Biodiversity - flora
To date 444 species of plants have been recorded (Askey-Doran et al 1992) in the Tarkine. Of these, 207 are vascular and 239 non-vascular. No published surveys of fungal species for the Tarkine Wilderness could be found, but anecdotal evidence suggests that numbers of fungal species are high.

The Tarkine Wilderness is host to a high diversity of plant communities with expressions of most broad vegetation types found in Tasmania.

Twenty-seven species of flora found in the Tarkine Wilderness have been identified as in some way threatened, representing a significant population.

Latin Name
Common Name
Status*
Acacia mucronata var. dependens Variable Sallow Wattle Rare (T)
Caladenia pusilla Tiny Caladenia Rare (T)
Centrolepis plaudicola Madam Howardís Centrolepis Rare (T)
Cyathea cunninghamii Slender Tree Fern Single specimen
Deyeuxia densa Bent Grass Rare (T)
Dichelachne inaequiglumis Asymetrical Plume Grass Rare (T)
Diuris palustris Swamp Diurus Rare (T)
Ehrhata juncea   Rare (A)
Epacris curtisiae Curtisí Heath Rare (T)
Epacris glabella   Endangered (A)
Helichrysum bicolor Everlasting Daisy Rare (T)
Lagarostrobus franklinii Huon Pine Northern population
Lindsaea trichomanoides Oval Wedge-fern Rare (A)
Lotus australis Austral Trefoil Rare (T)
Micrantheum serpentinum Serpentine Micrantheum Endangered (T)
Persoonia muelleri var. augustifolia Muellerís Geebung Rare (T)
Pimelia filiformis Trailing Rice-flower Rare (T)
Pneumatopteris penningera Lime Fern Vulnerable (T)
Psoralea adscendens Mountain Psoralea Rare (T)
Pterostylis falcata Sickle Greenhood Orchid Rare (T)
Ranunculus acaulis Dune Buttercup Rare (T)
Senecio squarrosus Rigid Grassland Groundsel Rare (T)
Senecio velleioides Forest Groudsel Rare (T)
Spyridium vexilliferum Winged Spyridium Rare (A)
Stackhousia viminea Slender Stackhousia Rare (T)
Stylidium inundatum Swamp Trigger Plant Rare (T)
Thelymitra circumsepta Naked Sun Orchid Rare (T)
Veronica novÊ-hollandiae New Holland Veronica Vulnerable (T)

Threatened Animal Species (*A = Australian status, T = Tasmanian Status)

With regard to threatened species of flora, it is worth noting the Slender Tree Fern (Cyathea cunninghamii), and the Huon Pine (Lagarostrobus franklinii).

The Slender Tree-Fern is represented in the Tarkine by two solitary specimens - one on the north bank of the Pieman River a short walk from Corinna, and the other in the Pedder Forests inland from Sandy Cape on the west coast. The Slender Tree-Fern grows a trunk some 20cm (8") or so in diameter and can a height of some 6m (20').

The southern Tarkine just north of the Pieman River represents the Huon Pines northern range. These are extremely slow growing conifers, increasing their girth by only 2mm (1/8") or so per annum. The timber has a high oil content and because of their relative scarcity and slow growth, timber prices for Huon Pine are a premium. These trees are extremely fire sensitive but otherwise may live to a very old age, one specimen has been estimated at 10,000 years of age, making it the oldest tree in the world. The Huon Pine's longevity and ability to withstand rot has also provided scientists with dendrochronological sequences of outstanding importance (Bird et al 1990 cited in Askey-Doran, M et al 1992), especially from a climatological perspective.