(Redirected from Australian flora):''For the series of monographs, see
Flora of Australia (series).''
The 'flora of Australia' is a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 20,000
vascular and 14,000
non-vascular plants, 250,000 species of
fungi and over 3,000
lichens. The flora has strong affinities with the flora of
Gondwana, and below the
family level has a highly
endemic angiosperm flora whose diversity was shaped by the effects of
continental drift and climate change since the
Cretaceous. Prominent features of the Australian flora are adaptations to aridity and fire which include
scleromorphy and
serotiny. These adaptations are common in species from the large and well-known families
Proteaceae (''
Banksia''),
Myrtaceae (''
Eucalyptus'' - gum trees), and
Fabaceae (''
Acacia'' - wattle).
The settlement of Australia by
Indigenous Australians more than 40,000 years ago, and by
Europeans from 1788, has had a significant impact on the flora. The use of
fire-stick farming by the Aborigines led to significant changes in the distribution of plant species over time, and the large-scale modification or destruction of vegetation for agriculture and urban development since 1788 has altered the composition of most terrestrial ecosystems, leading to the extinction of 61 plant species and endangering over 1000 more.
Origins

The Tasmanian rainforest is considered a Gondwanan relic.
Main articles: Natural history of Australia
Australia was part of the southern supercontinent
Gondwana, which also included
South America,
Africa,
India and
Antarctica. Most of the modern Australian flora had its origin in Gondwana during the
Cretaceous when Australia was covered in subtropical rainforest. Australian ferns and gymnosperm bear strong resemblance to their Gondwanan ancestors,
[1] and prominent members of the early Gondwanan angiosperm flora such as the ''
Nothofagus'',
Myrtaceae and
Proteaceae were also present in Australia.
[2]

Scrubland with ''Xanthorrhoea'' following bushfire.
Gondwana began to break up 140 million years ago (MYA); 50 MYA during the
Oligocene Australia separated from Antarctica, and was relatively isolated until the collision of the
Indo-Australian Plate with Asia in the
Miocene era 5.3 MYA. As Australia
drifted, local and global
climate change had a significant and lasting effect: a circumpolar oceanic current developed, atmospheric circulation increased as Australia moved away from Antarctica, precipitation fell, there was a slow warming of the continent and arid conditions started to develop.
[3] These conditions of geographic isolation and aridity led to the development of a more complex flora. From 25-10 MYA pollen records suggest the rapid radiation of species like ''
Eucalyptus'', ''
Casuarina'', ''
Allocasuarina'', ''
Banksia'' and the
pea-flowered legumes, and the development of open forest; grasslands started to develop from the
Eocene. Collision with the
Eurasian Plate also led to additional
South-east Asian and
cosmopolitan elements entering the flora like the ''
Lepidium'' and
Chenopodioideae.
[4]
The development of aridity and the old and nutrient poor soils of the continent led to some unique adaptations in the Australian flora and evolutionary radiation of genera – like ''
Acacia'' and ''
Eucalyptus'' – that adapted to those conditions. Hard leaves with a thick
outer layer, a condition known as
scleromorphy, and
C4 and
CAM carbon fixation which reduce water loss during photosynthesis are two common adaptations in Australian arid-adapted dicot and monocot species respectively. Rising aridity also increased the frequency of fires in Australia. Fire is thought to have played a role in the development and distribution of fire-adapted species from the
Late Pleistocene. An increase in charcoal in sediment around 38,000 years ago coincides with dates for the inhabitation of Australia by the
Indigenous Australians and suggests that man-made fires, from practices like
fire-stick farming, have played an important role in the establishment and maintenance of sclerophyll forest, especially on the east coast of Australia.
[5] Adaptations to fire include
lignotubers and epicormic buds in ''Eucalyptus'' and ''Banksia'' species that allow fast regeneration following fire. Some genera also exhibit
serotiny, the release of seed only in response to heat and/or smoke. ''
Xanthorrhoea'' grass trees and some species of orchids only flower after fire.
[6]
Vegetation types

Major vegetation groups in Australia as identified by the National Land and Water Resources Audit's Australian vegetation assessment in 2001.
Australia's terrestrial flora can be collected into characteristic
vegetation groups. The most important determinant is rainfall, followed by temperature which affects water availability.
[7] Several schemes of varying complexity have been created, the most recent scheme developed by the
Natural Heritage Trust divides Australia's terrestrial flora into 30
Major Vegetation Groups, and 67
Major Vegetation Subgroups.
