Assessment of Three Gazetted Rare Plants

016389 ul'rrgtuc", ""':'-;,"-. ) ,,': ,, ASSESSMENTOF THREE GAZETTED RARE PLANTS Daviesiamicrocarpa Lepidium catapJcnon Htyrodia scabra ARCHIVAL Preparedby: E.M. Mattiske and Associates s82. 5 Prepared for: Departmentof Conservationand Land Management ( 941) EMM April 1994 cLM001/083/94 t TABLE OF CONTENTS t Page I 1. SUMMARY 1. 2. INTRODUCTION 3. t 2.I Objectives 3. t 3, GENERAL METHODS 3. 4. RESULTS I 4.1 Daviesiamicrocarpa 4.1.1 Background 4.1.2 AreasSurveyed for Daviesiamicrocarpa I 4.1.3 Summaryof Findingson Daviesiamicrocarpa 4.1.4 Recommendationsfor Daviesiamicrocarpa T 4.2 Lepidiumcatapycnon 4.2.1 Background 4.2.2 AreasSurveyed for Lepidiumcatapycnon I 4.2.3 Summaryof Findingson Lepidiumcatapycnon I 4.2.4 Recommendationsfor Lepidiumcatapycnon A 7 Pirtrnrlin rrnhrn 4.3.1 Background I 4.3.2 AreasSurveyed for Pityrodia scabra 4.3.3 Summaryof Findingson Pityrodiascabra I 4.3.4 Recommendationsfor Pityrodiascabra 5. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS I 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .7, t REFERENCES I APPENDICES A: Summaryof Terns Usedin the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management I "DeclaredRare and Priority Fiora List" for WesternAustralia (1992) T B: PhotographicRecords of DeclaredRare Species I I t TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE 1: Summary of Soil SampleResults for the ScreeAreas (A) along the Catwalk and the kss Disturbed Areas (B) north of the Catwalk FIGIJRES 1: Comparisonof Heights andPlant Numbersfor l,epidium catapycnon,November 1.992 and March 1993 2: Comparisonof Number of Plantsof I-epidiumcatapycnon flowering and seeding, NovemberL992 and March 1993 1. 1. STJMMARY ln 1992, E M Mattiske and Associateswere commissionedto searchfor three critically endangeredflora species in Western Australia, namely - Daviesia microcarpa,Lepidium catarycnon and Pityrodia scabra. In the study all three specieswere relocatedand additionalplants located, although still in very iow numbersas indicatedbelow: DaviesiamicrocarPa Daviesiamicrocarpa (manuscript name) - this specieswas only known from one site nearNorseman. In 1985,the onepopulation was removed following site destruction duringroadworks. It wasnot includedin the list of presumedextinct species pending a final effort to regenerateextinct species from soil storedseed. in November1992, a newpopulation of eighteenplants of Ddviesiamicrocarpa was Iocatedby E.M. Mattiskeand Associates.Sixteen of the eighteenplants were alive and fruiting at the time of the surveyin November,1992 Photographicevidence and a voucherspecimen were taken in the field andthe species identificationwas confirmedagainst the specimensin the StateHerbarium by E.M. Mattiskeand by M.D. Crispin Canberra(Daviesia specialist)' The speciesappears to be a disturbanceopportunistic species. r-epidiumcatapycnon Lepidium catapycnon- this speciesis a short-lived speciesthat grows in the Himersley Range. The speciesregenerated after gradingof the track and edgesof the track near the previouslyrecorded population. In November 1992 and March 1993, the known populationwas relocated' In November, a totai of 56 plantswere recorded,53 of thesewere healthy, 2 were stressedand t had recentlydied. Of the 56, 11 were settingseed at the time of the survey in November 1992. In March 1993a total of 14 plants was relocated,of which most were matureplants (i.e. the seedlingshad eithergrown or died) and 1 of thesewas flowering and 5 were seeding. Despiteextensive searching in the aleano newpopulations wele found. No specimen wastaken at the time, asthe populationis socritical, howeverphotographic evidence was taken of some of the plants. The speciesappears to be a disturbance opportunistic,although several plants were locatedin the undisturbedHummock Grasslandson the slopesabove the track. Pityrodia scabra Pityrodia scabra - this speciesis in declineand was known from only one plant in the wild. An Interim ManagementGuideiine is being preparedfor this species. In November1"992, the one known plant was relocatedand an additionalnew plant of Pityrodia scabra was locatedon RailwayReserve in closeproximity to someof the individualsof the specieswhich had died in recentyears. Thereforetwo plants are known to occur. The new plant is younger and appearedto be quite healthy at the time of the survey. No specimenwas taken at the time, as the population is so critical, however photographicevidence was taken of both plants. The species appearsto be a disturbanceoppoftunistic. i. INTRODUCTION Endangeredflora are protectedunder amendments to the Wildlife ConservationAct (1980)and includeplants deemed to be rare, in dangerof extinction,or otherwisein needof specialprotection. The legislationapplies on all landsand to all personsin the State. In view of the rarity of three of thesedeclared flora species,E M Mattiske and Associateswas commissionedin i992 by the Departmentof Conservationand Land Managementto searchfor thesespecies. Two of the specieswere known only from singleremaining populations; Pityrodia scabra and Leptdium catarycnon. The other species,Davlesia microcarpa, had not beenlocated in the wiid since 1985. 