Prostanthera askania (a shrub) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub, Prostanthera askania B.J. Conn. (Lamiaceae) as an ENDANGERED SPECIES on Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act and, as a consequence, to omit reference to the shrub, Prostanthera sp. Strickland State Forest as a vulnerable species on Schedule 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Prostanthera askania was recently described by B.J. Conn, and has previously been referred to as Prostanthera sp. Strickland State Forest, Prostanthera sp. 6, and Prostanthera sp. G. It was first collected by Maiden in 1915.

2. Prostanthera askania is an erect, openly branched shrub to one metre high with deeply toothed hairy leaves 12-25mm long and 8-18mm wide. The mauve flowers are arranged in a terminal botryoid with the corolla about 8mm long. It grows in sclerophyll forest on ridges adjacent to rainforest and flowers in spring (Harden (1992) Flora of NSW Volume 3. NSW University Press).

3. The species is restricted to the Ourimbah - Narara area near Gosford on the Central Coast of NSW where it is currently known to exist in five populations. None of these populations are in reserves.

4. The total number of plants in three of the five populations is estimated to be less than 650 plants, with one population consisting of only 50 plants within a small area. Plant numbers in the remaining two populations are unknown but are thought to be low.

5. The main threats are continued land clearing and low plant numbers.

6. In view of 3, 4 & 5 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the species is likely to become extinct in nature in NSW 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