[8]
According to the scheme the most common vegetation types are those that are adapted to arid conditions where the area has not been significantly reduced by human activities such as land clearing for agriculture. The dominant vegetation type in Australia is the hummock grasslands that occur extensively in arid Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It accounts for 23% of the native vegetation, the predominant species of which are from the genus ''
Triodia''. ''
Zygochloa'' also occurs in inland sandy areas like the
Simpson Desert.
A further 39% of native vegetation is covered by a combination of:
★ Eucalypt woodlands found at the transition between hummock grasslands and higher rainfall areas where conditions still limit tree growth; the woodland may have a grass or shrubby understory. The most common species is ''
Eucalyptus camaldulensis'' which occurs along the majority of inland waterways and creeklines in Australia. The largest area is in Queensland.
★ Acacia forests and woodlands that occur in semi-arid areas where tree growth is stunted. The dominant ''Acacia'' species varies with the location, and may include
lancewood,
bendee,
mulga,
gidgee and
brigalow. The largest area is in Western Australia.
★ Acacia shrublands in semi arid and arid regions. The most common are mulga shrublands; the largest area is in Western Australia.
★ Tussock grasslands that occur in semi-arid and some temperate parts of Australia; they are comprised of a large variety of grasses from more than 10 genera. The largest area is in Queensland.
★ Chenopod/samphire shrubs and forblands that are widespread in the near-estuarine, arid and semi-arid areas. Species in chenopod communities are drought and
salt tolerant and include the ''
Sclerolaena'', ''
Atriplex'', ''
Maireana'', ''
Chenopodium'' and ''
Rhagodia'' genera while samphire representatives include ''
Halosarcia'', ''
Salicornia'', ''
Sclerostegia'' and ''
Sarcocornia''. Both South and Western Australia have large areas with this vegetation type.
Other groups with restricted areas of less than 70,000 square kilometres include tropical or temperate rainforest and vine thickets, tall or open eucalypt forests,
callitris and Casuarina forests, and woodlands and heath.
Vascular plants
Australia has over 20,000 described species of vascular plants, these include the
angiosperms, seed-bearing non-angiosperms (like the conifers and cycads), and the spore-bearing ferns and fern allies.
[Orchard, A. E. 1999. Introduction. In A. E. Orchard, ed. ''Flora of Australia - Volume 1'', 2nd edition pp 1-9. ABRS/CSIRO] Of these about 11% are naturalised species; the remainder are native or endemic.
[9] The vascular plant flora has been extensively catalogued, the work being published in the ongoing ''
Flora of Australia'' series. A list of vascular plant families represented in Australia using the
Cronquist system is also available.
[10]
At the higher taxonomic levels the Australian flora is similar to that of the rest of the world; most vascular plant families are represented within the native flora, with the exception of the
cacti,
birch and a few others, while 9 families occur only in Australia.
[11][12] Australia's vascular flora is estimated to be 85% endemic;
[13] this high level of vascular plant endemism is largely attributable to the radiation of some families like the
Proteaceae,
Myrtaceae, and
Fabaceae.
Angiosperms
'Largest angiosperm families in Australia'| Family | % of total flora1 | Notable genera |
|---|
| Fabaceae | 12.0 | ''Acacia'', ''Daviesia'', ''Glycine'' |
| Myrtaceae | 9.3 | ''Corymbia'', ''Eucalyptus'', ''Melaleuca'', ''Leptospermum'' |
| Asteraceae | 8.0 | ''Goodenia'', ''Olearia'' |
| Poaceae | 6.5 | ''Triodia'' |
| Proteaceae | 5.6 | ''Banksia'', ''Hakea'', ''Grevillea'' |
| Cyperaceae | 3.3 | ''Cyperus'' |
| Orchidaceae | 3.0 | ''Caladenia'', ''Pterostylis'' |
| Ericaceae | 2.1 | ''Leucopogon'', ''Epacris'' |
| Euphorbiaceae | 2.0 | ''Ricinocarpos'' |
| Rutaceae | 1.8 | ''Boronia'', ''Correa'', ''Citrus'' |
1 Based on total number of species Data from Orchard modified to AGPII classifications. |
The native Australian flora contains many
monocotyledons. The family with the most species is the
Poaceae which includes a huge variety of species, from the tropical bamboo ''
Bambusa arnhemica'' to the ubiquitous spinifex that thrives in arid Australia from the genera ''
Triodia'' and ''
Plectrachne''. There are more than 800 described species of
orchid in Australia.
