Obbens & Sage: Vegetation and flora of an upland remnant. Western Australian wheatbelt 
terms of value as public conservation estate. These 
woodlands can be moderately diverse due to the 
abundant annuals present, but more frequently it is the 
open heaths and patches of other communities within 
these woodlands that account for the greater proportion 
of species diversity, particularly perennial species (Yates 
et ah 1999). Table 1 also reaffirms this with 131 perennial 
shrub taxa listed, the next highest being perennial herbs 
at 127 taxa, but with significantly less vegetative cover 
overall than the shrubs produce. 
Flora. 
We consider Nature Reserve A21064, with 323 taxa 
located within 110 ha, as exceptionally diverse for an 
upland area. It is always difficult to compare flora 
surveys because of the different methodologies applied, 
the differences in the vegetation communities surveyed 
and the differences in surveying intensity and season 
(Obbens et ah 2001). Nonetheless, a quadrat-based flora 
survey of 3 remnants within the Cartmeticup sub¬ 
catchment, Shire of Woodnilling (about 35 km south-east 
of A21064) by Gunness (1999) found 266 vascular taxa in 
130 ha although less than 40% of this survey was upland 
habitat. In 2001, the Western Australian Herbarium had 
358 individual vascular plant species recorded for the 
Highbury State Forest, a large collection of woodland 
remnants (4028 ha) with significant upland areas just 
south of Narrogin (about 20 km north of A21064). For 
this survey, we found new taxa on every visitation and 
even after many visits the last survey still produced over 
30 new taxa. Our experience is that intense surveying 
appears to overcome the shortfalls of annual/seasonal 
variation or of detecting cryptic/short-lived species etc. 
Most surveys do not have the resources for such 
intensive work and hence record significantly less. In 
fact, Nilsson & Nilsson (1985) reported that standardised 
surveys by professional botanists estimate only 79% at 
best of total plant diversity. Consequently, most survey 
results somewhat underrate the biodiversity present and 
hence the conservation value of the areas surveyed. Even 
this intensive surveying program cannot be considered 
as 100% conclusive in detecting all the vascular plant taxa 
within A21064. 
Declared Rare Flora. 
One declared rare taxon (Conostylis drummondii) is 
listed for the reserve. Within the reserve it occurs in one 
heath community only, while there are several 
populations recorded mostly on roadside situations 
(WAHERB data). This species has an IUCN ranking of 
endangered. 
Priority species. 
Seven priority taxa have been identified and, along 
with the rare flora, reaffirming the high conservation 
value of the reserve. 
Dryandra rufistylis. Priority 2. Seven small or medium 
sized populations are known from degraded roadsides 
mainly around Woodanilling with a few populations 
recorded further east to Nyabing. The A21064 population 
is the most western population and the second to be 
discovered on a reserve. 
Eucalyptus aspersa. Priority 4. A reasonably widespread 
mallee species (77 WAHERB collections) ranging from 
Julimar State Forest in the north to Frankland in the 
south. Most populations are apparently small groves and 
distributed unevenly. 
Eucalyptus latens. Priority 4. Again, this is a fairly 
widespread mallee species (57 WAHERB collections). The 
four limits of its distribution are roughly North 
Bannister, Kulin, Tarin Rock and Arthur River/Darkin 
area. Most populations have small numbers of 
individuals. 
Leucopogon florulentus. Priority 2. This taxon is currently 
under review (M Hislop, WA Herbarium). There is some 
taxonomic uncertainty regarding the boundaries of this 
species, with two variants noted. The more western/ 
inland variant (i.e. Bannister, Cordering, Dryandra State 
Forest, Dumbleyung and A21064) is potentially a 
different taxon from the more eastern/south coastal 
variant (i.e. Ongerup to east of Esperance) which 
represents the typical L. florulentus populations. At 
present, the A21064 population consisting of thousands 
of plants represents a significant find. 
Leucopogon sp Dongolocking. Priority 2. This taxon 
belongs to the 'Gynoconus' group of Leucopogons and is 
most closely related to L. pogonocalyx and another 
unnamed taxon L. sp Wandering (M Hislop, WA 
Herbarium personal communication). It is currently 
known from two localities, Dongolocking and A21064 
nature reserves. The species has a low sprawling habit 
and is difficult to find amongst other shrubs, so numbers 
of individuals in the A21064 populations are not exactly 
known at present. 
Microcorys lenticular is. Priority 2. There are several 
populations of this taxon in scattered locations ranging 
from Hyden in the east to Boxwood Hills in the south to 
Tarin Rock and Ongerup areas. A21064 is now an 
additional population and the most western distribution 
for the species. Most populations have few individuals 
and are located on degraded roadsides. 
Thysanolus cymosus. Priority 3. First collected by NH 
Brittan in 1958 south of Kulin. There are now five known 
locations (i.e. Popanyinning, Muntadgin, Hyden, north of 
Kojonup and A21064). Thysanotus cymosus appears to 
grow in sandy clay loams often associated with nearby 
granite outcrops. 
Species of interest. 
A small shrub with yellow/dark brown pea flowers 
was listed as Pultenaea aff ericifolia. This unnamed species 
belongs to the Pultenaea verruculosa/ericifolia group of 
species currently under taxonomic revision. It is probably 
closely related to the south coast species that has been 
known erroneously as P. vestita. The true P. vestita does 
not occur in Western Australia (M Hislop, WA 
Herbarium personal communication). However, this 
specimen and another northern collection differ from P. 
vestita in having distinctive recurved leaf tips and 
different floral bract morphology. 
Two variants of Baeckea crispiflora occur within the 
reserve, one with the usual narrow leaf and the other a 
wider, round-leafed variant (probably another unnamed 
taxon; M Trudgen, WA Herbarium personal 
communication). Rounded and pointed leaf variants of 
Synaphea aff interioris have also been recorded. Range 
extensions were recorded for Allocasuarina campestris, 
23 
