Tephrosia filipes - vulnerable species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the subshrub Tephrosia filipes Benth. as a VULNERABLE SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 2 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. Tephrosia filipes (family Fabaceae) is described by Harden (2002, p. 573) as a “Subshrub with ascending or decumbent stems, usually + appressed-hairy. Leaves 2-5 cm long; leaflets 7-19, linear to narrow-oblanceolate, 7-15 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide, upper surface + glabrous, lower surface with sparse appressed hairs; petiole 3-15 mm long; stipules linear. Racemes 2-6-flowered, terminal or axillary, to c. 10 cm long. Calyx c. 2 mm long, sparsely appressed-hairy; teeth subulate, c. 1 mm long. Corolla c. 6 mm long, purple to deep red. Pods linear, compressed, 15-20 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, sparsely appressed-hairy.”
2. Tephrosia filipes was first described in 1864 by George Bentham from specimens collected in northern Queensland. A number of infraspecific taxa have since been described and, while none of these are currently recognised, some varieties may be resurrected in a future taxonomic revision of the genus. This Determination includes all infraspecific taxa of Tephrosia filipes within New South Wales.
3. Tephrosia filipes is relatively common and widespread throughout Queensland and reaches its southern limit in northern New South Wales, where it was first collected from Buccarumbi in 1984. Since then a further 12 populations have been documented in the state ranging from Guy Fawkes River National Park in the south, to Gilgurry State Forest in the north.
4. Tephrosia filipes is generally considered to be a small perennial subshrub, but it may also have an annual life cycle under some conditions. The species is often a short-lived post-fire ephemeral, most commonly observed in areas that have recently been burnt. Tephrosia filipes grows in a range of habitats on soils derived from granite, sandstone or metasediments.
5. Tephrosia filipes has been recorded from Guy Fawkes River and Nymboida National Parks. The majority of the populations occur outside conservation reserves, however, often along roadsides and in State Forests.
6. Tephrosia filipes has a highly restricted geographic distribution in New South Wales. The extent of occurrence in the state was estimated to be approximately 9 000 km2. Within this range, the area of occupancy was estimated to be 60 km2 (Copeland 2008), based on the 13 populations falling within 12 separate grid squares and one occupying three grids of 4 km2, the spatial scale of assessment recommended by IUCN (2008). The latter population is near Shannon Creek, south-west of Grafton.
7. The total known population of Tephrosia filipes in New South Wales was estimated to include 500-1000 mature individuals (Copeland 2008). This range of values reflects considerable uncertainty in the estimated population size, as the species appears to be short-lived and most population counts have been of plants observed several years ago.
8. Several of the unreserved populations of Tephrosia filipes are threatened by grazing activities, subdivision, road building and the subsequent introduction of exotic weeds.
9. Tephrosia filipes is not eligible to be listed as a Critically Endangered species or as an Endangered species.
10. Tephrosia filipes Benth. is eligible to be listed as a Vulnerable species as, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is facing a high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the medium-term future as determined in accordance with the following criteria as prescribed by the Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2002:
Clause 17
The total number of mature individuals of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be:
(c) low.
Dr Richard Major
Chairperson
Scientific Committee
Gazettal date: 7/8/09
Exhibition period: 7/8/09 - 25/9/09
References
Copeland LM (2008) ‘Conservation status of Tephrosia filipes Benth. (Fabaceae) in New South Wales.’ Report to the NSW Scientific Committee, Sydney.
Harden GJ (2002) Tephrosia. In ‘Flora of New South Wales. Vol.2 Revised Edition’. (Ed. GJ Harden) pp. 571-573 (University of New South Wales Press: Sydney)
IUCN (2008) ‘Guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 7.0.’ (Standards and Petitions Working Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Biodiversity Assessments Sub-committee: Switzerland)