There are significant amounts of remnant vegetation within the Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve, which have significant ecological values for the region. The site has a mixture of intact remnant and highly modified vegetation with high quantity vegetation occurring in several locations.

Native Vegetation in Victoria is classified into Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs). Six EVCs have been recognised within the Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve, one of which is listed as rare, three of which are listed as endangered and two of which are listed as vulnerable within the Gippsland Plain bioregion.

The most extensive of the EVCs, Grassy Woodland, is considered as endangered in the Gippsland Plain Bioregion and the Frankston Nature  Conservation Reserve supports the largest stand of Grassy Woodland in the southern metropolitan area and the Mornington Peninsula. Grassy Woodland is one of the most species rich ecosystems in temperate Australia, and in the temperate world generally and is particularly rich in native grasses, orchids and lilies.

• EVC 1 – Grassy Woodland (Endangered)
• EVC 2 – Gully Woodland (Endangered)
• EVC 3 – Damp Heathland (Rare)
• EVC 4 – Damp Heathy Woodland (Vulnerable)
• EVC 5 – Aquatic Sedgeland (Vulnerable)
• EVC 6 – Submerged Aquatic Herbland (Endangered)

Significant Plant Species

Flora of Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve

Sources: Ecological Horticulture (1992), Yugovic (2001, observations), Practical Ecology (2008)

Comprising 236 indigenous species (and counting!), 50 introduced species

Indigenous species:

