwards for this taxon in Western Australia. It was recorded in vegetation
unit TpGffMe and opportunistically at 714670mE, 8403150mN above the beach on the
north-east coast of South Maret Island.
Cleome sp. Bonaparte
Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell
4774)
This is a new taxon, previously confused with Cleome viscosa, found on several Kimberley
region islands. Further work is required to determine how widespread it is. It was
recorded in vegetation units TbG, CpcTASt and GpPGS.
Commicarpus chinensis
subsp. chinensis
This subspecies is also known from two nearby islands, but was not previously
recognised as this species. It was recorded in vegetation unit TpGffMe and
opportunistically at 713750mE, 8401662mN above South Beach (see Figure 3-2) and at
714633mE, 8513120mN in the thicket above the beach on the north-east coast of South
Maret Island.
Cordia subcordata This species is known from only 12 other collections, ten in the Kimberley and two in
the Pilbara. It was recorded opportunistically at South Beach on South Maret Island at
714158mE, 8401772mN (see Figure 3-2).
Corymbia bleeseri This species is known from a number of collections in the far north Kimberley. Recorded
as a few plants on the plateau on South Maret Island, this population represents a
significant disjunction from mainland populations.
Corymbia clavigera Prior to this study, this species had only been recorded on five previous occasions. It is
very poorly known and potentially of restricted distribution. It was recorded in vegetation
units CcpAr, CcpVTSt, CpcTASt and TpArTb.
Diospyros rugosula Along with the collections from Berthier Island and East Montalivet Island this was
considered to be a new record of D. hebecarpa for Western Australia. It was found in vine
thicket. Following a review of the taxonomy of this group, it has been determined that the
correct name for these collections is D. rugosula.
Eriachne sulcata This collection was an unusually hairy form. The species is possibly widespread in the
Kimberley region but has been poorly collected. It was collected in vegetation unit TbG.
Evolvulus sp. “White Flower”
(NM14-05)
Recorded twice in the ArTcTb vegetation unit, at the time of the survey this taxon was
thought to be possibly “new”. It has since been confirmed to be Evolvulus alsinoides var.
alsinoides.
Gomphrena sp. Maret
Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414)
This taxon was first found on South Maret Island prior to this survey, and also later on
West Montalivet Island. It was collected opportunistically at 713907mE, 8403937mN
near the isthmus between the two islands, at 714348mE, 8402269mN, and at 714816mE,
8403107mN on the east coast by Cormorant Beach (see Figure 3-2).
Heliotropium sp. aff.
dichotomum
This is possibly a new taxon. It was recognised late in the survey program as being
related to Heliotropium dichotomum, a species from the east Kimberley. Further
taxonomic studies are required to determine its identity. It was found scattered in open
grasslands on North Maret Island and South Maret Island.
Hibiscus peralbus Of restricted distribution and probably a good indicator species for rainforest health, this
species was recorded in the vegetation units CcpAr, CpcTASt and TpGffMe.
Portulaca sp. “River Mud”
(R.L. Barrett 3285)
This is a recently recognised species that is still poorly known, but probably widespread.
It was recorded in the vegetation units ArTcTb, TcAsTbS and TpArTb.
*Pupalia micrantha This plant has been treated as an introduced species as it has weedy characteristics.
However it is possibly native but poorly collected in Western Australia. It was recorded in
the TpGffMe vegetation unit.
Spermacoce sp. “Blue”
(N M31-13)
The taxonomy of this plant has still to be resolved, but it is possibly new. It was recorded
in the GpPGS vegetation unit.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Vegetation
Sixteen vegetation units were described for South
Maret Island from data collected in the quadrats and
vine-thicket transects (Figure 3-48). In total, South
Maret Island has 74.76 ha of vine thicket (vegetation
units GfVT, PmPa, TpGffMe).
The following seven vegetation units were considered to
be significant:
ArT b : a shrubland–grassland unit represented by
one community on South Maret Island covering
approximately 7.3 ha. It is also represented on North
Maret Island where it covers approximately 46.7 ha.
Gf VT: a vegetation unit with vine-thicket elements
represented by one community covering approximately
3.16 ha. It is restricted to a shallow drainage line above
the western coast.
Gmi: a shrubland unit represented by three small
communities with a total area of just over 1 ha.
The Gomphrena species that this vegetation unit is
named after is a new taxon, Gomphrena sp. Maret
Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414), possibly with a restricted
distribution.
PmPa: a vegetation unit with vine-thicket elements
represented by two communities on the north-east
coast of the island which cover just over 1 ha.
PmCSt: a shrubland–grassland unit with vine-thicket
elements represented by one community on the east
coast covering approximately 2.5 ha.
PmSpCSt: a shrubland–grassland unit represented
by three communities behind beaches, covering
approximately 4.8 ha.
Lr: the white-flowered black mangrove Lumnitzera
racemosa is the only mangrove species occurring
on the Maret Islands. Although widespread in the
Kimberley, it is represented on the Maret Islands in only
one small patch in a non-tidal location at the northern
end of Sparrowhawk Beach (see Figure 3-2) on the east
coast of South Maret Island.
Figure 3‑48 : Vegetation units of South Maret Island (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descriptions)
Page 78 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Berthier Island
A total of 209 taxa from 58 families were collected or recorded on Berthier Island (see tables 3-10 and 3-18).
Table 3‑18: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on Berthier Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Acanthaceae 3Amaranthaceae 9Amaryllidaceae 1
Anacardiaceae 1Apocynaceae 10 Araliaceae 1
Asparagaceae 1Asteraceae 4Bixaceae 1
Burseraceae 1Cannabaceae 2Boraginaceae 1
Caryophyllaceae 1Chenopodiaceae 1Capparaceae 5
Combretaceae 3Commelinaceae 1Cleomaceae 1
Cucurbitaceae 3Cyperaceae 1Convolvulaceae 11
Ebenaceae 3Euphorbiaceae 3Dioscoreaceae 2
Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
26 Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
5Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
2
Goodeniaceae 3Lamiaceae 6Flagellariaceae 1
Loganiaceae 1Loranthaceae 2Lauraceae 2
Meliaceae 1Menispermaceae 2Malvaceae 17
Myrtaceae 3Nyctaginaceae 3Moraceae 4
Orobanchaceae 4Pandanaceae 1Oleaceae 2
Phyllanthaceae 7Pittosporaceae 1Passifloraceae 2
Polygalaceae 1Portulacaceae 3Poaceae 15
Pteridaceae 2Putranjivaceae 1Proteaceae 2
Rutaceae 3Santalaceae 1Rubiaceae 3
Sapotaceae 2Stylidiaceae 1Sapindaceae 5
Vitaceae 3Zygophyllaceae 1Taccaceae 1
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006) were found on Berthier Island.
• Conservation significance 2: one Priority Flora species was recorded during this survey:
– Pittosporum moluccanum (P4): this species is widespread in a variety of habitats, was recorded at 18 sites, and
occurs in seven of the nine vegetation units described for Berthier Island, ArGS, BcBd, BdGff, CcAr, CcPmVg,
CpArG and CPAr.
• Conservation significance 3: a summary list of the 12 taxa in this category found on Berthier Island is provided in
Tab le 3 -19 .
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑19: Berthier Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their dist ribution ranges
Name Notes
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata
intergrade (NM10-15)
This plant is possibly more of taxonomic interest than of conservation significance.
It was found in the vegetation units ArGS, BcBd, BdGff, CpAr, CcPmVg and CpArG.
Cathormion umbellatum subsp.
moniliforme
This record (together with another on South Maret Island) represents a significant
range extension westwards for this taxon in Western Australia. It was collected
opportunistically in vine thicket above the south-east beach at 714863mE,
8393804mN.
Cayratia maritima Prior to this survey, there was only one other record from Western Australia from a
nearby island (held in a Queensland herbarium and therefore not registered on the
Western Australian plant census). It appears locally common but is of unknown wider
distribution. It was recorded in the vegetation units BcBd, CcPmVg and CpAr.
It was also found during this survey on North Maret Island, East Montalivet Island and
Lamarck Island.
Cleome sp. Bonaparte
Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell 4774)
This is a new taxon, previously confused with Cleome viscosa, found on several
Kimberley region islands. Further work is required to determine how widespread it is.
