South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan Chris Obst May 2005 South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan A Recovery Plan prepared under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The preparation of this plan was funded by the Natural Heritage Trust II, through the SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. Cite as: Obst, C. (2005). South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan. Report to the Threatened Species and Communities Section, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Further copies of this Recovery Plan are available from: Department for Environment and Heritage PO Box 231 BERRI SA 5343 (08) 8595 2111 This recovery plan was written and produced by Environmental & Biodiversity Services on behalf of the Department for Environment and Heritage. It was released for public comment in January, 2005. Cover Photos all taken by Chris Obst: Top left: Olearia pannosa ssp. pannosa (Silver Daisy-bush) Bottom left: Prostanthera eurybioides (Monarto Mintbush) Top right: Acacia pinguifolia (Fat-leaf Wattle) Bottom right: Pterostylis arenicola (Sandhill Greenhood Orchid) ii South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan Contents List of Tables.................................................................................... v List of Figures ................................................................................ vii Abbreviations................................................................................ viii Executive summary ........................................................................ ix Introduction...................................................................................... 1 Part A: Species Names and General Requirements...................... 3 Species names and Conservation Status....................................................................3 Objects of the EPBC Act .............................................................................................4 International Obligations..............................................................................................4 Affected Interests ........................................................................................................5 Role and Interests of Indigenous People.....................................................................6 Benefits to other Species/Ecological Communities......................................................7 Social and Economic Impacts .....................................................................................7 Evaluation of Success.................................................................................................7 Definitions ...................................................................................................................8 Explanation of Methods Used......................................................................................9 Part B: Summary of Recovery Objectives and Known and Potential Threats............................................................................ 11 Recovery Objectives…………………………………………………….…...................….11 Known and Potential Threats…………………………………………….………………...11 Part C: Threatened Species included within this Plan................ 18 1. Acacia menzelii (Menzel’s Wattle)......................................................................18 1.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ................................................ 18 1.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ......................................................... 23 1.3 Known and Potential Threats........................................................................... 24 1.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................. 25 2. Acacia pinguifolia (Fat-leaf Wattle) ....................................................................33 2.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ................................................ 33 2.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ......................................................... 40 2.3 Known and Potential Threats........................................................................... 42 2.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................. 44 3. Acacia rhetinocarpa (Resin Wattle)....................................................................52 3.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ................................................ 52 3.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ......................................................... 57 3.3 Known and Potential Threats........................................................................... 58 3.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................. 59 iii South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan 4. Caladenia colorata (Coloured Spider-orchid)....................................................67 4.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ................................................ 67 4.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts......................................................... 73 4.3 Known and Potential Threats........................................................................... 73 4.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................. 75 5. Olearia pannosa ssp. pannosa (Silver Daisy-bush)..........................................84 5.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ................................................ 84 5.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ......................................................... 91 5.3 Known and Potential Threats........................................................................... 92 5.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................. 94 6. Phebalium lowanense (Lowan Phebalium)...................................................... 102 6.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location...............................................102 6.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ........................................................108 6.3 Known and Potential Threats..........................................................................109 6.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................110 7. Prostanthera eurybioides (Monarto Mintbush) ............................................... 118 7.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ...............................................118 7.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ........................................................125 7.3 Known and Potential Threats..........................................................................126 7.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................128 8. Pterostylis arenicola (Sandhill Greenhood Orchid) ........................................ 136 8.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ...............................................136 8.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ........................................................142 8.3 Known and Potential Threats..........................................................................143 8.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................144 9. Thelymitra epipactoides (Metallic Sun-orchid)................................................ 152 9.1 Species Information, Distribution and Location ...............................................152 9.2 Past Research and Conservation Efforts ........................................................160 9.3 Known and Potential Threats..........................................................................161 9.4 Recovery Objectives, Actions and Performance Criteria.................................163 Part D: Management Practices ................................................... 171 Part E: Duration of Recovery Plan and Estimated Costs.......... 172 Resource Allocation ................................................................................................ 172 Duration and Costs ................................................................................................. 172 References and Further Reading................................................ 178 Appendix 1. Development of a Threat Matrix............................. 182 Appendix 2. Summary Action Table ........................................... 184 Appendix 3. Current and Historical Sites................................... 189 iv South Australian Murray Darling Basin Threatened Flora Recovery Plan List of Tables Table A. The names and status of nationally threatened plant species included within this recovery plan. ............................................................................................. ix Table 1. The names and status of nationally threatened plant species included within this recovery plan. ..............................................................................................3 Table 2. List of current and potential stakeholders in the management of species included within this recovery plan. ......................................................................5 Table 3. Priority order of threats to threatened species in the SA MDB. ...................11 Table 4. Status of Acacia