[14] About one quarter of these are epiphytes; epiphytic orchids occur along the east coast and in Tasmania and do not occur in South or Western Australia. The terrestrial orchids occur across most of Australia, the majority of species being
deciduous – their aboveground parts die back during the dry season and they re-sprout from a tuber when it rains.
Other families with well-known representatives include the alpine Tasmanian
button grass, which form tussock-like mounds from the
Cyperaceae; the genus ''
Patersonia'' of temperate iris-like grasses from the
Iridaceae; and, the
kangaroo paws from the family
Haemodoraceae. The ''
Xanthorrhoea'' grass trees, the
screw palms of the
Pandanaceae and
palms are large moncots present in Australia. There are about 57 native palms; 79% of these only occur in Australia.
[15] ''
Livistonia'' is unusual amongst the palm genera in Australia; rather than tropical habitats, its members are found in inland gorges and open forest.
The
dicots are the most diverse group of angiosperms. Australia's best known species come from three large and very diverse dicot families: the
Fabaceae, the
Myrtaceae and the
Proteaceae. The Myrtaceae is represented by a variety of woody species; gum trees from the genera ''
Eucalyptus'', ''
Corymbia'' and ''
Angophora'', Lillipillies (''
Syzygium''), the water-loving ''
Melaleuca'' and ''
Bottlebrush'' and the shrubby ''
Darwinia'' and ''
Leptospermum'', commonly known as teatrees, and
Geraldton wax. The Proteaceae are also woody, well-known genera include ''
Banksia'', ''
Dryandra'', ''
Grevillea'', ''
Hakea'', the
waratah and Australia's only commercial native food crop, the
macadamia. Australia also has representatives of all three legume subfamalies.
Caesalpinioideae is notably represented by ''
Cassia'' trees. The
Faboideae or pea-flowered legumes are common and many are well-known for their flowers, including the
golden peas, ''
Glycine'' species and the
Sturt's desert pea. The
Mimosoideae is best known for the huge genus ''
Acacia'' which includes Australia's floral emblem the
golden wattle.
Many plant families that occur in Australia are known for their floral displays that follow seasonal rains. The
Asteraceae is well represented by its subfamily
Gnaphalieae, which included the paper or everlasting daisies; this group has its greatest diversity in Australia. Other families with flowering shrubs include the
Rutaceae, with the fragrant ''
Boronia'' and ''
Eriostemon'', the
Myoporaceae with the ''
Eremophila'', and members of the
Ericaceae with Victoria's Floral Emblem ''
Epacris impressa''.
Amongst the most ancient species of flowering hardwood trees are the
Casuarinaceae, including beach, swamp and river oaks, and
Fagaceae represented in Australia by three species of ''
Nothofagus''. Trees of the
Rosales are notably representented by the
Moraceae whose species include the
Moreton Bay Fig and the
Port Jackson Fig, and the
Urticaceae whose members include several tree sized stinging nettles; ''
Dendrocnide moroides'' is the most virulent. There are also numerous
sandalwood species including the
quandongs and native cherry, ''
Exocarpus cupressiformis''. The
bottle tree of the
Malvaceae is one of 30 tree species from the ''
Brachychiton''. There are about 75 native
mistletoes that
parasitise Australian tree species, including two terrestrial parasitic trees, one of which is the spectacular
Western Australian Christmas tree.
Australia's salt marshes and wetlands are covered by a large variety of salt and drought tolerant species from the
Amaranthaceae which include the saltbushes (''
Atriplex'') and bluebushes (''
Maireana'' and ''
Chenopodium''). Many of these plants have succulent leaves; other native succulents are from the genera ''
Carpobrotus'',''
Calandrinia'' and ''
Portulaca''. Succulent stems are present in many of the
Euphorbiaceae in Australia, though the best known members are the non-succulent looking fragrant Wedding bushes of the genus
Ricinocarpos.
Carnivorous plants which favour damp habitats are represented by four families including the
sundews,
bladderworts, pitcher-plants from the
Cephalotaceae, which are endemic to
Western Australia, and the
Nepenthaceae.
Aquatic moncots and dicots both occur in Australian waters. Australia has about 51,000 square kilometres of
seagrass meadows and the most diverse group seagrass species in the world. There are 22 species found in temperate waters and 15 in tropical waters out of a known 70 species worldwide.