It was recorded in vegetation units BdGff and FaGtSt.
Commicarpus chinensis subsp.
chinensis
This subspecies is also known from two nearby islands, but was not previously
recognised as this species. It was recorded in vegetation units CpArG and CcPmVg.
Corymbia clavigera Prior to this survey, this species was only known from five records. It is very poorly
known and is potentially of restricted distribution. It was recorded in vegetation units
CcAr and CcPmVg.
Diospyros rugosula Along with the collections from South Maret Island and East Montalivet Island this
was considered to be a new record of D. hebecarpa for Western Australia. It was
found in vine thicket. Following a review of the taxonomy of this group, it has been
determined that the correct name for these collections is D. rugosula. It was recorded
in vegetation units CcPmVg and CpArG.
Evolvolus sp. “White Flower”
(NM14-05)
Recorded in the vegetation unit BdGff, at the time of the survey this taxon was
thought to be possibly “new”. It has since been confirmed to be Evolvulus alsinoides
var. alsinoides.
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands
(A.A. Mitchell 5414)
This taxon was first found on South Maret Island prior to this survey, and also later on
West Montalivet Island. It was recorded at numerous locations on Berthier Island and
coded as vegetation unit Gmi.
Hibiscus peralbus Of restricted distribution and probably a good indicator species for rainforest health,
this species was recorded in the vegetation units BcBd, BdGff, CcPmVg, CpArG and
CpAr.
Secamone timoriensis This species is known from six other collections in Western Australia, only one of
which is held in the Western Australian Herbarium. It was recorded in vegetation units
BdGff, CcAr, CcPmVg and CpArG.
Spermacoce sp. Berthier Dunes
(R.L. Barrett RLB 5753) (P3)
This record was an opportunistic collection from dunes by the beach at 714661mE,
8396668mN. This a new species.
Vegetation
Nine vegetation units were described for Berthier Island
from the areas surveyed. This is not a definitive list of
the vegetation units of Berthier Island, however, as
survey sites were chosen selectively for comparison
with the Maret Islands. These units are displayed in
the vegetation map provided in Figure 3-49. The map
includes a tenth vegetation unit marked as “Unsurveyed
vine thicket”. This unit was not surveyed on the ground
but was identified from the aerial survey as a vine-thicket
association; its constituent taxa are as yet unknown.
Berthier Island was not surveyed in sufficient detail to
provide information as to which vegetation units might
be considered to be significant. However, the unit Gmi
is significant as it contains the new taxon Gomphrena
sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414), the distribution of
which is possibly restricted.
The vegetation map for Berthier Island is incomplete,
as the entire island was not surveyed. The focus when
surveying the island was on vegetation that resembled
communities on the Maret Islands. Units have been
extrapolated from quadrat and transect data on aerial
photography for those areas mapped, but their exact
extent has not been adequately ground-truthed.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Figure 3‑49: Vegetation units of Berthier Island (provisional) (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descr iptions)
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
East Montalivet Island
A total of 142 taxa from 48 families were collected or otherwise recorded from East Montalivet Island (see tables 3-10
and 3-20).
Table 3‑20: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on East Montalivet Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Acanthaceae 1Amaranthaceae 7Amaryllidaceae 1
Apocynaceae 7Asparagaceae 1Asteraceae 1
Bignoniaceae 1Burseraceae 1Cannabaceae 1
Capparaceae 2Celastraceae 1Cleomaceae 1
Combretaceae 2Commelinaceae 1Convolvulaceae 7
Cucurbitaceae 1Cyperaceae 1Dioscoreaceae 1
Ebenaceae 3Euphorbiaceae 4Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
2
Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
22 Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
2Flagellariaceae 1
Hernandiaceae 1Lamiaceae 2Lauraceae 3
Loganiaceae 2Malvaceae 12 Menispermaceae 2
Moraceae 1Myrtaceae 1Nyctaginaceae 1
Oleaceae 1Orobanchaceae 1Passifloraceae 1
Phyllanthaceae 6Poaceae 12 Polygalaceae 2
Portulacaceae 1Proteaceae 1Pteridaceae 1
Putranjivaceae 1Rubiaceae 5Rutaceae 2
Santalaceae 1Sapindaceae 3Sapotaceae 2
Taccaceae 2Vitaceae 3
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006) were found on East Montalivet Island.
• Conservation significance 2: one Priority Flora species was recorded during this survey:
– Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4) was recorded in vegetation units CcArTb and BtTpTcS.
• Conservation significance 3: eight taxa were collected on East Montalivet Island that, while not currently having a
conservation code, are considered to be significant for various reasons (Ta ble 3-21).
Table 3‑21: East Montalivet Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their distribution ranges (continued)
Name Notes
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata
intergrade (NM10-15)
This intergrade is possibly more of taxonomic interest than of conservation significance.
*Chamaecrista nigricans This species is widespread in the Northern Territory but known in Western Australia from
only one collection. This is the first record of this species in the state for over a century.
It was recorded from the unit BtTpTcS.
Cleome sp. Bonaparte
Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell
4774)
This is a new taxon, previously confused with Cleome viscosa, found on several
Kimberley region islands. Further work is required to determine how widespread it is.
It was recorded in vegetation unit BtTpTcS.
Corymbia clavigera Prior to this survey, this species was only known from five records. It is very poorly known
and is potentially of restricted distribution. It was recorded in vegetation unit CcArTb.
Cullen leucanthum The record represents a range extension for this species, which was only recorded once
previously in the north of the Kimberley region although it is widespread and relatively
common in the Pilbara region. It was recorded in vegetation unit BtTpTcS.
Diospyros rugosula Along with the collections from South Maret Island and Berthier Island this was considered to
be a new record of D. hebecarpa for Western Australia. It was found in vine thicket. Following
a review of the taxonomy of this group, it has been determined that the correct name for these
collections is D. rugosula. It was recorded in vegetation units GGMd and GGVT.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑21: East Montalivet Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their distribution ranges (continued)
Name Notes
Hibiscus peralbus Of restricted distribution and probably a good indicator species for rainforest health, this
species was recorded in vegetation units BtTpTcS and GGVT.
Mucuna diabolica subsp.
kenneallyi
This subspecies has only four previous records in the Western Australian Herbarium. It is
possibly widespread but its extent is not known. It was recorded in vegetation unit GGMd.
Vegetation
Five vegetation units were described for East Montalivet Island. This is not a definitive list of vegetation types for
the island as sites were chosen selectively for comparison with the Maret Islands. The units are displayed in the
vegetation map (Figure 3-50).
No vegetation units defined for East Montalivet Island were present on the other islands surveyed.
East Montalivet Island was not surveyed in sufficient detail to provide information as to which vegetation units might
be significant.
Figure 3‑50: Vegetation units of East Montalivet Island (provisional) (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descriptions)
The vegetation map for East Montalivet Island is incomplete as the entire island was not surveyed. Units have been
extrapolated from quadrat and transect data on aerial photography for those areas mapped, but their exact extent
has not been ground-truthed.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 83
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
West Montalivet Island
A total of 121 species from 46 families were collected or recorded on West Montalivet Island (see tables 3-10
and 3-22).
Table 3‑22: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on West Montalivet Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Acanthaceae 1Amaranthaceae 4Anacardiaceae 1
Annonaceae 1Apocynaceae 6Araliaceae 1
Asparagaceae 1Asteraceae 1Boraginaceae 2
Burseraceae 1Cannabaceae 1Capparaceae 3
Caryophyllaceae 1Celastraceae 1Combretaceae 2
Commelinaceae 1Convolvulaceae 12 Cyperaceae 3
Ebenaceae 2Euphorbiaceae 3Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
11
Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
2Flagellariaceae 1Goodeniaceae 1
Haloragaceae 1Lamiaceae 2Lauraceae 2
Loganiaceae 1Loranthaceae 1Malvaceae 11
Meliaceae 1Menispermaceae 1Moraceae 1
Myrtaceae 2Oleaceae 1Orobanchaceae 2
Passifloraceae 1Phyllanthaceae 6Poaceae 9
Proteaceae 2Putranjivaceae 1Rubiaceae 3
Rutaceae 2Santalaceae 1Sapindaceae 4
Sapotaceae 2Vitaceae 1
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006) were found on West Montalivet Island.
