Dichrostachys spicata LC Taxonomic Authority: (F.Muell.) Domin Global Assessment Regional Assessment Region: Global Endemic to region Synonyms Common Names Acacia shirleyana Domin CHINESE LANTERN English (Primary) Dichrostachys muelle Benth. PIED PIPER BUSH English Neptunia spicata F.Muell. PRICKLY BUSH English Upper Level Taxonomy Kingdom: PLANTAE Phylum: TRACHEOPHYTA Class: MAGNOLIOPSIDA Order: FABALES Family: LEGUMINOSAE Lower Level Taxonomy Rank: Infra- rank name: Plant Hybrid Subpopulation: Authority: Differs from D. cinerea in numerous respects but most conspicuously in the number of pairs of pinnae and the size of the leaflets. General Information Distribution Dichrostachya spicata is endemic to Australia, distributed in the states of Western Australia and Queensland and also in the Northern Territory. It is frequent and widespread in northern Australia, from near Mount Stuart Stn through the Northern Territory (mainly between 16°S and 20°S) with a few scattered occurrences in northern Queensland as far east as Chillagoe. Range Size Elevation Biogeographic Realm Area of Occupancy: Upper limit: 560 Afrotropical Extent of Occurrence: Lower limit: 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 six individuals from a population in the Northern Territory (MSBP 2010). It has also been reported as frequent. Total Population Size Minimum Population Size: Maximum Population Size: Habitat and Ecology Shrub or tree 1–3 m tall that grows along streams and bordering swamps in sand, sandy loam, loam, clay and stony clay soils. In the Kimberley Region cattle readily eat he dry pods and leaves. 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 - large Perennial shrub (>1m), also termed a Phanerophyte (>1m) Tree - large Large tree, also termed a Phanerophyte (>1m) Threats There are no major threats known to this species. However, threatening processes to the area include grazing pressure, weed colonisation, changes in fire regimes and changes to hydrology. Past Present Future 1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced) 1.5 Invasive alien species (directly impacting habitat) 1.6 Change in native species dynamics (directly impacting habitat) 1.7 Fires 7 Natural disasters 7.4 Wildfire 10 Human disturbance 10.5 Fire Conservation Measures It is known to occur in protected areas across its range. Most notable it is known from Bungle, Purnululu and Gregory National Parks. It is not listed as Threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). 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 Department of Infrastructure, Planning & Environment (DIPE) and NRETA, Alice Springs Desert Park, Northern Territory (Australia). It is recommended that an assessment on the ecosystem status and the impact of fire, grazing and weeds is carried out. In Place Needed 3 Research actions 3.4 Habitat status 3.5 Threats 4 Habitat and site-based actions 4.4 Protected areas 5 Species-based actions 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 Northern Territory Queensland Western Australia General Habitats Score Description Major Importance 5 Wetlands (inland)1Unset Suitable 5.1 Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes 1UnsetSuitable waterfalls) 5.2 Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular 1UnsetSuitable Rivers/Streams/Creeks 5.3 Wetlands (inland) - Shrub Dominated Wetlands1Unset Suitable 5.4 Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands1Unset 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) Least Concern (LC) Red List Criteria: 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 D. spicata is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution across northern Australia along streams and bordering swamps. It is known to occur within protected areas across its range and there are no known identifiable threats to the species. Its seeds have been banked as an ex situ conservation measure. It is recommended that the habitat and level of threat is monitored, especially concerning changes in fire regimes and hydrology and grazing pressure. 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: Stable Date of Assessment: 06/09/2010 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: Severely Fragmented: Number of Mature Individuals: Bibliography Commonwealth of Australia, 1999, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)10 June 2010, , , Cowan, R.S., 1998, Mimosaceae, Flora of Australia Volume 12, Mimosaceae (excl. Acacia), Caesalpiniaceae, A.E. Orchard and P.M. McCarthy, , , Melbourne Hacker, J.B., 1990, A guide to herbaceous and shrub legumes of Queensland, , University of Queensland Press, St Lucia MSBP, 2010, Millennium Seed Bank Project. Seed Bank Database, , Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Wheeler, J.R., 1992, Flora of the Kimberley region, J.R. Wheeler, , Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth.