Platylobium alternifolium EN Taxonomic Authority: F.Muell.  Global Assessment  Regional Assessment Region: Global  Endemic to region Synonyms Common Names VICTORIAN FLAT-PEA English (Primary)

Upper Level Kingdom: PLANTAE Phylum: TRACHEOPHYTA Class: MAGNOLIOPSIDA Order: Family: LEGUMINOSAE Lower Level Taxonomy Rank: Infra- rank name:  Hybrid Subpopulation: Authority:

It can be confused with a variant formosum with alternate leaves, only fertile specimens can separate both species.

General Information Distribution Platylobium alternifolium is endemic to , distributed only in the state of Victoria where it is considered as rare. It is confined to the Grampians Range in the western part of this state. The presence of this species in the Bolangum Range is uncertain since the only specimen found from this area is sterile material which can be easily confused with P. formosum (Ross 1983). The species is only known from within the Grampians National Park which covers an area of 167,000 hectares, and the available verifiable localities restrict the species range to only the northern part of the park to an estimated area of occupancy of only 12km2.

Range Size Elevation Biogeographic Realm Area of Occupancy: Upper limit: 600  Afrotropical Extent of Occurrence: 1670 Lower limit: 180  Antarctic Map Status: Depth  Australasian Upper limit:  Neotropical Lower limit:  Oceanian Depth Zones  Palearctic  Shallow photic  Bathyl  Hadal  Indomalayan  Photic  Abyssal  Nearctic Population Total population size is not known but a recent survey suggests less than 1000 individuals in a population in Victoria (MSBP 2010). This species is classified as rare according to the Threatened Flora in Southwest Victoria. Latest collection in 2001.

Total Population Size Minimum Population Size: Maximum Population Size: Habitat and Ecology This small shrub grows on moist east-facing slopes in closed sclerophyll Eucalyptus woodland. This species is not listed as susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback root-disease, however many of the species of the habitat where this species occurs are (O'Gara et al. 2005).

System Movement pattern Crop Wild Relative  Terrestrial  Freshwater  Nomadic  Congregatory/Dispersive  Is the species a wild relative of a crop?  Marine  Migratory  Altitudinally migrant

Growth From Definition Shrub - small Perennial shrub small (<1m) or dwarf shrub, also termed a Chamaephyte (<1m)

Threats Much of the Victorian Midlands has been cleared for gold mining, forestry and on the lower lying areas and valleys for agriculture, principally sheep and beef cattle grazing. In the less fertile parts and the most rugged parts of the Victorian Midlands, substantial areas of native vegetation remain today in good condition, for example in the Grampians National Park (Australian Natural Resources Atlas 2009). Within the park weed invasion and disease (Phytophthora cinnamomi), high levels of use for recreational activities and grazing animals are the main threats to the vegetation. Fire or its absence is a major influence on vegetation and may affect the conservation of some plant species (Parks Victoria 2002). The effects of P. cinnamomi on the native vegetation of the Grampians was studied over a 24-year period. Since it was first infested, 54% of the understorey species died, changing the community structure, on steep sites 65% of the ground remained bare while in other sites the native flora was replaced by field resistant species of sedges and rushes. Towards the later years of the study regeneration of the native vegetation was observed as well as decline of the pathogen, due to drier weather conditions and changes in fire regimes (Weste et al. 2002)

Past Present Future 1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced)  1.1 Agriculture  1.1.2 Wood plantations  1.1.4 Livestock  1.3 Extraction  1.3.1 Mining  1.5 Invasive alien species (directly impacting habitat)  1.7 Fires  7 Natural disasters  7.4 Wildfire  8 Changes in native species dynamics  8.5 Pathogens/parasites  10 Human disturbance  10.1 Recreation/tourism  10.5 Fire  Conservation Measures Only known to occur within Grampians National Park. This species is listed as 2RC- according to Briggs and Leigh (1996), a rare species with no identifiable threat with a range of less than 100 km2 occurring in a reserved area, but the population size is not known. However, Phytophthora cinnamomi is still regarded as a major threat to the communities of the Grampians National Park, a suitable pathogen management strategy and correct fire regime are vital for their survival (Department of Sustainability and Environment 2008; Parks Victoria 2002). The seeds for this species have been collected as part of the Millennium Seed Bank project. Seeds are located at: Wakehurst Place, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) and the National Herbarium of Victoria, Melbourne (Australia). Further research on the range of this species is needed as well as identifying size of population, threats to this species and habitat status.

In Place Needed 1 Policy-based actions  1.1 Management plans  1.1.1 Development  1.1.2 Implementation  3 Research actions  3.2 Population numbers and range  3.4 Habitat status  3.5 Threats  4 Habitat and site-based actions  4.4 Protected areas  5 Species-based actions  5.5 Disease, pathogen, parasite management  5.7 Ex situ conservation actions  5.7.2 Genome resource bank 

Countries of Occurrence

PRESENCE ORIGIN Year Breeding Non- Passage Possibly ExtinctPresence Native Introduced Re- Vagrant Origin Round Season breeding migrant extinct uncertain Introduced uncertain only season only Australia    Victoria   

General Habitats Score Description Major Importance 2 Savanna 1UnsetSuitable 2.1 Savanna - Dry1Unset Suitable 3 Shrubland 1UnsetSuitable 3.8 Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation1Unset Suitable

Species Utilisation  Species is not utilised at all

Trend in the level of wild offtake/harvest in relation to total wild population numbers over the last five years: Trend in the amount of offtake/harvest produced through domestication/cultivation over the last five years: CITES status: Not listed

IUCN Red Listing Red List Assessment:(using 2001 IUCN system) Endangered (EN)

Red List Criteria: B1ab(iii) Date Last Seen (only for EX, EW or Possibly EX species): Is the species Possibly Extinct?  Possibly Extinct Candidate?  Rationale for the Red List Assessment P. alternifolium is listed as Endangered in view of its restricted distribution in eucalypt woodland of the Grampians National Park in Victoria (EOO 2). Also for the fact that is it known from less than 5 locations, and a decline in the quality of the habitat has been observed due to P. cinnamomi. Management plans have been set in place to combat this pathogen, however continuous implementation of these plans together with an adequate fire regime and dry weather conditions are vital for the recovery of the habitat. The seeds of this species have been banked as an ex situ conservation measure. It is recommended that further research is carried out on habitat status, population size and levels of threats.

Reason(s) for Change in Red List Category from the Previous Assessment:  Genuine Change  Nongenuine Change  No Change  Genuine (recent)  New information  Taxonomy  Same category  Genuine (since first assessment)  Knowledge of Criteria  Criteria Revisio and criteria  Incorrect data used  Other  Same category but previously change in criteria Current Population Trend: Unknown Date of Assessment: 23/08/2010 Name(s) of the Assessor(s): Malcolm, P. Evaluator(s): Notes:

% population decline in the past: Time period over which the past decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): % population decline in the future: Time period over which the future decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): Number of Locations: 5 Severely Fragmented: Number of Mature Individuals:

Bibliography Australian Natural Resources Atlas, 2009, Biodiversity Assessment - Victorian Midlands23/08/2010, , , Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2008, Victoria’s Public Land Phytophthora cinnamomi Management Strategy., Department of Sustainability and Environment, , , Melbourne MSBP, 2010, Millennium Seed Bank Project. Seed Bank Database, , Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, O'Gara, E., Howard, K., Wilson, B., Hardy, G.E., 2005, Management of Phytophthora cinnamomi for Biodiversity Conservation in Australia: Part 2 National Best Practice Guidelines, Commonwealth Government Department of the Environment and Heritage by the Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, , Murdoch University, Parks Victoria, 2002, Grampians National Park, Education Resource Kit, , , Ross, J.H., 1983, A Revision of the genus Platylobium Sm. (Papilionaceae)., Muelleria2, 129-131, , Ross, J.H., 1996, Platylobium, Flora of Victoria, N.G. Walsh and T.J. Entwisle, , Inkata Press, Melbourne Weste, G., Brown, K., Kennedy. J., Walshe, T., 2002, Phytophthora cinnamomi infestation—a 24-year study of vegetation change in forests and woodlands of the Grampians, Western Victoria, Australian Journal of Botany, 247-274, ,