• Conservation significance 2: two Priority Flora taxa were collected during this survey:
– Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2): this taxon is poorly collected, with only five specimen records in the
Western Australian Herbarium. It was recorded on the plateau of the island in vegetation units CcGAr and
CcTpV.
– Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4): this species was recorded in vegetation units ArVT, CcTpV, CgTp and TdGff.
• Conservation significance 3: eight taxa were collected on West Montalivet Island that are considered to be
significant for various reasons (Table 3-23).
Table 3‑23: West Montalivet Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their distribution ranges (continued)
Name Notes
Acalypha pubiflora subsp.
australica
This is the fourth record of this subspecies for Western Australia. It was recorded in
vegetation unit TdGff.
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata
intergrade (NM10-15)
This intergrade is possibly more of taxonomic interest than of conservation
significance.
Cleome sp. Bonaparte
Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell 4774)
This is a new taxon, previously confused with Cleome viscosa, found on several
Kimberley region islands. Further work is required to determine how widespread it is.
It was collected opportunistically.
Corymbia clavigera Prior to this survey, this species was only known from five records. It is very poorly
known and is potentially of restricted distribution. It was recorded in vegetation units
CcGAr and CcTpV.
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands
(A.A. Mitchell 5414)
This taxon was first found on South Maret Island prior to this survey, and also later on
West Montalivet Island. Approximately 1250 mature plants were counted along the
coast between 739368mE, 8419008mN and 739253mE, 8418448mN.
Page 84 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑23: West Montalivet Island: taxa of “conservation significance 3” and their distribution ranges (continued)
Name Notes
Hibiscus peralbus Of restricted distribution and probably a good indicator species for rainforest health,
this species was recorded in vegetation units CcTpV and TdGff.
Marsdenia velutina This species is known from only five previous collections in Western Australia. It was
recorded in vegetation unit CcTpV.
Secamone timoriensis This species is known from six other collections in Western Australia, only one of which
is held in the Western Australian Herbarium. It was recorded in vegetation unit CgTp.
Vegetation
Seven vegetation units were defined for the areas
surveyed on West Montalivet Island. These units are
displayed on the vegetation map in Figure 3-51. This
mapping should be regarded as provisional as the sites
were not surveyed with the same intensity as sites on
other islands.
No vegetation units defined for West Montalivet Island
occur on the other islands surveyed except for small
areas of unit Gmi.
West Montalivet Island was not surveyed in sufficient
detail to provide information on which vegetation units
might be significant. However, the unit Gmi is significant
as it contains the new taxon Gomphrena sp. Maret
Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414), the distribution of which is
possibly restricted.
The vegetation map for West Montalivet Island is
incomplete, as the entire island was not surveyed. Units
have been extrapolated from quadrat and transect data
on aerial photography for those areas mapped, but their
exact extent has not been ground-truthed.
Figure 3‑51: Vegetation units of West Montalivet Island (provisional) (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descriptions)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 85
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Lamarck Island
A total of 141 taxa from 53 families were recorded from Lamarck Island (see tables 3-10 and 3-24). The family
Malvaceae was represented by 14 taxa, followed by Fabaceae and Poaceae (11), Phyllanthaceae (7), Lamiaceae and
Moraceae (6), Rubiaceae and Rutaceae (4). Those families with the greatest representation largely correspond to
those with the highest representation in Phase 1 of this survey, that is, for the surveys of the Maret Islands and the
three reference islands with lateritic geology. The number of taxa per family recorded on Lamarck Island is presented
in Table 3-24.
Table 3‑24: Numbers of taxa per family recorded on Lamarck Island
Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa Family No. of
taxa
Acanthaceae 1Amaranthaceae 4Anacardiaceae 3
Apocynaceae 5Araliaceae 1Asparagaceae 1
Boraginaceae 1Burseraceae 3Cannabaceae 1
Capparaceae 3Celastraceae 1Chenopodiaceae 1
Cleomaceae 1Combretaceae 2Commelinaceae 2
Convolvulaceae 5Cucurbitaceae 1Cyperaceae 2
Ebenaceae 2Euphorbiaceae 2Fabaceae (subfamily
Caesalpinioideae)
1
Fabaceae (subfamily
Faboideae)
7Fabaceae (subfamily
Mimosoideae)
3Flagellariaceae 1
Haloragaceae 1Hernandiaceae 1Lamiaceae 6
Lauraceae 2Loranthaceae 3Malvaceae 14
Meliaceae 1Menispermaceae 1Moraceae 6
Myrtaceae 3Nyctaginaceae 1Oleaceae 2
Onagraceae 1Opiliaceae 1Pandanaceae 1
Passifloraceae 2Phyllanthaceae 7Plantaginaceae 1
Plumbaginaceae 1Poaceae 11 Proteaceae 1
Putranjivaceae 1Rubiaceae 4Rutaceae 4
Santalaceae 1Sapindaceae 2Sapotaceae 2
Solanaceae 1Taccaceae 1Vitaceae 3
Zygophyllaceae 1
Declared Rare Flora, Prio rity Flora and sig nificant flora
• Conservation significance 1: no Declared Rare Flora
species as listed in the Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora)
Notice 2006(2) (Government of Western Australia 2006)
were recorded on Lamarck Island.
• Conservation significance 2: one Priority Flora
species, as listed on the Declared Rare and Priority
Flora List for Western Australia (Atkins 2008), was
recorded during the survey of Lamarck Island:
– Brachychiton tridentatus (P3).
• Conservation significance 3: the three taxa listed
below were recorded during the survey of Lamarck
Island and are considered to be significant for
various reasons (RPS 2008):
– Cleome sp. Bonaparte Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell
4774)
– Glochidion perakense var. supra-axillare
– Spermacoce sp. Berthier Dunes (R.L. Barrett RLB
5753) (P3).
Vegetation
Eleven provisional vegetation units were described for
Lamarck Island and one unit remains undescribed.
The structure and dominant species of the units are
described in Appendix 6 of RPS (2008). The condition of
the vegetation in all surveyed quadrats was found to be
“Pristine” under the scale developed by Keighery (1994).
The identified units are extrapolated from data
collected during the field part of the survey and from
examination of aerial photography, and will require
further ground-truthing to confirm the accuracy of
the boundaries. These units are displayed on the
provisional vegetation map in Figure 3-52.
While the islands of the archipelago share floral
elements, none of the vegetation units described for
Lamarck Island were found on the small limestone
islands in the archipelago to the east of Berthier Island
during the Phase 1 surveys.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
PATN analysis
Dendrogram
PATN analysis was undertaken for North Maret Island,
South Maret Island, Berthier Island, East Montalivet
Island and West Montalivet Island. Lamarck Island was
not included in this analysis.
The dendrogram analysis grouped the sites into 10,
20 and 40 groups (Group 10, Group 20 and Group 40
respectively) based on the presence or absence of
species at each site. Comparison of the three groupings
shows that a level of grouping slightly larger than the
Group 20 level would be a more accurate representation
of the vegetation associations. At the Group 40 level there
were 16 (40%) singletons (associations defined by a single
site) compared with four at Group 20 (10%) and two at
Group 10 (5%) levels (Table 3-25). While this suggests that
at the Group 40 level some of the groupings are defined in
too much detail, other groupings at this level appear to be
well-defined vegetation associations.
The ASO (calculation of similarity) matrix indicated that
the singletons do have high dissimilarity coefficients
in comparison with other sites, suggesting that the
singletons at Group 40 may accurately reflect distinct
vegetation assemblages. The majority of these
singletons have relatively lower species numbers and
appear to be missing some of the common dominant
species. Most of these sites are in very bare parts of
the islands and the low species numbers are therefore
expected. Therefore, most of the singletons (and
therefore groupings at the Group 40 level) appear to
reflect real variation in the vegetation sampled. This
level of variation is not reflected in the vegetation
mapping as the mapped vegetation units combine
structural and floristic elements and rare taxa (<2%) are
not included.
