Boronia granitica (a shrub) - vulnerable species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub Boronia granitica Maiden & E. Betche as a VULNERABLE SPECIES in Schedule 2 of the Act, and as a consequence, to omit reference to Boronia granitica Maiden & E. Betche from Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Endangered species) of the Act. Listing of vulnerable species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Boronia granitica Maiden & E. Betche (family Rutaceae) is described by Weston, P. H. and Duretto, M. F. (2002) in Harden, G. (ed). Flora of New South Wales. UNSW Press. Vol. 2. p. 272 as: Shrub 0.6-2m high; branchlets pilose with white loosely-branched stellate hairs. Leaves pinnate with 1-15 leaflets, mostly 9-11-foliolate; rachis 5-18 mm long, broadly winged; leaflets narrow-elliptic to oblong, 2-14 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide, apex obtuse, margins entire and revolute to recurved, moderately hairy with long white stellate hairs, lower surface slightly paler; petiole 1-5 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, 1-3 flowered; pedicels 1.5-3 mm long. Calyx tomentose. Petals 6-10 mm long, valvate, bright pink, tomentose, persistent in fruit. Cocci glabrous. Flowers July-Oct.

2. Boronia granitica is restricted to granite outcrops on the north-western side of the New England Tablelands of northern NSW and into southern Queensland. In New South Wales, it is restricted to   the New England Tablelands from near Armidale north to the Torrington district.

3. In NSW, the species is currently known from five locations, with an extent of occurrence of less than 900 km2. Three of these locations occur within conservation reserves.

4. Recent surveys have found that the total population size is much larger than previously believed, with total population size estimated to be greater than 4000 individuals.

5. The species is threatened by grazing, inappropriate fire regimes and habitat destruction through clearing and mining activities. The species is also susceptible to extreme fluctuations in the number of mature individuals given that it is a fire-sensitive obligate seeder.

In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Boronia granitica Maiden & E. Betche   is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Proposed Gazettal date: 13/12/02