Convolvulus tedmoorei (a perennial plant) - endangered species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the perennial plant Convolvulus tedmoorei R.W. Johnson as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.
NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. Convolvulus tedmoorei R.W. Johnson (family Convolvulaceae) was described in 2001 following a revision of the genus.
2. Convolvulus tedmoorei R.W. Johnson is described by R.W. Johnson (2001) in Austrobaileya 6(1): 1-39 as: Perennial with trailing stems; stems coarse, terete, moderately to sparsely hairy, hairs weakly ascending, 0.25-0.4 mm long. Leaves somewhat similar in shape from base to tip of the stem. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole long, often as long as the blade; blade ovate, apex rounded to emarginate, base cordate, shallowly lobed particularly at the base, sparsely hairy, hairs as for the stem. Leaves on fertile stems petiolate; petiole 10-40 mm long; blade broadly ovate, oblong or oblong-triangular, 20-50 mm long, 15-40 mm wide, apex rounded to emarginate, base cordate, decurrent, basal lobes broad, 5-10 mm long, with 2 or 3 rounded emarginate lobes, ascending lobes oblong, 5-12 mm long, 2-8 mm wide, terminal lobe oblong 10-25 mm long, 3-20 mm wide, margin undulate to shallowly lobed, moderately to sparsely hairy, hairs crisped and loosely appressed to weakly ascending, 0.25-0.4 mm long. In upper parts, leaves similar in shape but shorter and with narrower lobes. Inflorescence solitary, axillary, bracteolate, a one-sided dichasium with 1 or 2 flowers, or commonly with 2 inflorescences in each axil; peduncle terete, 7-30 mm long, moderately hairy, hairs crisped-appressed to weakly ascending, 0.25-0.5 mm long; bracteoles opposite to subopposite, narrowly triangular, 1.5-2.5 mm long, acute, ciliate, moderately to sparsely hairy on the back; pedicel thicker than the peduncle, dilated upwards, 6-13 mm long, more densely hairy than the peduncle. Outer sepals elliptic to obovate, becoming orbicular, 5-6 mm long, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, obtuse to barely acute with a short recurved apiculum, becoming rounded acuminate, mucronate, ciliate particularly in the upper half, sparsely to moderately hairy outside, hairs ascending 0.15-0.3 mm long; inner sepals obovate, 5-6 mm long, 4.8-6 mm wide, apex rounded, shortly apiculate, base truncate, glabrous except for short cilia around the apex. Corolla funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, white to pink?, c. 7 mm long and c. 8 mm diameter, flared c. 4.5 mm above the base of the tube; petals 8-9 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, with well developed oblong, rounded, emarginate lobes, glabrous except for dense hairs on the outside of the midpetaline band for c. 1.5 mm from the tip. Stamens 5, unequal; filaments affixed to the corolla tube for c. 2 mm from the base, free for 2-3 mm with low tubercles, mainly along the margins, from almost the base of the corolla tube and extending for c. 2.5 mm; anthers ovate to triangular-ovate, 0.75-0.85 mm long, 0.6-0.65 mm wide, apex rounded-emarginate, base sagittate, basal lobes 0.1-0.2 mm long. Ovary ovoid, 1.25-1.3 mm long on a disk, 0.3 mm high, glabrous; style stout, c. 3.5 mm long, with stout cylindrical stigmas, 1-1.1 mm long. Capsule globular, 6-7 mm long and wide, glabrous, 2-valved. Seeds 4, ¼ -globular to ¼- globular-obovoid, 3.5-3.8 mm long, 2.8-3.2 mm wide, very dark brown to black, surface finely punctate bearing numerous laterally compressed and wavy tubercles, with no obvious wing.
3. Convolvulus tedmoorei is a NSW endemic with only two known collections in NSW (from 1969 and 1971). These collections were from the Murrumbidgee and Darling River floodplains in central western NSW where the species was growing in self-mulching grey clay soils. It has not been collected since. It is not known from any conservation reserve.
4. The main threat to the species is habitat modification and loss from agricultural activities. The species is also threatened by environmental and demographic stochasticity due to the small size of known populations.
5. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Convolvulus tedmoorei R.W. Johnson 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: 13/12/02
Exhibition period: 13/12/02 - 31/01/03