2.r Objectives The specificobjectives of theproject were: . to attempt to locate new populationsof Daviesia microcarpa, Lepidium catapycnonand Piryrodia scabra, . to researchthe habitatrequirements for eachspecies, . to liaise with the Departmentof Conservationand Land Managementand researchfiles from the Departrnentto determineprevious survey efforts, . undertakefield surveysfor eachspecies in areasof likely habitat,and other areasof bushlandin the vicinity of knownpopulations, and . to preparea reportdetailing the above information, and showing suruey routes and bushlandareas surveved. 3. GENERALMETHODS The habitatof known populationsof the rare flora was examinedand was used in conjunctionwith any availabledocumentary evidence to determinesite characteristics likely to be associatedwith new populations.Obviousiy in the case of Daviesia microcarpawhere there were no knownpopulations in the wild, this was not possible and the searchwas basedonly on historicaldocumentary evidence of the habitatof the species.This includedthe belief that the species was a "disturbanceopportunistic" (M.D. Crisp, pers. comm.) which was later supportedby the findings of E M Mattiskeand Associates. / 4, RESIJLTS 4.1 Daviesiamicrocarpa 4.1.1 Background E.M.Mattiske and Associateswere contractedin 1992 by the Department of Conservationand Land Managementto searchfor lhe DeclaredRare Flora (DRF) species- Daviesiamicrocarpa and to providea report on the findings. Daviesiamicrocarpa had notbeenlocated since 1985, when the lastknown population was believed to have been destroyed.At the time it was thought that the plant propagatedfollowing disfurbance(M.D. Crisp pers comm.) (i.e. the plant rs a "disturbanceopportunistic"). The only known populationof Daviesiamicrocarpa was located4.2km north-eastof the Norsemanrailway crossing on the northern side of the Eyre Highway by D.Whibley in 1974.The plantswere situated in a roadsideditch, demarkedby DRF flagslocated aI4.2km and 4.5km north-east of theNorseman railway crossing. Since this time, three othercollections have been made from the samepopulation by M.D. Crisp(February and September 1979) and M.I.H.Brooker (August 1979). After an unsuccessfulinvestigation in May 1984by Ian Cookeof the Departmentof Fisheriesand Wildlife (now the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management) to locateindividuals of the speciesDaviesia microcarpa, the specieswas thoughtto be extinct.His surveyencompassed ihe northernverge of the Eyre Highway,between 4 and 15 km north-eastof Norseman.The originalpopulation was thoughtto have beendestroyed due to extensivegrading of the road reserveof this area. In March 1985, P. Collins from the Departmentof Fisheriesand Wildlife reported thirteenplants growing closeto the Eyre Highway.Plants were found on both sides of the highway,4.2 km north-eastof the railwaycrossing at Norseman. The plants inhabited red clay ioams with calcretenodules in associationwith Eucalyptus, Eremophilaand Atiplex species.The reportedplants were not positively identified. 5. 4.L.2 Areas Surveyed for Daviesiamicrocarpa Three personsinspected the following areasfor the DeclaredRare Flora species, Daviesiamicrocarpa during November,1992. Particularattention was given to areasclose to the reportedpopulation of Daviesia microcarpaespecially sites disnrrbed by gradingor fire. Emphasiswas also placed on iocalitiesexhibiting similar soil typesand vegetation to thosepreviously reported as occurringwith the species.The site numbersin the following text relateto those on Map 1. 1. Eyre Highway Three personssearched road vergeson the Eyre Highway on foot from 2.1 to 7.9km north-eastof the Norsemanrail crossing(crossing being located 340 metreseast of the NorsemanCoolgardie Road - Eyre Highway intersection). Both the northernand southernsides of the roadwere inspectedto a width of 10m. Within this areacertain sites were studiedin greaterdetail, as follows: 1,a. Inspectionbetween DRF flags. Both the northern and southernsides of the Eyre Highway were thoroughly examinedfrom 4.2km to 4.5km nofth-eastof the rail crossingat Norseman.The northernverge was inspectedto a width of 60 metresand the southernverge to a width of 20 metres. The area had been disturbedby digging, grading and by emplacementof undergroundTelecom lines. Eucalyptus,Eremophila and, Atriplex species inhabit the red clay loams of soils this area. no populationsof Daviesiamicrocarpa were locatedduring the search. lb. The Eyre HighwayRoad verge from 5.0 to 5.05 km north-eastof the Norsemanrailway

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