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M.J. Brown and J. Read
charcoal deposits in the soil (e.g., Macphail , 1979) and in early historical
accounts of European contacts (e.g., Plomley, 1966). However, there is
little evidence that the Aborigines made direct use of the rainforests for
food or for shelter. The impacts of fire on the distribution of the major
vegetation types and on rainforest in particular are considered below.
Botanical Characteristics
Floristic Composition and Classification
Apart from . the dominant species that characterize the rainforests, the
abundant or most common vascular plant species encountered are from
the Epacridaceae (Richea, Trochocarpa , Cyathodes , Archeria, Prionotes) ,
Asteraceae (Olearia), Proteaceae (Agastachys, Cenarrhenes, Orites and
Telopea) , Escalloniaceae (Anopterus) , Cunoniaceae (Anodopetalum) ,
and Winteraceae (Tasmannia/Drimys) (Jarman , Brown, & Kantvilas,
1984; Jarman , Kantvilas & Brown , 1991). Prominent or widespread fern
genera include Blechnum , Dicksonia , Hymenophyllum , and Polystichum.
Some characteristic lichen genera include Pseudocyphellaria , Psoroma ,
and Menegazzia . In the bryophytes prominent or widespread species are
from such families as Lepidoziaceae (five genera) and Geocalycaceae in
the liverworts , and Dicranaceae and Sematophyllaceae in the mosses
(Jarman et al., 1991).
Trees, shrubs, ferns , and other cryptogams are the most conspicuous
life forms in Tasmanian rainforests (Jarman et al. , 1984). The trees and
shrubs are mostly single stemmed , but some species, such as Anodopetalum , produce dense tangles (Barker, 1992). Buttressed trees and
lianes are rare or absent, but scrambling plants (Trochocarpa, Aristotelia) ,
rosette shrubs (Richea , Dracophyllum) , and tree ferns (Dicksonia ,
Cyathea) are distinctive in some forest types. Prionotes cerinthoides is the
only true angiosperm epiphyte present but there are abundant epiph ytic
cryptogams (Jarman et al. , 1984).
Tree heights range from 5-8 to 30-40m (except for emergent
Eucalyptus when present) and all trees and shrubs are evergreen except
for the winter deciduous Nothofagus gunnii which occupies specialized
habitats. Leaves are mostly simple , microphylls or nanophylls ; entire or
serrated; glabrous or with an indumentum of wax or hair on one surface
only (Jarman et al. , 1984). The woody angiosperms are generally hermaphrodites, but some genera , such as A therosperma , Nothofagus ,
Tasmannia and the conifers , are monoecious or dioecious. Many of the
species have no obvious aids to seed dispersal , although a few have
succulent fruits (e.g. , Cenarrhenes) or winged fruits or seed (e.g. ,
Eucryphia, Anopterus).
The rainforests have been formally classified into 38 floristically
defined communities in four broad floristic/structural groups which fall
within two alliances (Figure 16.2) (see Jarman et al., 1984, 1991, 1994).
These communities reflect climatic, altitudinal , and edaphic gradients
M.J. Brown and J. Read
charcoal deposits in the soil (e.g., Macphail , 1979) and in early historical
accounts of European contacts (e.g., Plomley, 1966). However, there is
little evidence that the Aborigines made direct use of the rainforests for
food or for shelter. The impacts of fire on the distribution of the major
vegetation types and on rainforest in particular are considered below.
Botanical Characteristics
Floristic Composition and Classification
Apart from . the dominant species that characterize the rainforests, the
abundant or most common vascular plant species encountered are from
the Epacridaceae (Richea, Trochocarpa , Cyathodes , Archeria, Prionotes) ,
Asteraceae (Olearia), Proteaceae (Agastachys, Cenarrhenes, Orites and
Telopea) , Escalloniaceae (Anopterus) , Cunoniaceae (Anodopetalum) ,
and Winteraceae (Tasmannia/Drimys) (Jarman , Brown, & Kantvilas,
1984; Jarman , Kantvilas & Brown , 1991). Prominent or widespread fern
genera include Blechnum , Dicksonia , Hymenophyllum , and Polystichum.
Some characteristic lichen genera include Pseudocyphellaria , Psoroma ,
and Menegazzia . In the bryophytes prominent or widespread species are
from such families as Lepidoziaceae (five genera) and Geocalycaceae in
the liverworts , and Dicranaceae and Sematophyllaceae in the mosses
(Jarman et al., 1991).
Trees, shrubs, ferns , and other cryptogams are the most conspicuous
life forms in Tasmanian rainforests (Jarman et al. , 1984). The trees and
shrubs are mostly single stemmed , but some species, such as Anodopetalum , produce dense tangles (Barker, 1992). Buttressed trees and
lianes are rare or absent, but scrambling plants (Trochocarpa, Aristotelia) ,
rosette shrubs (Richea , Dracophyllum) , and tree ferns (Dicksonia ,
Cyathea) are distinctive in some forest types. Prionotes cerinthoides is the
only true angiosperm epiphyte present but there are abundant epiph ytic
cryptogams (Jarman et al. , 1984).
Tree heights range from 5-8 to 30-40m (except for emergent
Eucalyptus when present) and all trees and shrubs are evergreen except
for the winter deciduous Nothofagus gunnii which occupies specialized
habitats. Leaves are mostly simple , microphylls or nanophylls ; entire or
serrated; glabrous or with an indumentum of wax or hair on one surface
only (Jarman et al. , 1984). The woody angiosperms are generally hermaphrodites, but some genera , such as A therosperma , Nothofagus ,
Tasmannia and the conifers , are monoecious or dioecious. Many of the
species have no obvious aids to seed dispersal , although a few have
succulent fruits (e.g. , Cenarrhenes) or winged fruits or seed (e.g. ,
Eucryphia, Anopterus).
The rainforests have been formally classified into 38 floristically
defined communities in four broad floristic/structural groups which fall
within two alliances (Figure 16.2) (see Jarman et al., 1984, 1991, 1994).
These communities reflect climatic, altitudinal , and edaphic gradients