[16] Aquatic dicots include the
mangroves; in Australia there are 39 mangrove species that cover 11,500 square kilometres and comprise the third largest area of mangroves in the world.
[17] Other native marine dicots here include
water lillies and
water milfoils.
Non-angiosperms
Seed bearing non-angiosperms present in Australia include the
cycads and
conifers. There are 69 species of cycad from 4 genera and 3 families – they are all endemic and their distribution is confined to forests of eastern and northern Australia, with a few in south-western Western Australia and central Australia. Native pines are distributed through 3 families, 14 genera and 43 species, of which 39 are endemic. Most species are present in wetter mountainous areas consistent with their Gondwanan origins, including the genera ''
Athrotaxis'', ''
Actinostrobus'', ''
Microcachrys'', ''
Microstrobos'', ''
Diselma'' and the Tasmanian
Huon pine, sole member of the genus ''Lagarostrobos''. ''
Callitris'' is a notable exception; species from this genus are found mainly in drier open woodlands.
[''Flora of Australia Volume 48—Ferns, Gymnosperms and Allied Groups''. 1998. Australian Biological Resources Study/CSIRO Publishing ISBN 0-643-05972-5] The most recently discovered species of conifer is the
living fossil Wollemi pine, which was first described in 1994.
Spore bearing vascular plants include the
ferns and
fern allies. True ferns are found over most of the country and are most abundant in tropical and subtropical areas with high rainfall. Australia has a native flora of 30 families, 103 genera and 390 species of ferns, with another 10 species being naturalised. The fern allies are represented by 44 native species of
psilophytes,
horsetails and
lycophytes.
Ferns prefer a cool and damp environment since water is required for reproduction, the majority of Australian species are found in bushland and rainforest, there are aquatic, epiphytic (''
Platycerium'', ''
Huperzia'' and ''
Asplenium''), and terrestrial species including large tree ferns from the genera ''
Cyathea'' and ''
Dicksonia''.
Non-vascular plants
The
algae are a large and diverse group of photosynthetic organisms. Many studies of algae include the
cyanobacteria, in addition to micro and macro
eukaryotic types that inhabit both fresh and saltwater. Currently, about 10,000 to 12,000 species of algae are known for Australia.
[18] The algal flora of Australia is unevenly documented: northern Australia remains largely uncollected for seaweeds and marine phytoplankton, descriptions of freshwater algae are patchy, and the collection of terrestrial algae has been almost completely neglected.
[19]
The
bryophytes –
mosses,
liverworts and
hornworts – are primitive, usually terrestrial, plants that inhabit the tropics, cool-temperate regions and montane areas; there are some specialised members that are adapted to semi-arid and arid Australia. There are slightly fewer that 1,000 recognised species of moss in Australia. The five largest genera are the ''
Fissidens'', ''
Bryum'', ''
Campylopus'', ''
Macromitrium'' and ''
Andreaea''.
[20] There are also over 800 species of liver- and horn-worts in 148 genera in Australia.
[21]
Fungi
Main articles: Fungi of Australia
The fungal flora of Australia is not well characterised; Australia is estimated to have about 250,000 fungal species of which roughly 5% have been described. Knowledge of distribution, substrates and habitats is poor for most species, with the exception of common plant pathogens.
[22]
Lichens
Lichens are a composite organisms comprising, in most cases, an Ascomycete fungus and a unicellular green alga, their classification is based on the type of fungi. The lichen flora of Australia and its island territories, including
Christmas Island,
Heard Island,
Macquarie Island and
Norfolk Island, currently comprises 3,238 species and infra-specific taxa in 422 genera, 34% of which are considered to be endemic.
[23]
Utilisation and conservation
Main articles: Conservation in Australia
The Australia flora was well utilised by the
Indigenous inhabitants of Australia. They used hundreds of species for food, medicine, shelter, tools and weapons. For example, the starchy roots of ''
Clematis microphylla'' were used in western Victoria to make a dough that was baked, and the leaves of the plant were used as a poultice applied to skin irritations and blisters.
[24] Economic exploitation of the flora by settlers since 1788 has not been extensive; forestry has been the most extensive use of the flora. Forestry species include a
number of eucalypts used for paper and timber,
huon pine,
hoop pine,
cypress pine,
Australian Blackwood, and sandalwood from ''
Santalum spicatum'' and ''
S. lanceolatum'' are also timber producing species. A significant area used by the pastoral industry is based on native pasture species including
Mitchell grass,
saltbush,
bluebush,
wallaby grass,
spear grass,
tussock grasses and
kangaroo grass.