Scientific name Common name

Acacia brownii Heath Wattle

Acacia genistifolia Spreading Wattle

Acacia mearnsii Black Wattle

Acacia melanoxylon Blackwood

Acacia oxycedrus Spike Wattle

Acacia paradoxa Hedge Wattle

Acacia pycnantha Golden Wattle

Acacia stricta Hop Wattle

Acacia suaveolens Sweet Wattle

Acacia verticillata subsp. verticillata Prickly Moses

Acaena novae-zelandiae Bidgee-widgee

Acaena ovina Australian Sheep’s Burr

Acianthus caudatus Mayfly Orchid

Acianthus pusillus Gnat Orchid

Acrotriche serrulata Honey-pots

Adiantum aethiopicum Common Maidenhair

Allocasuarina littoralis Black Sheoak

Allocasuarina paludosa Scrub Sheoak

Alternanthera denticulata Lesser Joyweed

Amperea xiphoclada var. xiphoclada Broom Spurge

Amyema pendula Drooping Mistletoe

Aotus ericoides Common Aotus

Arthropodium strictum Chocolate Lily

Astroloma humifusum Cranberry Heath

Austrostipa mollis Supple Spear-grass

Austrostipa pubinodis Tall Spear-grass

Austrostipa semibarbata Fibrous Spear-grass

Banksia marginata Silver Banksia

Baumea acuta Pale Twig-sedge

Baumea gunnii Slender Twig-sedge

Baumea rubiginosa s.l. Soft Twig-rush

Billardiera mutabilis Common Apple-berry

Bossiaea cinerea Showy Bossiaea

Bossiaea prostrata Creeping Bossiaea

Brunonia australis Blue Pincushion

Bulbine bulbosa Bulbine Lily

Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids

Bursaria spinosa Sweet Bursaria

Caesia parviflora Pale Grass-lily

Caladenia carnea Pink Fingers

Caladenia dilatata s.l. Green-comb Spider-orchid

Calochilus robertsonii s.l. Purple Beard-orchid

Carex appressa Tall Sedge

Carex breviculmis Common Grass-sedge

Cassinia arcuata Drooping Cassinia

Cassinia longifolia Shiny Cassinia

Cassytha glabella Slender Dodder-laurel

Cassytha melantha Coarse Dodder-laurel

Cassytha pubescens Downy Dodder-laurel

Centella cordifolia Centella

Centrolepis strigosa subsp. strigosa Hairy Centrolepis

Chamaescilla corymbosa var. corymbosa Blue Stars

Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia Green Rock-fern

Chrysocephalum apiculatum Common Everlasting

Clematis aristata Mountain Clematis

Clematis microphylla s.l. Small-leaved Clematis

Comesperma calymega Blue-spike Milkwort

Comesperma volubile Love Creeper

Coronidium scorpioides Button Everlasting

Correa reflexa Common Correa

Corunastylis archeri Elfin Midge-orchid

Corybas incurvus Slaty Helmet-orchid

Crassula sieberiana s.l. Sieber Crassula

Crassula spp. Crassula

Cryptostylis leptochila Small Tongue-orchid

Cryptostylis subulata Large Tongue-orchid

Cyrtostylis reniformis Small Gnat-orchid

Deyeuxia quadriseta Reed Bent-grass

Dianella admixta Spreading Flax-lily

Dianella brevicaulis Small-flower Flax-lily

Dianella laevis var. aspera Rough Flax-lily

Dianella laevis var. laevis Smooth Flax-lily

Dichelachne rara Common Plume-grass

Dichelachne sieberiana Rough Plume-grass

Dichondra repens Kidney-weed

Dicksonia antarctica Soft Tree-fern

Dillwynia cinerascens Grey Parrot-pea

Dillwynia glaberrima Smooth Parrot-pea

Dillwynia sericea Showy Parrot-pea

Diuris orientis Wallflower Orchid

Drosera aberrans Scented Sundew

Drosera auriculata Tall Sundew

Drosera glanduligera Scarlet Sundew

Drosera macrantha subsp. macrantha Climbing Sundew

Drosera peltata Pale Sundew

Eleocharis acuta Common Spike-sedge

Eleocharis sphacelata Tall Spike-sedge

Empodisma minus Spreading Rope-rush

Epacris impressa Common Heath

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa Mealy Stringybark

Eucalyptus ovata Swamp Gum

Eucalyptus radiata Narrow-leaf Peppermint

Eucalyptus viminalis subsp. pryoriana Coast Manna-gum

Euchiton japonicus Creeping Cudweed

Exocarpos cupressiformis Cherry Ballart

Gahnia radula Thatch Saw-sedge

Gahnia sieberiana Red-fruit Saw-sedge

Galium australe Tangled Bedstraw

Galium gaudichaudii Rough Bedstraw

Gastrodia sesamoides Cinnamon Bells

Geranium solanderi s.l. Austral Crane’s-bill

Glossodia major Wax-lip Orchid

Glycine clandestina Twining Glycine

Gonocarpus humilis Shade Raspwort

Gonocarpus tetragynus Common Raspwort

Goodenia elongata Lanky Goodenia

Goodenia geniculata Bent Goodenia

Goodenia humilis Swamp Goodenia

Goodenia lanata Trailing Goodenia

Goodenia ovata Hop Goodenia

Hakea ulicina Furze Hakea

Helichrysum luteoalbum Jersey Cudweed

Hibbertia acicularis Prickly Guinea-flower

Hibbertia fasciculata var. prostrata Bundled Guinea-flower

Hibbertia riparia Erect Guinea-flower

Hibbertia sericea var. sericea Silky Guinea-flower

Hydrocotyle callicarpa Small Pennywort

Hydrocotyle foveolata Yellow Pennywort

Hydrocotyle hirta Hairy Pennywort

Hydrocotyle laxiflora Stinking Pennywort

Hypericum gramineum Small St John’s Wort

Hypolaena fastigiata Tassel Rope-rush

Hypoxis vaginata var. vaginata Yellow Star

Imperata cylindrica Blady Grass

Isolepis cernua Nodding Club-sedge

Isolepis inundata Swamp Club-sedge

Isolepis marginata Little Club-sedge

Isopogon ceratophyllus Horny Cone-bush

Juncus bufonius Toad Rush

Juncus holoschoenus Joint-leaf Rush

Juncus pallidus Pale Rush

Juncus pauciflorus Loose-flower Rush

Juncus planifolius Broad-leaf Rush

Juncus procerus Tall Rush

Juncus sarophorus Broom Rush

Juncus subsecundus Finger Rush

Kennedia prostrata Running Postman

Lachnagrostis aemula Leafy Blown-grass

Lagenophora gracilis Slender Bottle-daisy

Lagenophora stipitata Common Bottle-daisy

Laxmannia orientalis Dwarf Wire-lily

Lepidosperma concavum Sandhill Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma curtisiae Little Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma elatius Tall Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma filiforme Common Rapier-sedge

Lepidosperma gunnii Slender Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma laterale var. laterale Variable Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma laterale var. majus Variable Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma longitudinale Pithy Sword-sedge

