Biodiversity of Wielangta Forest - Wild Wielangta - Edublogs

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Biodiversity of Wielangta Forest
photo Mark Wapstra
Wielangta bird orchid (Chiloglottis sp. ‘Wielangta’). This is a newly discovered species, still
awaiting formal description, recorded from rainforest on Sandspit River.
Uncommon eucalypts
Out of a total number of 29 eucalypts native to Tasmania, 18 species have been recorded from
Wielangta 2 . An analysis of eucalypt species richness, throughout the 837 10km grid squares that
comprise Tasmania, demonstrated that only 22 squares recorded as much diversity or better as that
of the two main squares in Wielangta (14 in each) 3 .
Urn gum (Eucalypts urnigera). This mountain dwelling endemic was only recently discovered
in Wielangta during pre logging surveys in 2003. It is confined to the margins of an open swamp
adjacent to a proposed logging coupe (W19E). Other than an outlying population on Maria Island
there are no other populations in the east coast, with the other nearest being on Mt Wellington.
Silver gum (E. cordata). There are two forms of this rare Tasmanian endemic. The eastern form
is most easily distinguished by the rounded stems and has a population that is centred on Prossers
Sugarloaf 4 , recognising the importance of Wielangta for this species. It occurs as a mallee form
usually within E. pulchella forest, making any such stands of this otherwise widespread forest type of
high conservation significance.
2 An additional two species listed on the Natural values Atlas for the area require verification – E.,johnstonii
attributed to F. Duncan 1981 and E.sieberi attributed to A.Grey 2002.
3 Williams & Potts 1996
4 Williams & Potts 1996
Wild Wielangta