Figure 3‑52: Vegetation units of Lamarck Island (provisional) (refer to Table 3‑13 for vegetation unit descr iptions)
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 87
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Floristic communities are usually defined at a dissimilarity coefficient of 0.6, as a boundary below which groupings
approximate distinct plant communities (E.A. Griffin and Associates, Perth, Western Australia, pers. comm. 2008).
The Group 20 sites in the current analysis were separated at a dissimilarity coefficient of 0.635. This is only just above
the nominal level of 0.6 and indicates that some confidence can be placed in defining associations on the basis of the
Group 20 grouping.
Table 3-25 shows the number of sites on each island that fell into each group at the Group 20 level.
Table 3‑25: Number of sites on each surveyed island within groups der ived from a dendrogram split at the Group 20
level
Group 20 North Maret Island South Maret Island Berthier Island East Montalivet
Island West Montalivet Island
1 – – 11 – –
2 1 4 7 – 2
310 11 – – –
4 – – 1 1 –
5 – – – 3 –
6 3 – 1 – –
7 – 3 – – –
8 2 10 2 3 –
9 – – – – 4
10 1 – – – –
11 – 2 – – –
12 – – 1 – –
13 1 – – 2 –
14 – 4 – – –
15 10 1 – – –
16 2 – – – –
17 2 – – – –
18 – – – – 1
19 – – – – 1
20 1 – – – –
Groups with sites on more than one island show that
there is some overlap in vegetation communities
between the islands. Other groups (communities) were
only represented on one island or at a few sites on two
or more islands. This suggests that these communities
are not common on the islands surveyed, or were
sampled from only a few survey sites.
Semi-strong hybrid multidimensional scaling analysis
The ordination plots shown in Figure 3-53 are
two-dimensional representations of a three-dimensional
figure produced by the SSH MDS analysis. The plots
show the survey sites (quadrats and transects) identified
by island. The distances between them, based on their
floristic composition, reflect the ecological distance
between the plant communities at each site. These
distances, however, are relative to the rest of the data
set and are not an absolute measure of dissimilarity.
The more unusual sites tend to the extremities of the
axes while the other data, being ordinated relative to
these sites, are more centralised.
Plot A represents the data against the V1 and V2 relative
axes. Plot B represents the data against the V1 and V3
relative axes.
The plots demonstrate the overlap in floristic
composition between the islands, indicating that sites in
comparable vegetation formations on different islands
are floristically similar.
The ordination tended to separate the sites according to
the major formations. The grassland quadrats tend to lie
to the left of the plots, the woodland quadrats lie to their
right, woodland sites with vine-thicket species lie in the
middle around the V2 and V3 axes, and the vine-thicket
transects tend to the right.
The overlap of the sites from different islands within
each formation cluster highlights the similarities in
floristic composition among the islands. For example,
the presence of sites from each of the five islands at
the far right of the plots indicates that the vine-thicket
communities are floristically similar across the islands.
Page 88 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
–1.5
–1
–0.5
0
0.5
1
V2 axis
V1 axis
–1.7 –1.2 –0.7 –0.2 0.3 0.8 1.3
North Maret Island South Maret Island Berthier Island East Montalivet Island West Montalivet Island
–1
–0.5
0.5
0
1
1.5
2.5
2
V3 axis
V1 axis
–1.7 –1.2 –0.7 0.3 1.3
North Maret Island South Maret Island Berthier Island East Montalivet Island West Montalivet Island
–0.2 0.8
Figure 3‑53: SSH MDS two‑dimensional representations of a three‑dimensional ordination plot of floristic data from all
quadrats and transects on North Maret, South Maret, Berthier, East Montalivet and West Montalivet islands
A
B
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 89
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
DISCUSSION
Floristically, the Maret Islands and other islands
in the region have two main components: the
savannah-woodland component and the vine-thicket
component. Differences in the vagility of their respective
species may provide an indication of how these
components originated on the Kimberley islands. Vine
thickets, for example, may be more recent colonisers
of the islands. The majority of species from hummock
grasslands, Corymbia woodlands and heathlands
have limited capacity for dispersal over ocean barriers
whereas many of the vine-thicket species, which are
fruit-bearing and utilised by migratory birds, have
greater dispersal potential. It is likely that the savannah
vegetation on the plateaux of the surveyed islands
has been there since the islands were separated from
the mainland. It may have occupied much of the land
area of the islands at the time of their separation from
the mainland and probably makes up a subset of the
current mainland flora.
Mobile frugivorous birds are abundant on the Maret
Islands and surrounding islands and are likely to
transfer propagules between islands and from the
mainland. They may have been a critical factor in
establishing the diverse vine thickets on these islands
and they may be necessary for their persistence.
Lateritic islands
Of the approximately 2600 islands scattered along
the Kimberley coast, only a small proportion are more
than 20 ha in area and a subset of these are basaltic
rather than composed of sandstone. The Maret Islands
are composed of basalt, overlain with laterite, and
are considerably larger than 20 ha in area, totalling
approximately 654 ha of vegetated ground. This size
is likely to make them regionally important in terms of
both landform and biodiversity. The current combined
species list of 220 taxa for the Maret Islands makes
up 7.6% of the known Kimberley flora or 11.1% of the
known flora of the Northern Kimberley Bioregion.
Regional vine thickets
Vine thickets are a subcategory of the rainforest
vegetation type. While the term “rainforest” brings to
mind the jungles of the Amazon or Africa (that have
high rainfall throughout the year), or the seasonally dry
but evergreen forests of the east coast of Australia,
vine thicket (sometimes called “monsoon forest”) is
semi-deciduous and characterised as being “more or
less leafless during the dry season, … tropophilous in
character, usually less lofty than the rain-forest, rich
in woody lianes, rich in herbaceous but poor in woody
epiphytes” (Schimper 1903). The term “vine thicket” is
used here for consistency.
Vine thickets, as found in northern Australia, occur as
“small, seasonally sparse, ‘raingreen’ patches confined
to gullies and scree-slopes in rugged terrain” (McKenzie
1991). While their closest floristic relationships are with
rainforests, their structural features differ and annual
herbs may be present. Vine thickets are known to occur
in the far north of Western Australia and the Northern
Territory, and in inland areas of Queensland.
The vine thickets surveyed and described as part of
this survey fall into the category of “semi-deciduous
notophyll vine thicket” (Russell-Smith 1991; Webb,
Tracey & Williams 1984). This floristic group occurs
on a variety of well to excessively drained coastal
and subcoastal sites through the Northern Territory
(Russell-Smith 1991) and apparently through Western
Australia as well. Many of Russell-Smith’s sites were
located on lateritic substrates, especially on “actively
slumping coastal cliffs”.
The vine thickets display high taxonomic diversity at
family and genus level, but low diversity at species level
(Kenneally, Keighery & Hyland 1991). This means that a
large number of families and genera are represented in
the patches, but each may be represented by only one
or two species. This is a contributing factor in the high
level of diversity found in this vegetation type.
Kenneally, Keighery and Hyland (1991) found 453
species from 339 genera in mainland Kimberley vine
thickets. The methods used during this survey differed
from the INPEX 2006–2007 studies in that 10 m × 10 m
quadrats (in contrast to 50 m × 50 m) were used during
the “detailed” phase of the survey, and the “rapid
phase” of the survey relied on relevé work. However, this
highlights the taxonomic diversity of the mainland vine
thickets. Stands of vine thicket are rarely dominated by
one or two taxa in each structural unit (tree, shrub, etc.).
Beard, Clayton-Greene and Kenneally (1984) report that
larger extensive areas on the Bougainville Peninsula
are vegetated by a mosaic of savannah and vine
thicket and that some areas, proposed as transitional,
have scattered emergent eucalypts (now placed in
the genus Corymbia). The southernmost part of the
peninsula shows similarities to the Mitchell Plateau, with
well-defined patches of vine thicket merging with the
Corymbia savannah. All three structures are present
on South Maret Island, the northern and eastern sides
of which have extensive tracts of vine-thicket species
growing among the Corymbia savannah on the central
plateau. It would appear that on South Maret Island the
savannah vegetation is receding and being replaced by
vine thicket, a process aided by the lack of burning on
the island for, probably, a considerable period of time.
