THREATENED SPECIES LISTING STATEMENT

Davies’ wax flower, daviesii Hook.f. 1859

Status Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 ……………………………….……..………..………..….…endangered Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999…………………...... …..Critically Endangered

Hans & Annie Wapstra

Description Davies’ wax flower is a shrub or small tree which Davies’ wax flower belongs to the family . grows up to five metres tall. It flowers between late It can be readily distinguished from related taxa by September and mid January with seed developing its non-fleshy leaves with a bilobed tip and silvery from January to February. It grows in the riparian underside covered in small scales. strip and major regeneration events appear to be associated with fire and floods. Distribution and Habitat Davies’ wax flower is endemic to Tasmania. It is The leaves of Davies’ wax flower are fine, 2 to 3 currently restricted to 3 naturally occurring patches cm long, parallel but widening at the ends and along 4.5 km of the George River near St Helens. becoming distinctively bilobed. The upper leaf These patches occupy only 0.03 hectares in total. surface is dark green with a row of glands along The species was thought to be extinct until each side. The underside is silvery, having a close rediscovered in 1990. Several plantings have been covering of small scales. The small flowers are made for conservation purposes in recent years cream coloured and occur in clusters of 5 to 8 using material propagated from cuttings. When flowers. The five have brown glands on their fully established and self-perpetuating, these will backs. Stamens are about twice as long as the petals extend the distribution of the species. and protrude from the flower. 1 ______

THREATENED SPECIES UNIT Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Listing Statement Phebalium daviesii October 2001 Davies’ wax flower grows in a narrow valley in the poor, coarse, granitic sands. The habitat is subject flood zone close to the river. It occurs in riparian to occasional fires. woodland with an understorey of heath and wet sclerophyll species on generally

Important Locations Pop Sub NVA Locality 1:25,000 Year Area Number of No. pop id mapsheet last seen (ha) mature No. 1 1.1 1020 George River near St St Helens 2007 0.5 12 Helens 1.2 1021 George River near St St Helens 2007 0.5 1 Helens 1.3 1040 George River near St St Helens 2007 0.5 1 Helens – 2 1041 Constable Creek, St Helens, 1892 Extinct 0 Georges Bay Pyengana

Threats, Limiting Factors and restrict activities detrimental to the species. Exotic species are present in part of the habitat and Management Issues the absence of stock may allow weeds like Despite dedicated searches for the species, Davies’ blackberries, (Rubus fruticosus) and gorse, (Ulex wax flower is now known only from an extremely europaeus) to present a future threat. Weed low number of individuals at one location (George management is an ongoing requirement at this site. River). The species is now extinct at Constable The eastern side of the river is forested. Plants in Creek and the George River population has this patch are not usually subjected to stock damage declined from 55 mature individuals discovered and the site is unfenced. The property is currently since the early 1990s to only 23. The extreme rarity for sale and Davies’ wax flower is at risk of a of the species coupled with a continuing decline detrimental change in land use with change of makes the species extremely vulnerable to ownership. A single plant was discovered several extinction. Despite the low number of individuals, kilometres upstream in 2001. the genetic diversity in the population remains relatively high, aided by the fact that flowers do not Davies’ wax flower produces large amounts of seed self-pollinate. though little is known about germination requirements. Age estimates of mature plants are Several plantings have been made in recent years to suggestive of major regeneration events after fire reduce the risk of extinction by increasing the and as the habitat is subject to flooding, this process number of plants in existence and increasing the may stimulate germination as well as dispersal of range of the species. As well as supplementing seed. Flooding also causes significant direct numbers on the George River in 1997 and 1998, the damage to plants as well as undercutting and soil species was introduced into 3 new catchments in removal. The dramatic decline in plant numbers in suitable habitat (Golden Fleece Creek, Bearhs 2001 appeared to be the result of plants being Creek and Banticks Creek). These plantings cannot washed away in floods as well as significant storm yet be considered to be established and the Bearhs damage caused by falling trees. This disturbance Creek and Banticks Creek are suffering from may lay the way for significant germination in the browsing by native animals. The Golden Fleece next few years and the population will need to be Creek planting is close to Constable Creek from th monitored closely. The population was last burnt in which the species was known in the late 19 1983 with the previous fire in about 1969. century. Davies’ wax-flower has been shown to be On the George River, most plants of Davies’ wax susceptible to the introduced soil-borne pathogen flower occur on private land in two patches 200 m (‘root rot’) in laboratory apart on opposite sides of the river. The patch on conditions. Root rot is not evident in the population the western bank is adjacent to pasture and in the at present and care will need to be taken to avoid past, cattle have been a problem by trampling introduction. Any activities that involve the plants, restricting seedling development, affecting deliberate or inadvertent movement of soil will nutrient levels, and compacting soil. This is now increase the risk of the pathogen being introduced to fenced and a conservation covenant is in place to the site; e.g., firewood collection, weed control, 2 ______

