The floristic composition and vegetation partitioning of the ephemeral wetlands of the Pilliga Outwash within the Pilliga National Park and Pilliga State Conservation Area (30˚30'S, 149˚22'E) on the North Western Plains of New South Wales are described. SPOT5 imagery was used to map 340 wetlands across the Pilliga Out wash. A total of 240 plots within 31 wetlands explored composition and species richness in relation to water depth and wetland size. The predominant community described is the species-rich herb field of shallow basin wetlands, along with the structurally distinct but the less common sedge land/herb field of the deeper 'tank' wetlands and a single wetland with a floristically depauperate 'Diplachne fusca' wet grassland. A total of 131 taxa were recorded including three species listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995): 'Eriocaulon australasicum', 'Lepidium monoplocoides' and 'Myriophyllum implicatum'. New records for an additional six taxa were recorded for the North Western Plains. 11% of taxa were exotic in origin.

The floristic composition and extent of 'Carex'-dominated fens in the New South Wales New England Tablelands Bioregion and Barrington Tops area (lat 28°41'S-31°55'S; long 151°23'E-152°05'E) together with outliers from the central west (Coonabarabran) are described from 81 full floristic survey sites. These fens contained 234 vascular plant taxa of which 27% were exotic. Then fens were dominated by herbaceous vegetation (96% of taxa). Cluster analysis of cover-abundance scores of vascular plant taxa from 81 pots placed within 71 separate 'Carex' fens revealed three alliances: 1) 'Carex appressa', 2) 'Scirpus polystachyus' - 'Carex tereticaulis' and 3) 'Carex gaudichaudiana' and seven communities: 1) 'Carex appressa' - 'Stellaria angustifolia' Fen 2) 'Carex appressa' Fen 3) 'Scirpus polystachyus' - 'Carex appressa' Fen 4) 'Carex tereticaulis' Fen 5) 'Carex gaudichaudiana' - 'Isachne globosa' Fen 6) 'Carex' sp. Bendemeer - 'Carex gaudichaudiana' Fen 7) 'Carex' gaudichaudiana' - ' Glyceria australis' Fen The distribution of alliances showed a pattern of east-west separation. The most easterly alliance shares many features with the 'Carex gaudichaudiana' Alliance of the Monaro Region of the southern NSW while the other alliances have no counterparts within the current literature. We estimate that up to 5 000ha of fen vegetation survive in the New England Bioregion of which 90% is on grazed land and only 0.2% is within conservation reserves. Seven outstanding examples of fens remain; most are examples of Community 5, with one representing Community 6 and none representing the other five communities. Many of these are not secured, and none of those within reserves are in their 'natural' state. We therefore strongly encourage measures to allow closure of drains, the opening of dams, and the rehabilitation of important fens such as Bishops, Racecourse and New Country Swamps.

The floristics of the montane bogs in east-flowing catchments of northern New England, north-eastern New South Wales (lat 28° 47'–31° 25' S; long 151° 50'–152° 30' E), are described from 62 full floristic survey sites (20 x 20 m in area). Eight vegetation communities are based on flexible UPGMA analysis of cover-abundance scores of vascular plant taxa. Shrub species make up 26% of the flora and herb species 69%, with the remaining taxa trees, climbers or vines. Shrub species were of little diagnostic value, as a few common dominants were shared across most communities. The herbaceous layer was found to be of better circumscriptive value. Communities described (based on dominant herbaceous species) are: (1) 'Themeda australis' – 'Gonocarpus micranthus', (2) 'Baumea articulata' – 'Baloskion stenocoleum', (3) 'Lepidosperma limicola' – 'Baloskion stenocoleum', (4) 'Baloskion fimbriatum' – 'Lomandra longifolia', (5) 'Lepyrodia scariosa' – 'Blandfordia grandiflora', (6) 'Lepidosperma gunnii' – 'Lepidosperma scariosa', (7) 'Baloskion stenocoleum' – 'Empodisma minus', (8) 'Lepidosperma limicola' – 'Xyris operculata'. The mean annual moisture index was found to account for 26% of the variation in species density. These montane bog systems are some of the richest in Australia, with a high number of rare and restricted taxa. They are vulnerable to both present land use practices and future changes in climate, are restricted in area, and need further conservation efforts to ensure their long-term survival.