Until recently the
macadamia nut was the only species grown widely for food, and commercial cultivation was started in
Hawaii rather than in Australia.
[25] Increasing interest in
bushfoods, in part due to the popular television series ''Bush Tucker Man'' narrated by
Les Hiddins, has led to some species being investigated for wider use. Species identified to have prospects for commercial cultivation include: ''
Acacia victoriae'' for edible wattleseed;
Davidson's Plum,
wild lime,
finger lime,
quandong,
riberry,
Kakadu plum,
muntries,
bush tomato,
Illawarra plum for
fruit; ''
Tetragonia tetragonioides'' as a green vegetable; and,
lemon aspen,
lemon myrtle,
native mountain pepper as seasonings. A few Australian native plants are used by the pharameceutical industry, such as two
scopolamine and
hyoscyamine producing ''
Duboisia'' species and ''Solanum aviculare'' and ''S. laciniatum'' for the steroid
solasodine. Essential oils from ''
Melaleuca'', ''
Callitris'', ''
Prostanthera'', ''Eucalyptus'' and ''
Eremophila'' are also used medicinally. Due to the wide variety of flowers and foliage, Australian plant species are also popular for floriculture internationally.
Modification of the Australian environment by Indigenous Australians and following European settlement has impacted on the extent and the distribution of the flora. The changes since 1788 have been rapid and significant: displacement of Indigenous Australians disrupted fire régimes that had been in place for thousands of years; forestry practices have modified the structure of native
forests; wetlands have been filled in; and broad scale land-clearing for crops, grazing and urban development has reduced native vegetation cover and led to landscape salinisation, increased sediment, nutrient and salt loads in rivers and streams, loss of habitat and a decline in biodiversity.
[26] The intentional and unintnetional release of
invasive plant and animal species into delicate ecosystems is a major threat to floral biodiversity; 20 introduced species have been declared weeds of national significance.
[27] Since European settlement of Australia, 61 plant species are known to have become extinct; a further 1,239 species are presently considered threatened.
[28]
Protected areas have been created in every state and territory to protect and preserve the country's unique ecosystems. These protected areas include national parks and other reserves, as well as 64 wetlands registered under the
Ramsar Convention and 16
World Heritage Sites. As of 2002, 10.8% (774,619.51 km²) of the total land area of Australia is within protected areas.
[29] Protected marine zones have been created in many areas to preserve marine biodiversity; as of 2002, these areas cover about 7% (646,000 km²) of Australia's marine jurisdiction.
[30] The Australian Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee has identified 15
biodiversity hotspots in Australian and 85 characteristic ecosystems, as classified by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, cover the continent; some effort is being made to ensure each is represented within a protected area under Australia's
Biodiversity Action Plan.
[31][32]
See also
★
List of extinct flora of Australia
★
List of threatened flora of Australia
★
Flora of the Australian Capital Territory
★
List of flora on stamps of Australia
★
List of Australian floral emblems
References
Notes
1. Page, C. N. and Clifford, H. T. 1981. Ecological biogeography of Australian conifers and ferns. In A. Keast ''Ecological Biogeography of Australia''. W. Junk
2. Dettmann, M. E. and Jarzen, D. M. 1990. The Antarctic/Australian rift valley: Late Cretaceous cradle of Northeastern Australasian relicts? ''Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology'' 65:131-144.
3. Bowler, J. M. 1982. Age, origin and landform expression of aridity in Australia. In W. R. Barker, P. J. M. Greensdale. ''Evolution of the Flora and Fauna of Australia''. Australian Systematic Botany Society ISBN 0-909209-62-6
4. Crisp, M. et al. 2004. Radiation of the Australian flora: what can comparisons of molecular phylogenies across multiple taxa tell us about the evolution of diversity in present-day communities? ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B - Biological Sciences'' 359: 1551-1571
5. Singh, G. et al. 1981. Quarternary vegetation and fire history in Australia. In A. M. Gill, R. A. Groves and I. R. Nobel. ''Fire and the Australian Biota.'' Australian Academy of Science, 23-54
6. Gill, A. M. 1981. Adaptive responses of Australian vascular plant species to fire. In A. M. Gill, R. H. Groves, and I. R. Noble. eds. ''Fire and the Australian Biota''. Australian Academy of Science
7. Groves, R. H. 1999. Present vegetation types. In A. E. Orchard, ed. ''Flora of Australia - Volume 1'', 2nd edition pp 369-401. ABRS/CSIRO
8. Natural Heritage Trust. 2001. Australia's native vegetation : a summary of the National Land and Water Resources Audit's Australian vegetation assessment 2001. National Land and Water Resources Audit ISBN 0-642-37128-8. The 2001 version has been updated as of 2006.
