Flora

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Oligotrophic (low nutrient) lakes are often surrounded and, if shallow, invaded by dense strands of sedges and rushes such as Lepironia articulata, Eleocharis spp., Baumea spp., Schoenus spp., Juncus spp. and Gahnia spp. The deeper areas of lakes are generally vegetation-free.

Throughout Queensland, L. articulata is commonly associated with coastal dune lakes. However, species such as Baumea teretifolia, Eleocharis sphacelata, Leptocarpus tenax, common in south-east Queensland, are usually replaced with the species B. rubiginosa, E. brassi and Dapsilanthus ramosus in Cape York coastal dune lake areas.

Coastal dune lakes can occur alongside a diverse range of wetland habitats and vegetation types including beaches, mangroves, salt flats, swamps, sedgelands, heathland and rainforest, depending on their exact location. Where lake levels fluctuate, vegetation surrounding the lake is highly water tolerant and may include species such as sundews (genus Drosera) and bladderworts (genus Utricularia).

Some of the flora species associated with coastal dune lakes and their surrounding area include:

Herbs

• sundews, for example Drosera auriculata, forked sundew D. binata, D. spatulata
• bladderworts, for example moth bladderwort Utricularia biloba, floating bladderwort U. gibba, asian bladderwort U. uliginosa

Sedges/Rushes

• Lepironia articulata
• Baumea spp. (B. rubiginosa, B. teretifolia)
• Juncus spp., Gahnia spp. (including G. sieberiana)
• Eleocharis spp. (including E. brassii, E. sphacelata)
• Schoenus spp. (including S. scabripes, S. calostachyus, S. sparteus)
• Dapsilanthus elatior
• Dapsilanthus ramosus
• Leptocarpus spp. (including L. tenax)

Trees/Shrubs

• Asteromyrtus lysicephala
• Melaleuca arcana
• broad-leaved tea-tree Melaleuca leucadendra
• swamp paperbark Melaleuca quinquenervia
• swamp tea-tree Melaleuca dealbata
• Melaleuca sp. aff. viridiflora
• Thryptomene oligandra
• broad-leaved banksia Banksia robur
• red bottlebrush Callistemon polandii
• tantoon Leptospermum polygalifolium