It has been observed that “relaxation of fire frequency”
over a period of only 20–30 years will result in rainforest
elements beginning to colonise adjacent sclerophyll
vegetation (Webb & Tracey 1981).
Page 90 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
South Maret Island has 76 ha of vine thicket in one
continuous band, possibly one of the largest expanses
of this vegetation type in the Kimberley region. It has
been noted that the thickets on the basaltic substrate
have different species assemblages and structures from
thickets on sandstone islands (Dr R.L. Barrett, School
of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, pers.
comm. July 2007). At this point no quantitative data
have been collected from surrounding sandstone island
vine thickets.
When the vegetation with vine-thicket elements on the
South Maret Island plateau is taken into consideration,
the total area of communities with vine-thicket species
is nearly 277 ha. However, the plateau vegetation is
clearly colonised woodland and is not made up of
“pure” stands of vine-thicket species. It is unlikely
that “pure” vine thicket will ever be a seral stage on
the plateaux of Maret Islands because of the lack of
year-round moisture, even if the islands remain fire-free.
Significance of the Maret Islands vine thickets
The Maret Islands form part of the wider “rainforest
archipelago” that encompasses northern Australia. It is
estimated that there are 16 500 rainforest patches over
the entire region, including 1500 in Western Australia
(Kay, Hick & Houghton 1991).
The Maret Islands vine thickets are relatively
undisturbed and isolated from similar patches on
the mainland. They have not been subjected to fire
or to disturbance by feral animals as has happened
on the adjoining mainland. They include aspects of
both coastal sand-dune thickets (characterised by
the occurrence of Pittosporum moluccanum (P4)) and
thickets on lateritic scree.
Regionally, vine-thicket patches are mostly less
than a few hectares in size, ranging from the cover
of a few tree canopies, to riparian strips and coastal
tracts covering thousands of hectares (McKenzie &
Belbin 1991; Russell-Smith 1991). The largest patch
in the Kimberley is approximately 100 ha in area,
with a median of between 2 and 3 ha (Russell-Smith,
McKenzie & Woinarski 1992). The small size of these
patches makes them particularly vulnerable to
disturbance (Kenneally & McKenzie 1991).
Ecological significance of vine thickets
The term “rainforest” was coined in 1898 by Schimper
(1903) to describe forests of the ever-wet tropics.
Tropical rainforests are among the most complex
and species-rich ecosystems to have existed on this
planet (Whitmore 1984). They include at least half of
the world’s species richness although they occupy only
5% of its land surface (Grainger 1980). In current usage
“rainforest” includes monsoon forest (also classified as
semi-evergreen vine thicket).
In Australia, there is a sharp ecological segregation
between closed forests containing species with
Indo-Malesian (tropical) affinities and the Australian
autochthonous flora. This autochthonous element is
characterised by a tendency to sclerophylly, many
species having developed thickened leaves resistant to
water loss such as the typical eucalyptus leaf or acacia
phyllode (although the term sclerophylly includes other
adaptations).
Australian rainforests have very few species in
common with the adjacent sclerophyll vegetation, and
are distinguished from other closed forests by the
prominence of epiphytes, lianas, aerial roots, buttress
tree trunks and the absence of annual herbs (Webb
1959). These dry rainforests are characterised by
their relatively high proportion of vagile, cosmopolitan
genera, their raingreen canopy during the wet season
and the fact that they are generally deciduous during
the dry season. The emergent trees tend to be liberally
festooned with creepers. There is little or no ground
vegetation and the rubble surface is covered with fallen
leaves (Beard 1976).
Table 3-26 summarises information concerning vine
thickets from other studies in Western Australia and the
Northern Territory.
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3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑26: Vine‑thicket references from other studies in northern Australia (continued)
Location Vegetation
type Area Mean Comments Source
Mitchell Plateau
General Monsoon
forest
25 ha (average) 1–2 ha 38 patches mapped. Beard 1976
Admiralty Gulf
On King Leopold
sandstone – dolerite
intrusion. On a ridge
6 km east-north-east
of Mt Anderdon
Monsoon
forest
3 km length (along
the ridge)
Beard 1976
Slopes of Savage Hill,
at south-east corner of
Bigge Island
Monsoon
forest
Substantial
occurrence
On dolerite intrusion. Beard 1976
Bougainville Peninsula
General. On 50 m
scarp bordering the
plateau
Monsoon
forest
Almost completely
covered
Covers a greater area
than on the Mitchell
Plateau, extending
continuously along the
scarps instead of in
small patches.
Beard 1976
General Vine thicket Continuous
communities
Where the terrain is
narrow, very steep or
otherwise inaccessible
(e.g. on the narrow arms
of the peninsula).
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
General Vine thicket Larger extensive
areas (mosaic of
vine thicket and
savannah)
Especially south of Parry
Harbour.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Southernmost part of
the peninsula
Vine thicket Scattered,
well-defined
patches
As on the Mitchell
Plateau.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Osborn Islands: the group comprises Steep Head, South West Osborn, Kidney, Middle Osborn and Borda islands and
an unnamed basalt promontory and unnamed island
Steep Head Island on
the extremity of the
mainland promontory
Vine thicket Present A section isolated by a
sandy isthmus.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Unnamed island on
the south-west basalt
portion
Vine thicket Present Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
South West Osborn
Island on basalt slopes
Vine thicket Present In a mix of eucalypt
savannah and vine
thicket; the most
dense vine thicket
on south-east side;
mixed patches on the
north-west side.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Kidney and Middle
Osborn islands
Vine thicket Limited patches On fire-protected sides. Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Middle Osborn Island Vine thicket Occasional distinct
patches
One larger patch
occurs at the foot of the
headland at the western
end of the island.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Table 3‑26: Vine‑thicket references from other studies in northern Australia (continued)
Location Vegetation
type Area Mean Comments Source
Institut Islands
Fenelon Island Vine thicket Dense patch On a basalt slope below
the plateau rim. The
landing was made on
the southern side of the
island.
Beard,
Clayton-Greene
and Kenneally
1984
Northern Territory
General Rainforest Median 3.6 ha In scattered patches;
described as wet
and dry rainforest
and riparian corridor
patches.
Price 2004
General Rainforest Average 5 ha Russell-Smith
1991; Shapcott
1999
Gunn Point region,
near Darwin
Dry rainforest 11 ha and 140 ha 75.5 ha Sites DRY1 and DRY2. Price 2004
Wet rainforest 27.7 ha, 5.8 ha,
23 ha, 63 ha, 22 ha
and 23 ha
27.4 ha Sites SPR1, SPR2,
SPR3, CAR1, CAR2 and
CAR3.
Price 2004
Riparian
rainforest
1.4 ha and 3.2 ha 2.3 ha Sites RIP1 and RIP2. Price 2004
General Monsoon
rainforest
Most <5 ha Occurring as small
scattered patches.
Bach 2002
Gunn Point peninsula,
40 km north-east of
Darwin
Dry monsoon
rainforest
5 ha, 30 ha, 40 ha
and 10 ha
21.25 ha Sites DMF 1, DMF 7,
DMF 10 and DMF 11.
Bach 2002
Wet monsoon
rainforest
20 ha, 10 ha,
2.3 ha, 26 ha,
32 ha, 2.3 ha,
12.3 ha, 2 ha,
20 ha, 30 ha, 40 ha
and 6.5 ha
16.95 ha Sites WMF 2–6, WMF 8,
WMF 9, WMF 12,
WMF 13, WMF 17,
WMF 18 and WMF 20.
Bach 2002
In the Kimberley, the most species-rich and extensive
patches of vine thickets occur along the north-western
coastline, the area of highest rainfall. They form
closed-canopy communities that differ significantly
from the open-canopied savannah woodlands
that otherwise dominate the Kimberley. Only three
closed-canopy vegetation types are found in the
wet–dry tropics of Western Australia: rain (monsoon)
forests, mangroves and riverine forests. Rainforest
patches in the Kimberley are concentrated in rugged
terrain between the Prince Regent River and the
Bougainville Peninsula. Beard, Clayton-Greene and
Kenneally (1984) suggest that there is much more
vine thicket on the Bougainville Peninsula than
anywhere else in the area. One consequence of
such restricted distribution patterns is that rainforest
patches occupying similar ecological settings, even
when adjacent, commonly support different species
assemblages (Russell-Smith, McKenzie & Woinarski
1992).
