Persoonia hirsuta (a spreading to decumbant shrub) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list Persoonia hirsuta Pers., a spreading to decumbant shrub in the Proteaceae, as an ENDANGERED SPECIES on Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act and to omit reference to an endangered population of this species from Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing is provided for by Division 2 Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Persoonia hirsuta is a spreading to decumbant shrub with moderate to densely hairy young branchlets. Leaves are 0.5-1.4cm long and 0.75-4mm wide, convex with recurved to revolute margins. Flowering is generally in summer. A description of this species is given by Weston (1991) Persoonia, in Harden, G.J. Flora of New South Wales, Vol. 2, University of New South Wales Press.

2. It occurs in woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest on sandstone or very rarely on shale.

3. It is known from a number of locations from the Royal National Park to Gosford on the coast and Hill Top to Glen Davis and Putty inland, with records from a number of national parks (Blue Mountains, Wollemi, Dharug, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Marramarra, Royal and Sydney Harbour). Most locations consist of one to three plants, with the exception of two currently known locations with between 10 and 20 plants. The Scientific Committee considers the protection of the population of Persoonia hirsuta in Baulkham Hills shire to be particularly important for the conservation of this species as this population is significant because of the high local density of plants.

4. There is evidence of a continued decline in the number of locations and the number of individuals, and the species is particularly prone to local population extinctions because of the small number of plants found at all locations. The species is threatened by clearing, urban development, road and fire-trail maintenance, disturbance through bushrock removal, recreational use of its habitat, very low population numbers and an inappropriate fire regime (in particular, too-frequent fire).

5. In view of 3 and 4 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the species is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Proposed Gazettal Date: 12/6/98
Exhibition period: 12/6/98 to 17/7/98