THREATENED SPECIES UNIT Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Listing Statement Phebalium daviesii October 2001 population monitoring. In addition, any clearance of  extend the known distribution and increase riparian vegetation will allow soil temperatures to numbers through translocation and survey rise, thus increasing the likelihood of root rot  protect habitat from threats posed by grazing, expression. weeds, fire and Phytophthora cinnamomi  promote community awareness and develop As part of a community awareness program many mechanisms to manage populations in the long plants of Davies’ wax flower were planted in St term Helens. A number of plants have also been distributed for planting in private gardens around the state as part of the conservation strategy. Existing Management Conservation Assessment Implementation of the Recovery Plan for Davies’ Population Estimate wax flower commenced in 1994 and is ongoing. A maximum of 55 mature plants of Davies’ wax flower have been found since the rediscovery of the Actions Needed species on the George River in 1990 though numbers  pursue management options with have now declined to 23 in 2001. Some immature landowners/managers to protect populations seedlings can be generally found, ranging from against possible changes in land use that would approximately 60 in 1999 to 3 in 2001. The be detrimental to the species population will continue to be monitored closely in  continue monitoring for threats and declines and anticipation of germination stimulated by recent for an improved understanding of the flood and storm disturbance. Three patches are recruitment process known, currently with one mature plant several  continue monitoring the progress of kilometres upstream from patches on the western conservation plantings bank and eastern banks of the river now holding 2  continue weed management in the wild and and 20 mature plants respectively. planted sites

 establish a mechanism to ensure management Numbers on the western bank were supplemented intervention when required with plants propagated from cuttings and planted in

1977 and 1998. Of these, 98 were alive in 2001. In  further survey similar plantings at 3 other sites, 224 plants have survived in total. These plants will be regarded as Information Needed established once they are shown to be self-  determine conditions favourable for perpetuating. recruitment and whether fire is required  determine whether there are any more Reservation Status populations in existence Davies’ wax flower is not reserved. A conservation covenant is in place on one property title to protect Management Advice the species. For the land owner/land manager  regulate degradation to riparian vegetation Assessment Criteria  minimise the risk of infection with Davies’ wax flower meets the criteria for listing as Phytophthora cinnamomi endangered on the Tasmanian Threatened Species  consider some form of long-term protection, Protection Act 1995 because e.g. private nature reserve, management  there are less than 250 mature individuals in agreement or covenant, etc. total For everyone  it is severely restricted, extending over an area  search for new populations, particularly in of less than 500 square kilometres and September and October when the plants are in occupying less than 10 hectares peak flower  it occurs in only 1 location  help us to monitor the known and planted  there is a continuing decline populations

It qualifies as Critically Endangered using the 1994 Further Information IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List criteria. Contact details: Threatened Species Unit, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Recovery Program Environment, GPO Box 44 Hobart Tasmania Australia 7001. Ph (03) 6233 6556 fax (03) 6233 3477. Objectives 3 ______

THREATENED SPECIES UNIT Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Listing Statement Phebalium daviesii October 2001 Specialist Advice: Mick Ilowski, Threatened (Rutaceae) compared to that in two widespread Species Unit, Department of Primary Industries, congeners. Aust. J. Botany 43:181-191. Water and Environment Wilson, P.G. 1998. New species and nomenclatural Source Material changes in Phebalium and related genera

References (Rutaceae). Nuytsia 12:267-288. Barker, P., 1994. Phytophthora cinnamomi: The Susceptibility and Management of Selected Tasmanian Rare Species, Forestry Tasmania and Statement Prepared: August 2001. Table updated Australian Nature Conservation Agency. 2007.

Curtis W.M., and Morris D.I. 1975. The Student's Prepared by: Mick Ilowski and Wendy Potts Flora of Tasmania, Part 1 (Second Edition), Government Printer, Tasmania. Review Date: 2006 or as new information is received. Lynch, A.J.J. 1994. Aspects of the Conservation Biology and Population Genetics of Phebalium Cite as: Threatened Species Unit 2001. Listing daviesii Hook.f. Davies’ wax-flower, Parks and Statement Davies’ wax flower Phebalium daviesii. Wildlife Service, Tasmania. Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Tasmania. Lynch, A.J.J. and Appleby, M.W.A. 1996. Phebalium daviesii (Hook.f. Davies’ wax-flower) View: http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au Flora Recovery Plan: Management Phase (Revised & follow the links to Natural Environment, edition), Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania. Threatened Species, then List of Threatened Species. Lynch, A.J.J. and Vaillancourt, R.E. 1995. Genetic diversity in the Endangered Phebalium daviesii Permit: It is an offence to collect, possess or disturb this species unless under permit.

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THREATENED SPECIES UNIT Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Listing Statement Phebalium daviesii October 2001