Vine thickets are highly productive, with most species
producing fleshy fruits at the outset of the wet
season. They provide shade and shelter for many
species and this is particularly important at the end
of the dry season. The fleshy fruits of many rainforest
plants are attractive to a rich guild of frugivores
including fruit pigeons, flying-foxes (fruit-bats) and
more facultative species such as trillers, orioles,
honeyeaters, cuckoos, etc. Rainforests contain more
fleshy-fruited plants than the surrounding open forests
and savannah that dominate much of the Kimberley.
Frugivores and nectarivores are forced to be reliant
upon the isolated patches of monsoon rainforest for
most of the year. Frugivores can persist only if fruit
is available all year round. They need high floristic
diversity within and between patches with different
species fruiting at different times of the year, or
separately in different patches. Keystone species
such as figs bear fruit throughout the year and provide
a continuous food source.
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Many rainforest plants are readily dispersed by birds,
bats, wind or water. On a landscape scale, frugivores
will persist only where the distance between patches
is not too prohibitive. The monsoon forest system is
not only home to obligate rainforest species but is
also used as a seasonal, daily or occasional refuge by
many animal species from the surrounding vegetation
associations.
The rainforests of the Kimberley are part of a great
corridor of monsoon forests extending through
South-East Asia and into Australia that is important
for the seasonal migration of birds such as koels and
channel-billed cuckoos.
Vine‑thicket and semi‑vine‑thicket vegetation units
Although there are a number of areas on the plateaux of
the islands that contain a variety of vine-thicket species,
few vegetation units can be described as purely vine
thicket. While the thickets are diverse at family and
genus level, the same suite of species tends to be
present throughout; it is mainly the relative abundance
of the species and the structure of the units that vary.
The species recorded in the vine thickets appear to be
regionally common, except for those few noted as being
of “conservation significance 3”.
Plant species of conser vation significance
Conservation significance 1
No Declared Rare Flora taxa or designated “threatened
ecological communities” were recorded from the six
islands surveyed or are known from adjacent areas.
Conservation significance 2
Four Priority Flora taxa were collected from the
islands surveyed: Acacia deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2),
Pittosporum moluccanum (P4), Brachychiton tridentatus
(P3) and Brachychiton xanthophyllus (P4). Priority
Flora species are species which are considered to be
possibly rare and threatened but which have not been
sufficiently well surveyed to justify a Declared Rare
Flora ranking (see Tabl e 3-1).
Of the four Priority Flora taxa recorded, Acacia
deltoidea subsp. ampla (P2), was found only on West
Montalivet Island and Brachychiton tridentatus (P4) was
found only on Lamarck Island.
Prior to this survey, Pittosporum moluccanum (P4) was
known in Western Australia from nine collections (DEC
2007), three of which were from the Maret Islands.
This survey has shown the species to be widespread
in a variety of habitats (on plateaux, beaches and in
vine thicket) on both North Maret Island and South
Maret Island. It was also recorded at 18 sites in various
habitats on Berthier Island. Of the collections lodged
with the Western Australian Herbarium, the majority
are from collections on sand dunes, with one collection
from coastal vine thicket at Broome, one from basalt
scree and one from the plateau of “Maret Island” (sic)
collected in 1972. This indicates the relatively wide
range of habitats that this species can occur in, and
which has been confirmed by this survey. In summary,
P. moluccanum appears to be locally common on the
Maret Islands and also on Berthier Island, although
it was not recorded in areas surveyed on either East
Montalivet Island or West Montalivet Island.
Prior to this survey, Brachychiton tridentatus (P3) was
known in Western Australia from 18 collections (DEC
2007), one of which was taken on West Montalivet
Island. The majority of the records are from sandstone
or sand with only one record from lateritic gravel. It
was only collected from sandstone on Lamarck Island
during this survey.
During the survey Brachychiton xanthophyllus was
recorded from three islands: North Maret Island,
East Montalivet Island and West Montalivet Island.
Individuals are scattered in woodland and vine thicket
on the plateaux and slopes of these islands and the
species appears to be regionally widespread.
Conservation significance 3
A number of taxa were collected during this survey that
for various reasons may be considered significant, and
for the purposes of this report these are classified as
being of “conservation significance 3”. The significance
of each may be because it represents the first collection
in Western Australia, or is one of only a few records for
a particular taxon, or represents a range extension, or is
an unusual variant of something already known.
Carissa lanceolata – C. ovata intergrade (NM10-15):
This taxon is currently of taxonomic interest because it
possesses features of both C. lanceolata and C. ovata.
If it is actually a discrete taxon, it is widespread through
vegetation units on the Maret Islands and on the three
reference islands.
Cathormion umbellatum subsp. moniliforme:
This subspecies was recorded from vegetation unit
TpGffme on South Maret Island and opportunistically
from a beach on Berthier Island; these records
represent a significant range extension from its current
known distribution in the east Kimberley mainland.
Cayratia maritima: This species appears to be locally
common but its full distribution range in Western
Australia is unknown; this is only the second record of
this species in Western Australia. It was recorded on
North Maret Island, Berthier Island, East Montalivet
Island and Lamarck Island from several vegetation units.
Page 94 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Cleome sp. Bonaparte Archipelago (A.A. Mitchell 4774):
This is a new taxon and was recorded in a variety of
vegetation units. It is widespread on North Maret Island,
South Maret Island, Berthier Island, East Montalivet
Island and Lamarck Island.
Commicarpus chinensis subsp. chinensis: This is the
first record of this taxon in Western Australia, although
it has possibly been collected on nearby islands with
some confusion regarding the name. In either case, it
is not well known in Western Australia. It was recorded
from South Maret Island and Berthier Island from
opportunistic collections in vine-thicket units.
Cordia subcordata: Known in Western Australia from
ten collections scattered along the Kimberley coast and
two from the Pilbara, this taxon occurs on beaches. In
this survey it was recorded only from a small area on
South Maret Island.
Corymbia clavigera: Prior to this survey this species
was known from six collections held at the Western
Australian Herbarium and is thus potentially of restricted
distribution. It was, however, found on the Maret
Islands and on all three of the lateritic reference islands.
It appears to be locally common.
Evolvulus sp. “White Flower” (NM14-05): At the time
of the survey this taxon was thought to be possibly
“new”, but it has since been confirmed to be Evolvulus
alsinoides var. alsinoides. Recorded once on North
Maret Island in a widespread grassland unit and twice
on South Maret Island in a more restricted unit, this
taxon was also recorded on Berthier Island and West
Montalivet Island.
Eriachne sulcata: An unusually hairy form of a common
species, this may be of more taxonomic interest than
conservation significance, but its status is unknown at
the present time. It was collected on South Maret Island
and Lamarck Island.
Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands (A.A. Mitchell 5414):
This is a new taxon, originally collected on South
Maret Island in 1998 but with insufficient material for
taxonomic resolution. It is regarded as a possible
Declared Rare Flora or Priority Flora species. In this
survey it was collected from North Maret Island, South
Maret Island, Berthier Island and West Montalivet
Island and it was observed opportunistically on Albert
Island and Turbin Island. This taxon has been surveyed
thoroughly on the Maret Islands and the surrounding
islands (except for Bigge Island). In July 2007 botanists
also searched for it on the Osborn Islands and on
part of the Bougainville Peninsula, but although these
areas have similar habitats to those in which the new
Gomphrena species occurs on the Maret Islands no
specimens were found.
Goodenia sp. aff. microptera (NM27-19): This is possibly
another new taxon. It bears similarities to G. microptera
and its status is as yet unknown. It was recorded from
North Maret Island, South Maret Island and Berthier
Island in grassland and woodland vegetation units.
Its wider distribution is unknown.
Hibiscus peralbus: Known previously in the Western
Australian Herbarium from 15 collections from the
Mitchell Plateau and the Bonaparte Archipelago, this
species appears to have a restricted distribution.
During this survey it was recorded at 29 sites over all
of the islands surveyed, except for Lamarck Island,
in vegetation units with vine-thicket species. It is
relatively common on the Maret Islands and also on
Berthier Island (12 records). There was one record from
East Montalivet Island and there were two from West
Montalivet Island.
Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi: This subspecies
was previously known from four records in the Western
Australian Herbarium. It was collected during this
survey at one location on North Maret Island and it was
also found on East Montalivet Island.
Portulaca sp. “River Mud” (R.L. Barrett 3285): Recently
recognised as a new taxon, the status of this species is
as yet unknown. One opportunistic collection was made
from North Maret Island, three collections from South
Maret Island and one from Berthier Island. It is also
known from the mainland in the north Kimberley.
Spermacoce sp. “Blue” (NM31-13): Possibly a new
taxon, this species was only recorded from the plateaux
of North Maret Island and South Maret Island, and its
wider distribution is unknown. It is a potential Declared
Rare Flora or Priority Flora species.
Spermacoce sp. “White” (NM21-01): Possibly a new
taxon, this species was recorded from the plateaux of
North Maret Island, South Maret Island, Berthier Island
and East Montalivet Island. It appears to have a wide
distribution.
*Pupalia micrantha: This herb was collected in dense
undisturbed vine thicket on South Maret Island, Berthier
Island, East Montalivet Island and Lamarck Island. It
has been poorly collected in Western Australia.
Glochidion perakense var. supra-axillare: This taxon
was found on Lamarck Island and had only been
collected in the eastern Kimberley prior to these
surveys. This collection, therefore, represents a
significant range extension for this plant.
The local and regional abundance and distribution of
these taxa, especially the potentially new ones, is largely
unknown. It is possible that they could be relatively
common or well distributed, but such an assessment is
hampered by the lack of detailed survey work in the area.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 95
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Vegetation
The dendrogram analysis and the SSH MDS analysis
(Figure 3-53) indicated that the floristic composition of
the vegetation communities is similar between islands,
with sites of the same formation, but from different
islands, generally grouping together. For example, the
composition of vine thickets was similar on the Maret
Islands, Berthier Island and East Montalivet Island,
although there were minor differences in the species
present and also in their relative abundances. The
same patterns were true of grassland–herbland and
woodland formations and probably reflect the regional
distributions of many of the species.
Within the vegetation formations there was a secondary
grouping by island. This indicates that sites in the same
formation type on an island are more similar to each
other than to sites on other islands.
The SSH MDS analysis indicated that the woodland
units on North Maret Island were floristically similar
to those on South Maret Island. However, the North
Maret Island sites tended towards the upper left-hand
corner of the plot whereas the majority of the South
Maret Island sites tended to the right. This reflects a
difference in this formation between the two islands.
The dominant grassland and light woodland (with some
vine-thicket species) associations on the North Maret
Island plateau differ from the denser woodland (often
colonised by vine thicket) association on the plateau of
South Maret Island.
While most of the Berthier Island sites grouped with
the South Maret Island sites to the right of the scatter
plots, four sites were well to the left and one of these
is an outlier from all other site groupings. This outlier
is a beach site and the separation from the other sites
reflects the different floristic composition in this habitat.
The three other sites represent a grassland quadrat,
a shrubland quadrat and a shrubland transect close
to the shrubland quadrat. These sites are all towards
the northern tip of Berthier Island and are similar to
shrubland or low woodland sites on both North Maret
Island and South Maret Island.
Sites on East Montalivet Island formed three clusters.
The first, in the top left of the scatter plot, comprises
two plateau woodland sites. The second, comprising
four grassland–shrubland quadrats, is in the centre,
and the three vine-thicket transects are grouped
close together in the lower right. All are grouped with
similar sites from both North Maret Island and South
Maret Island, indicating similarity in vegetation unit
composition.
The West Montalivet Island sites tended to group with
the more densely vegetated sites on Berthier Island and
the Maret Islands. However, the survey effort was lower
on this island than it was on the other islands, so the
results should be interpreted with caution.
It is evident from the ordination analyses that the
major vegetation types on North Maret Island and
South Maret Island are widely represented within the
study area in the archipelago. Minor differences in
floristics and structure appear to be outweighed by the
similarity in community composition among the islands.
The similarities in the grassland and woodland units
probably reflect the common origin of the island floras,
and similarities in the vine-thicket units across islands
probably reflect connectivity through frugivorous birds
transporting seeds between the islands.
The 11 provisional vegetation units used to map
Lamarck Island (Figure 3-52) show that three species
of acacia, Acacia deltoidea subsp. deltoidea,
A. gonocarpa and A. retinervis, are present in, or
dominate, many of the units. Vine thickets are almost
absent from Lamarck Island (Figure 3-52), apart
from one area on the eastern side of the island. The
vine-thicket species present generally occur in small
sparse stands associated with rocky outcrops. While
these species are well represented in this association
on the island, the stands often contain only a few
species and are not vine thickets in themselves.
On the basis of the vegetation survey, the vegetation of
Lamarck Island differs from that on the Maret Islands as
described below:
• Lamarck Island is dominated by Acacia communities
of varying densities and structures, whereas the
Maret Islands support a greater variety of species
and communities and are not dominated over the
greater part of their land area by any single genus.
• Unlike the Maret Islands, Lamarck Island does not
support large areas of fringing vine thicket despite
supporting vine-thicket species which are scattered
in small stands over most of the island.
• Grassland is not well represented on Lamarck Island,
whereas it is a dominant vegetation type on the
Maret Islands.
Page 96 Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
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TERRESTRIAL FLORA
Condition of the vegetation
The condition of the vegetation on all of the islands
visited during the current study was “Pristine” under
the scale developed by Keighery (1994) and used in the
“Bush Forever” plan published by Western Australia’s
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP 2000). This
assessment considers both understorey and overstorey
strata. All of the vegetation maps produced in this report
display vegetation units in “Pristine” condition.
Vegetation mapping units
While analyses such as the SSH MDS rely solely on
presence–absence data, vegetation mapping units
are described with reference to structure and cover
values, as well as floristics. This is why vegetation map
units vary and are rarely repeated between islands,
despite floristic similarities. Structural differences may
be attributable to such variables as soil development,
shelter or shading, seral stage, or moisture availability.
Restric ted vegetation u nits
Some of the mapped vegetation units on the Maret
Islands were regarded as restricted in distribution
because they are poorly represented on the islands of
the study area.
On North Maret Island these units were ArsTbS, AsTm,
AsSt, TcAr, TcF, TcG, MdAi, Gmi and CcVTSt. These
units are mainly separated from otherwise similar units
by the presence of taxa that are not represented in the
other units. The vegetation units TcF and TcG are small
shrubland units with Terminalia canescens in common;
however, TcG also features Grevillea pyramidalis
subsp. pyramidalis. Vegetation unit MdAi contains the
only example of Mucuna diabolica subsp. kenneallyi
found on the Maret Islands, and Gmi contains the new
and possibly restricted Gomphrena sp. Maret Islands
(A.A. Mitchell 5414). The unit CcVTSt appears unique
for both North Maret Island and South Maret Island
in that it is composed only of Cor ymbia clavigera and
vine-thicket species, whereas other similar units also
contain Corymbia polycarpa.
Vegetation units considered restricted on South Maret
Island are TpArTb, PmCSt, PmSpCSt, Gmi, PmPa,
Lr, GfVT. The vegetation unit Gmi contains the new
Gomphrena species. The unit TpArTb is a combination
of Terminalia petiolaris and Acacia retinervis over
Triodia bynoei, an unusual combination on the Maret
Islands. PmPa and GfVT are both vine-thicket units.
The unit PmPa is floristically dominated by Pavetta
muelleri and Premna acuminata and GfVT by Garuga
floribunda var. floribunda, structural combinations not
found elsewhere on either island. PmCSt and PmSpCSt
are similar units, except that the latter also contains
Spinifex longifolius because of its location behind the
beach and a different substrate.
The vegetation unit Lr is of particular interest as it
shows the only occurrence of mangroves on the
Maret Islands. Lumnitzera racemosa forms an open
stand on the foredune, spread over a distance of
approximately 50 m.
With the exceptions of the taxa classified in this
chapter as being of “conservation significance 3”,
the floristic components of the vegetation units are
generally widespread and well collected through the
Kimberley region.
