GompholobiumListing Statement for Gomphlobium ecostatum ecostatum (dwarf wedgepea) dwarf wedgepea T A S M A N I A N T H R E A T E N E D S P E C I E S L I S T I N G S T A T E M E N T Image by Greg Jordan Scientific name: Gompholobium ecostatum Kuchel, Suppl. Black's Fl. S. Austral.: 182 (1965) Common Name: dwarf wedgepea (Wapstra et al. 2005) Group: vascular plant, dicotyledon, family Fabaceae Status: Threatened Species Protection Act 1995: endangered Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Not listed Distribution: Endemic status: not endemic to Tasmania Tasmanian NRM Region: North Figure 1. Distribution of Gompholobium ecostatum in Plate 1. Flower of Gompholobium ecostatum Tasmania, showing Natural Resource Management (image by Natalie Tapson) regions 1 Threatened Species and Marine Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Gomphlobium ecostatum (dwarf wedgepea) SUMMARY: Gompholobium ecostatum (dwarf structures) inserted midway along the pedicels. wedgepea) is a low spreading shrub that occurs The flowers are 15 to 20 mm long and are deep in heathland and heathy eucalypt woodland on apricot to reddish with a yellow centre and sandy and gravelly soils. In Tasmania, it occurs black outer surfaces. The calyx (outermost at several locations in central Flinders Island, whorl of floral parts) is about 8 mm long, black, where it has a highly restricted distribution glabrous outside and with tomentose inside occurring within a linear range of less than margins. The keel (lower petal) is usually 20 km and likely to occupy less than 10 ha, and minutely ciliate along the edges. The pod is the total number of mature individuals is obliquely ovoid, 10 to 12 mm long and about estimated at fewer than 5000, putting the 8 mm wide, swollen and glabrous. The seeds species at risk from localised, inadvertent or are numerous, kidney-shaped, light brown and chance events. Threats include land clearance, about 1 mm long. disease, inappropriate fire regimes, stock, [description based on Curtis & Morris 1975, mechanical disturbance and changing climatic Jeanes 1996] conditions. Confusing species IDENTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY Gompholobium ecostatum is highly distinctive when Gompholobium ecostatum flowers mainly between in flower and unlikely to be confused with any October and March (Jeanes 1996). The deep other species. The other species of orange-red flowers have nectar guides and Gompholobium in Tasmania, Gompholobium huegelii, rewards adapted to pollination by bees also has trifoliate leaves and a somewhat similar (Hingston & McQuillan 2000). The species growth habit, but the flowers are yellow with recruits after fire from what appear to be a greenish markings and the stems are more or long-lived soil-stored seed bank. Its capacity for less glabrous rather than covered with short vegetative recovery is unknown. spreading hairs. Survey techniques DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Surveys for Gompholobium ecostatum should be Gompholobium ecostatum occurs in South conducted during its flowering period, as it is Australia, Victoria and Tasmania (Jeanes 1996). otherwise difficult to detect in its heathy In Tasmania, the species occurs in heathlands habitat. Care should be taken when conducting and heathy woodlands on the sandy plains and surveys to avoid spreading Phytophthora adjacent rising hills of central Flinders Island cinnamomi by surveying in dry conditions and (Figure 1). The habitat is usually a low open ensuring that footwear and all field equipment heathy Eucalyptus nitida woodland, often with is disinfected. Xanthorrhoea australis, on sandy and gravelly soils. The elevation of known sites ranges from Description 30 to 160 m above sea level. Gompholobium ecostatum is a decumbent, horizontally spreading to erect shrub up to POPULATION PARAMETERS 0.5 m tall. The stems are wiry and covered with Gompholobium ecostatum has been recorded from short spreading hairs. The leaves are sessile and five subpopulations in Tasmania (Table 1). trifoliate. The leaflets are linear, linear- Observations from two of the subpopulations, lanceolate or linear-oblanceolate, 3 to 15 mm Centre Hill and Mulligans Hill, are from several long and about 1 mm wide, shortly stalked, and different patches each, but it is unclear if the glabrous or with short stiff hairs, with revolute species is continuous between these patches. margins and a pointed apex. The flowers are For most subpopulations there is limited solitary or occur in pairs near the end of information on plant numbers or the area branches, on pedicels to about 10 mm long. occupied (Table 1), though it seems likely that There are two minute bracteoles (leaf-like 2 Threatened Species and