Genoplesium insignis (a terrestrial orchid) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the terrestrial orchid Genoplesium insignis D. L. Jones as an ENDANGERED SPECIES on Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. The 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. Genoplesium insignis (Orchidaceae) is a newly described terrestrial orchid species (D. L. Jones, 2001, Six new species and a new combination in Genoplesium (Orchidaceae) from Eastern Australia. The Orchadian Vol. 13, No. 7, pp. 293-307). G. insignis is described as: Terrestrial tuberous herb. Leaf terete, 6-15 cm long, c. 0.15 cm wide, dark green; base reddish; lamina sheathing the scape or distally free, subulate, 10-15 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, ending 5-20 mm below the first flower. Inflorescence 9-18 cm tall, bearing 5-12 flowers in a moderately dense spike 15-25 mm long. Flowers porrect, c. 5 mm diam., dark purple to dark reddish purple with a dark reddish-purple labellum; lateral sepals obliquely erect. Floral bracts closely sheathing, transversely ovate-oblong, c. 0.8 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, broadly obtuse. Ovary linear-obovoid, c. 3.5 mm long, asymmetrically arcuate. Dorsal sepal cucullate, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 5-5.5 mm long, c. 2.5 mm wide, deeply concave; margins entire; apex long-acuminate to attenuate-apiculate. Lateral sepals narrowly linear-lanceolate, 6.5-7 mm long, c. 1.2 mm wide, not gibbous at the base, more or less parallel; distal margins involute; apex subacute. Petals widely spreading, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 4.5-5 mm long, c. 1 mm wide; margins entire; apex long-acuminate. Labellum hinged by a short claw, porrect, mobile in a breeze; lamina obovate-elliptic, c. 4 mm long, c. 1.8 mm wide, fleshy, sharply recurved at the base and the apex; margins with short to long (0.3-1 mm long), coarse, spreading purple cilia; apex long-acuminate; callus occupying less than half the area of the ventral surface of the lamina, extending to within 1 mm of the labellum apex, dark purplish-black, colluviate, thickest and broadest just above the base then drawn out and tapered to an obtuse apex. Column c. 2.8 mm long, c. 1.4 mm wide, purplish to reddish. Column foot ligulate, c. 0.7 mm long, the apex incurved. Column wings very shallowly notched; lobes slightly unequal, not divergent; posterior lobe slightly longer, linear, paler, obtuse, entire; anterior lobe slightly shorter, broadly deltate, dark purplish, obtuse, curved, the anterior margins densely and irregularly ciliate, with cilia to c. 0.5 mm long. Anther c. 1 mm long, with a filiform rostrum c. 0.6 mm long. Pollinarium c. 1 mm long; pollinia c. 0.9 mm long, yellow, coarsely granular; caudicle vestigial; viscidium c. 0.2 mm wide. Stigma ovate-elliptic, c. 1 mm long, c. 0. 6 mm wide. Capsules not seen.

2. Genoplesium insignis is known only from three localities between Charmhaven and Wyong. It grows in patches of Themeda australis amongst shrubs and sedges in heathland and forest (Jones 2001).

3. Fewer than twenty plants are known from the three known localities.

4. Threats to the species are loss of habitat through development, road and track maintenance and off road driving by 4WDs and trail bikes. Populations may also be at risk due to the small numbers of plants. This predisposes the species to declines via stochastic events.

5. In view of 2, 3 and 4 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Genoplesium insignis 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, and is therefore eligible for listing as an endangered species.

Proposed Gazettal date: 05/10/01
Exhibition period: 05/10/01 - 0911/01