Introduced taxa
Only three introduced species were recorded for the
Maret Islands: *Pupalia micrantha and *Bidens pilosa
were both recorded for South Maret Island, while *Vigna
radiata var. setulosa was recorded for both islands.
*Pupalia micrantha is found in dense undisturbed vine
thicket. It was recorded on South Maret Island from two
sites, both of which are in the TpGffMe vegetation unit,
although it is possible that it occurs elsewhere on the
island in other units.
*Vigna radiata var. setulosa has a scattered distribution
in the Kimberley region, often in near-coastal areas,
and it is likely to have been a pre-European introduction
to the region. It was found in a few locations on North
Maret Island and South Maret Island.
*Bidens pilosa is an introduced weed of the Kimberley
and Pilbara regions and of south-west Western Australia
around Perth. It was recorded on the north-western
edge of the South Maret Island plateau in the vegetation
unit CcpVTSt. Although there is only one record of this
species, it is possible that it occurs elsewhere on the
island and in other vegetation units.
The method of seed dispersal for B. pilosa is by the
pronged seed being transported by attachment to
animal fur, bird feathers or human clothing (or less
easily by wind). It is possible that it was introduced
to South Maret Island by a bird, but as there are no
mammalian vectors on the island its spread may have
been restricted.
Environmental weeds
One species listed as an environmental weed,
*Passiflora foetida, was recorded on Berthier Island
and Lamarck Island. It was not recorded on the
Maret Islands, but may be present. This species is an
invasive weed with the potential to cause environmental
disturbance (Hussey et al. 2007). The potential for
introduction from neighbouring islands is a risk.
This species is readily spread by birds which eat the
flesh-covered seeds.
Ecolog ical studi es of the Bon aparte A rchipel ago and Brow se Basin Page 97
3
TERRESTRIAL FLORA
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This chapter is based on field studies by RPS
Environment Pty Ltd (2007, 2008). The study team
was managed by Jeremy Fitzpatrick of RPS and
was made up of a large team of botanists, including
specialists with many years of experience working in
the Kimberley and possessing a detailed knowledge of
the Kimberley flora.
The research personnel involved in the design and
conduct of the surveys were as follows:
Regional botanical specialists: Prof. Kevin Kenneally
and Dr Russell Barrett.
Botanists: Caroline Gill, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, Martin
Henson, Jennifer Langmead, Kelli McCreery, Sharnya
Thomson and Vanessa Yeomans (RPS); Mandy
Cross and Kirstin Wiseman (Parsons Brinckerhoff);
Jenifer Alford, Brian Morgan and Raimond Orifici
(Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd); Julian
Kruger, William Moulden and Scott Walker (Astron
Environmental Services); Nick Evelegh (Rockwater Pty
Ltd); and Cassyanna Gray and Shaun Grein (Coffey
Environments).
Botanical assistants: Angela Mercier and Paul Tod
(RPS); Vicki Levien (Astron Environmental Services); and
Ellen Poole.
Fungus and slime mould specialist: Dr Matt Barrett
(Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Perth, Western
Australia).
Statistician: Edward Arnold Griffin (E.A. Griffin &
Associates).
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GLOSSARY
autochthonous (Of plant species) native or endemic, having originated where they are presently found.
Declared Rare Flora The term “Declared Rare Flora” is defined in Western Australia’s Wildlife Conservation
Act 1950 as follows: “Plants which have been adequately searched for and are deemed
in the wild to be plants either rare, in danger of extinction, or otherwise in need of
special protection, and have been gazetted as such.”
edaphic Produced or influenced by the soil.
flora The traditional definitions of “flora” are as follows:
1. the plants of a particular region, geological period, or environment, listed by species
2. a treatise or work systematically describing such plants.
In environmental biology, however, the definition of the term “flora” is sometimes
broadened to include individual species, vegetation groupings or, simply, “plants”.
IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia. This Commonwealth Government
scheme classifies Australia’s landscapes into a number of geographically distinct
“bioregions” and provides the national and regional planning framework for the
systematic development of a comprehensive and representative Australian national
reserve system.
mangal A mangal is the name used for a mangrove forest (or swamp) community and was
created by W. McNae in 1968 (Advances in Marine Biology 6: 75–270) to distinguish
between mangrove plants and the community in which they live.
mesic (In plant ecology) having moderate growing conditions, with medium or balanced
moisture supplies.
notophyll (In forest ecology) referring to a community of trees, the majority of which have leaves
75–125 mm in length or 2025–4500 mm² in area.
Priority Flora In Western Australia, “Priority Flora” species are those that are considered potentially
rare but about which insufficient is currently known to declare them as such. Western
Australia’s Department of Environment and Conservation lists five Priority ratings, the
definitions of which are reproduced in Table 3-1.
quadrat A quadrat is a sampling site of a defined size and shape that is usually recorded in a
homogeneous area of vegetation. In the case of this survey, quadrats were set as a
square 50 m × 50 m (2500 m2), although the size or shape was occasionally varied to
fit stands of vegetation. Quadrats or plots are used to give a higher level of replicability
than is achievable from a relevé.
See relevé and transect below.
relevé A relevé is a vegetation field sampling site that does not have a fixed size or marked-out
shape. The relevé technique is a simple quantitative sampling technique in which a
visual description is made of the vegetation of an area, including characteristics such
as species found, cover, density, etc. It allows large areas to be classified and mapped
in a limited amount of time. Unlike quadrats, relevés are not replicable for scientific
purposes and were used during this survey as a method of gaining initial data for the
definition of vegetation units.
See quadrat above and transect below.
riparian Relating to the banks of a natural watercourse. “Riparian vegetation” is the vegetation
fringing such a watercourse.
sclerophylly (Of plant species) the condition of having tough leathery leaves resistant to water loss.
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subspecies In botanical nomenclature a subspecies is an infraspecific rank immediately below that
of species. Subspecies differ in distinct morphological (but heritable) ways from other
subspecies of the same species. They will normally be capable of interbreeding with
them, but will be prevented from doing so by geographical or other form of isolation.
taxon A taxon is any taxonomic unit, of any rank in the taxonomic hierarchy. A taxon
encompasses all included taxa of lower rank. In botany the expression is widely used as
a catch-all term in a plant list for any species-group name, from species down through
the infraspecific levels of subspecies, variety, subvariety, form and subform.
transect In botanical surveying, a transect is a fixed line through a vegetation association or
landscape etc. along which systematic sampling takes place. Transects are used to
measure changes in vegetation patterns or as a sampling method when quadrats or
relevés are not suitable, as in the case of the vine thickets studied during this survey.
See quadrat and relevé above.
vagile (Of plant species) having the ability to adapt to new situations and to colonise new
locations.
variety In botanical nomenclature a variety is an infraspecific rank immediately below that
of subspecies. Varieties differ in minor morphological (but heritable) ways from other
varieties of the same species and may be geographically separated from them. Varieties
regularly intergrade and may be difficult to define in some populations.
vegetation association A climax community of which the dominant stratum has a qualitatively uniform floristic
composition and which exhibits uniform structure as a whole. A maximum of three
strata are allowed. For each stratum, the association description of the vegetation
type typically includes floristic information for the dominant and/or diagnostic species
together with the structural formation (dominant growth form, cover, height) (DEH 2003).
vegetation community An assemblage of plant species which are structurally and floristically similar and form a
repeating “unit” across the landscape (DEH 2003).
vegetation formation The synthetic structural unit to which are referred all climax communities exhibiting the
same structural form, regardless of floristic composition (DEH 2003).
vegetation type A community that has a floristically uniform structure and composition, often described
by its dominant species (DEH 2003).
vegetation (or map) unit A spatial category which contains a vegetation type or group of co-occurring vegetation
types (DEH 2003). It is, in effect, a structurally and floristically repeatable vegetation
stand defined for mapping purposes.
vine thicket A closed-canopy community of vegetation similar to rainforest but with strongly
seasonal rainfall. It may be deciduous or semi-deciduous, is structurally lower than
rainforest, and is rich in woody lianas. Vine thickets grow in patches where soil moisture
is available year-round.
Ecological studies
of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
Ecological studies of the Bonaparte Archipelago and Browse Basin