Marine Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Gomphlobium ecostatum (dwarf wedgepea) Table 1. Population summary for Gompholobium ecostatum in Tasmania Subpopulation Tenure NRM 1:25000 Year last Area Number of Region * Mapsheet (first) seen occupied individuals (ha) 1 The Patriarchs Patriarchs North Patriarchs 1981 unknown unknown Conservation Area 2 Badger Hill Brougham Sugarloaf North Leventhorpe 2004 2 sites c. unknown Conservation Area 100 m apart 3 Memana Road Darling Range North Leventhorpe 2001 0.15 c. 20 Conservation Area (1966) 4.1 Centre Hill (NW) Private land North Memana 2005 0.5? ‘100s’ (2000) 4.2 Centre Hill (NE) Private land North Memana 2001 c. 2 unknown 4.3 Centre Hill Private land North Memana 1975 unknown unknown (Kuhns Road) 5.1 Mulligans Hill Private land North Memana 2005 1? 100s track (N – start) (1999) 5.2 Mulligans Hill Private land North Memana 2008 0.02 50 track (centre) 5.3 Mulligans Hill Private land North Memana 2008 2 500 track (NE) (1999) 5.4 Mulligans Hill Private land North Memana 1999 unknown unknown track (S – end) * NRM Region = Natural Resource Management Region the total population of mature individuals does Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 meeting criterion B: extent of occurrence estimated to not exceed 5,000. In Tasmania the species has a 2 linear range of 19.6 km, an extent of occurrence be less than 500 km , and of about 60 km2 and the area of occupancy is known to exist at no more than five likely to be less than 10 ha. locations; a continuing decline, inferred, observed or The species was first detected on Flinders projected in area, extent and/or quality of Island in 1966, with several additional sites habitat. uncovered in the interim, most recently near Badger Hill in 2004. The presence of suitable habitat between the known sites on Flinders THREATS, LIMITING FACTORS AND Island suggests that there is a reasonable MANAGEMENT ISSUES likelihood of further subpopulations being Land clearing and/or habitat modification: detected, provided any survey effort is well- Cleared and modified land in the vicinity of timed and well-resourced. known occurrences of Gompholobium ecostatum suggest that the distribution of the species may RESERVATION STATUS have been more extensive prior to European settlement. Gompholobium ecostatum has been recorded from Brougham Sugarloaf Conservation Area, Disease: Observations in Victoria indicate that Patriarchs Conservation Area, and Darling Gompholobium ecostatum is moderately susceptible Range Conservation Area (Table 1). to the exotic soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi (Weste 2002), though to date there have been no reports of the species being CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT affected on Flinders Island. Elements of the Gompholobium ecostatum was listed as endangered species’ heathy habitat are also liable to be on the original schedules of the Tasmanian impacted by Phytophthora (Schahinger et al. 3 Threatened Species and Marine Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Gomphlobium ecostatum (dwarf wedgepea) 2003), with the pathogen known to be present What has been done? in at least the Mulligans Hill and Patriarchs Survey and monitoring: Some subpopulations areas. have been assessed on an ad hoc basis. Inappropriate fire regimes: The heathy habitat of Gompholobium ecostatum is highly What is needed? adapted to fire. However, like other pea shrubs, it may be sensitive to prolonged, frequent Agencies, groups or individuals may assist with firing, although there is no supporting some or all of the following recovery actions. quantitative data. Coordinated efforts may achieve the best and Inappropriate grazing and disturbance most efficient results. regime: Parts of some subpopulations on provide information and extension support private land are subject to stock grazing and to relevant Natural Resource Management there are signs of erosion caused by stock committees, local councils, government trampling, which could lead to changes in agencies, the local community and population structure. Changes to fertilising development proponents on the locality, practices are also a threat, with even a one-off significance and management of known fertiliser application likely to eliminate the subpopulations and potential habitat. species. Part of the Centre Hill site has been undertake extension surveys radiating out disturbed by heavy machinery, and the site from the known sites into areas of potential north of Mulligans Hill occurs on disturbed habitat; heathland that has been scraped by machinery. Roadside & power-line maintenance: The update and implement relevant reserve original site at the margins of Memana Road management plans; was inadvertently disturbed during clearing