Euphrasia orthocheila subsp peraspera (an annual herb) - endangered species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the annual herb Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera W. R. Barker 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. Euphrasia orthocheila (family Scrophulariaceae) is described by W. R. Barker (1992) in Harden, G. (ed.). Flora of New South Wales Vol. 3. University of NSW Press, Sydney, pp. 587-8, as: Erect annual herb 18-60 cm high, much branched, hairy with short recurved white non-glandular hairs. Upper stem leaves linear to lanceolate, mostly 6-8 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, margins usually with 1 or 2 pairs of teeth. Racemes usually 15-40 flowered. Calyx 2.8-4.9 mm long, scabrous. Corolla 9.5-15 mm long, yellow; tube 5.4-8.5 mm long, glabrous at base. Stamen filaments usually glabrous; anthers 1.2-1.6 mm long, connectives hairy or sometimes glabrous. Capsule 3.4-5 mm long, bristly in upper two-thirds. Flowers Nov.-Dec.
2. Two subspecies of Euphrasia orthocheilaare known in NSW. Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera is distinguished from Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. orthocheila by Barker (1992, cited above) by: Inflorescence lacking glandular hairs.
3. In NSW, Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera is currently only known from two swamps in the Tenterfield area. One of these occurs just within the boundary of Basket Swamp National Park. There are also records from 1893-1910 for the Dorrigo, Torrington, New England and Boonoo Boonoo areas. Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera also occurs in southern Queensland in the Stanthorpe area.
4. The population abundance at one of the two known sites is very low (
5. Threats to the taxon include digging by pigs. The taxon is also threatened by environmental and demographic stochasticity due to the small size of known populations.
In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera W.R. Barker 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