Lepidosperma neesii Stiff Rapier-sedge

Lepidosperma semiteres Wire Rapier-sedge

Leptoceras menziesii Hare Orchid

Leptorhynchos tenuifolius Wiry Buttons

Leptospermum continentale Prickly Tea-tree

Leptospermum myrsinoides Heath Tea-tree

Lepyrodia muelleri Common Scale-rush

Leucopogon ericoides Pink Beard-heath

Leucopogon virgatus Common Beard-heath

Lindsaea linearis Screw Fern

Lobelia anceps Angled Lobelia

Lomandra filiformis Wattle Mat-rush

Lomandra longifolia Spiny-headed Mat-rush

Lomandra micrantha Small-flower Mat-rush

Melaleuca squarrosa Scented Paperbark

Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides Weeping Grass

Microtis unifolia Common Onion-orchid

Monotoca scoparia Prickly Broom-heath

Muellerina eucalyptoides Creeping Mistletoe

Olearia ramulosa Twiggy Daisy-bush

Opercularia ovata Broad-leaf Stinkweed

Opercularia varia Variable Stinkweed

Oxalis exilis Shady Wood-sorrel

Oxalis spp. Wood Sorrel

Ozothamnus ferrugineus Tree Everlasting

Pandorea pandorana subsp. pandorana Wonga Vine

Patersonia occidentalis var. occidentalis Long Purple-flag

Persicaria decipiens Slender Knotweed

Pimelea humilis Common Rice-flower

Pimelea linifolia Slender Rice-flower

Pimelea octophylla Woolly Rice-flower

Platylobium obtusangulum Common Flat-pea

Platysace heterophylla var. heterophylla Slender Platysace

Poa clelandii Noah’s Ark

Poa ensiformis Sword Tussock-grass

Poa labillardierei Common Tussock-grass

Poa morrisii Soft Tussock-grass

Poa sieberiana Grey Tussock-grass

Poa tenera Slender Tussock-grass

Poranthera microphylla Small Poranthera

Pteridium esculentum Austral Bracken

Pterostylis concinna Trim Greenhood

Pterostylis melagramma Tall Greenhood

Pterostylis nana Dwarf Greenhood

Pterostylis nutans Nodding Greenhood

Pterostylis parviflora Tiny Greenhood

Pterostylis pedunculata Maroonhood

Pterostylis sanguinea Banded Greenhood

Pultenaea stricta Rigid Bush-pea

Pyrorchis nigricans Red-beaks

Rhytidosporum procumbens White Marianth

Ricinocarpos pinifolius Wedding Bush

Rytidosperma caespitosum Common Wallaby-grass

Rytidosperma lepidopodum Scaly-foot Wallaby-grass

Rytidosperma racemosum var. racemosum Slender Wallaby-grass

Rytidosperma semiannulare Wetland Wallaby-grass

Schoenus apogon Common Bog-sedge

Schoenus lepidosperma Slender Bog-sedge

Selaginella uliginosa Swamp Selaginella

Senecio glomeratus Annual Fireweed

Senecio hispidulus Rough Fireweed

Senecio minimus Shrubby Fireweed

Solenogyne gunnii Hairy Solenogyne

Sphaerolobium vimineum Leafless Globe-pea

Stackhousia monogyna Creamy Stackhousia

Stackhousia viminea Slender Stackhousia

Tetrarrhena juncea Forest Wire-grass

Thelionema caespitosum Tufted Lily

Thelymitra flexuosa Twisted Sun-orchid

Thelymitra ixioides Spotted Sun-orchid

Thelymitra pauciflora s.l. Slender Sun-orchid

Themeda triandra Kangaroo Grass

Thysanotus patersonii Twining Fringe-lily

Trachymene composita Parsnip Trachymene

Tricoryne elatior Yellow Rush-lily

Triglochin striata Streaked Arrowgrass

Typha domingensis Narrow-leaf Cumbungi

Vallisneria americana var. americana Eel Grass

Veronica calycina Hairy Speedwell

Viminaria juncea Golden Spray

Viola cleistogamoides Hidden Violet

Viola hederacea Ivy-leaf Violet

Wahlenbergia gracilenta Hairy Annual Bluebell

Wahlenbergia gracilis Sprawling Bluebell

Wurmbea dioica Common Early Nancy

Xanthorrhoea minor subsp. lutea Small Grass-tree

Xanthosia dissecta s.l. Cut-leaf Xanthosia

Xanthosia huegelii Heath Xanthosia

Xanthosia tridentata Hill Xanthosia