9. Hnatiuk, R.J. 1990. ''Census of Australian Vascular Plants''. AGPS ISBN 0-644-11606-4
10. Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia Online - What's published and online, contributors and dates of publication
11. Crisp, M. D., West, J. G., and Linder, H.P. 1999. Biogeography of the Australian flora. In A. E. Orchard, ed. ''Flora of Australia - Volume 1'', 2nd edition pp 321-367. ABRS/CSIRO
12. Department of the Environment and Heritage. Australia's Biodiversity: an overview of selected significant components, Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 2
13. ESD Working Group on Biological Diversity. 1991. ''The Conservation of Biological Diversity as it Relates to Ecologically Sustainable Development'', Report of Working Party to the Ecologically Sustainable Development Secretariat, Canberra.
14. Nesbitt, L. 1997. Australia's Native Orchids. Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants
15. Jones, D. 1984. ''Palms in Australia''. Reed Books ISBN 0-7301-0007-3
16. CSIRO. 2000. About Australian Seagrasses
17. Robertson, A.I. and Alongi, D.M. 1995. Mangrove ecosytems in Australia: structure , function and status in D.P. Larr ed ''Our Sea, Our Future
Major findings of the State of the Marine Environment Report for Australia'' Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories'' ISBN 0-642-17391-5
18. Australian Biological Resources Study. Algae of Australia
19. Entwisle T.J., and Huisman J. 1998. Algal systematics in Australia. ''Australian Systematic Botany'' 11:203-214
20. Klazenga, N. 2005. Generic concepts in Australian mosses. ''Australian Systemic Botany''. 18:17-23
21. McCarthy, P.M. 2006. Checklist of Australian Liverworts and Hornworts. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Version 6.
22. May, T. W. 2001. Documenting the fungal biodiversity of Australasia: from 1800 to 2000 and beyond. ''Australian Systematic Botany'' 14:329-356
23. McCarthy, P.M. 2006. Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Version 6
24. Traditional uses of the Australian flora have been written on extensively, for an overview see Isaacs, J. 2002 ''Bushfood: Aboriginal food and herbal medicine''. New Holland ISBN 1-86436-816-0
25. O'Neill, G. 1996. Winning back the macadamia. ''Ecos'' 88:15-19
26. Williams J. 2000, Managing the Bush: Recent research findings from the EA/LWRRDC National Remnant Vegetation R&D Program, National Research and Development Program on Rehabilitation, Management and Conservation of Remnant Vegetation, Research Report 4/00.
27. Thorp, J.R. and Lynch, R. 2000. ''Weeds of National Significance''. Commonwealth of Australia & National Weeds Strategy Executive Committee ISBN 1-876977-20-5
28. Department of the Environment and Heritage. EPBC Act List of Threatened Fauna
29. Department of the Environment and Heritage. 2002. Summary of Terrestrial Protected Areas in Australia by Type
30. Department of the Environment and Heritage. 2002. About the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA)
31. Department of the Environment and Heritage. National Biodiversity Hotspots
32. Department of the Environment and Heritage IBRA Version 6.1
General references
★ Thiele, K. R. and Adams, A. G. eds. 2002.
Families of flowering plants of Australia. ABRS/CSIRO Publishing ISBN 0-643-06721-3
★ Smith, J. M. B. ed 1982. ''A history of Australasian vegetation''. McGraw Hill ISBN 0-07-072953-0
★ Orchard, A. E. ed. 1999. ''Flora of Australia - Volume 1'', 2nd edition. ABRS/CSIRO ISBN 0-643-05965-2
External links
★
National Vegetation Information System
★
Flora of Australia Online
★
★
Flora of Australia Online - Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands
★
★
Flora of Australia Online - Oceanic Islands excluding Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands
★
Australia's Virtual Herbarium
★
What's its name? A database for the Australian Plant Name Index
★
Census of Freshwater Algae in Australia
★
Australian Marine Algal Name Index
★
Australian National Botanic Gardens Fungi Web Site
★
Prehistoric Life - Plant Fossils of Australia Museum Victoria
★
ASGAP - Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants