Pultenaea sp. 'Genowlan Point' (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) - critically endangered species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) as a CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1A of the Act and as a consequence, to omit reference to Pultenaea sp. Genowlan Point (NSW 417813) from Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Endangered species) of the Act. Listing of Critically Endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.
NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) (family Fabaceae) is currently an undescribed species. de Kok & West (2002) included Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) within a broad treatment of Pultenaea glabra, but current taxonomic advice is that it is a distinct species (Peter Weston pers. comm. 2010). Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) differs from P. glabra in a number of respects (P. Weston in litt. 1998): plant 0.2 - 0.5 m high vs. 1-2 m in P. glabra; inflorescence auxotelic (growing on into a leafy shoot) vs. anauxotelic (terminated in a dormant bud) in P. glabra; flower-subtending leaves and their bracteoles indistinguishable from other leaves and their bracteoles vs. flower-subtending leaves much smaller than other leaves and with enlarged bracteoles in P. glabra; outside surface of calyx sparsely covered in appressed hairs vs. outside surface of calyx glabrous in P. glabra; keel petal deep red vs. keel petal yellow to orange in P. glabra.
2. Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) is endemic to New South Wales and is only found at Genowlan Point in the Capertee Valley. Searches of other areas of potential habitat nearby have not located this species (J Allen pers. comm. 2010). At Genowlan Point, Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) is restricted to well drained stoney soils.
3. Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) has a very highly restricted geographic distribution. The area of occupancy and extent of occurrence for Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) are both estimated to be 4 km2, based on 2 x 2 km grid cell, the scale recommended for assessing area of occupancy by IUCN (2010).
4. There have been several estimates of the population size of Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997). A count of the population in 1999 found 62 plants. Since then, comprehensive monitoring of the population in 2002 (Washington 2002) and 2003 (Washington 2003) found 84 and 66 plants respectively. In 2005 there were 39 plants and on 30 September 2006 only thirteen plants could be found (J Allen pers. comm. 2010) and all plants were in poor condition due to goat browsing and drought. The most recent survey (May 2010) found that the population size was extremely low (15 plants, J Allen pers. comm. 2010).
5. The major threat to Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) is damage from goat browsing. ‘Competition and habitat degradation by Feral Goats, Capra hircus Linnaeus 1758’ is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Other threats that have been identified are drought and physical damage by vehicles and people (TSSC 2004).
6. The plants all occur on vacant Crown Land, and conservation management efforts have been attempted by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Botanic Gardens Trust Sydney. All currently known plants have been protected by tree guards to prevent further goat damage but there is no on going management of goat populations. Vehicle access to the known location has been limited and signage erected to highlight the conservation issues for both Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) and the associated Allocasuarina nana Genowlan Point heathland Endangered Ecological Community as listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
7. Pultenaea sp. ‘Genowlan Point’ (Allen s.n., 29 Nov. 1997) is eligible to be listed as a Critically Endangered species as, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the immediate future as determined in accordance with the following criteria as prescribed by the Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2010:
Clause 7 Restricted geographic distribution and other conditions
The geographic distribution of the species is estimated or inferred to be:
(a) very highly restricted,
and:
(d) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either of the key indicators:
(a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon, or
(b) the geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity of the species.
Clause 8 Low numbers of mature individuals of species and other conditions
The estimated total number of mature individuals of the species is:
(a) very low,
and:
(d) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either of the key indicators:
(a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon, or
(b) the geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity of the species.
Clause 9 Low number of mature individuals of species
The total number of mature individuals of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be:
(a) extremely low.
Dr Richard Major
Chairperson
Scientific Committee
Proposed Gazettal date: 15/04/11
Exhibition period: 15/04/11 - 10/06/11
References:
de Kok RPJ, West JG (2002) A revision of Pultenaea (Fabaceae) 1. Species with ovaries glabrous and/or with tufted hairs. Australian Systematic Botany 15, 81-113.
IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee (2010) ‘Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria Version 8.1.’ Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Subcommittee in March 2010. (http://intranet.iucn.org/webfiles/doc/SSC/RedList/RedListGuidelines.pdf)
TSSC (2004) Genowlan Point Pultenaea (Pultenaea sp. Genowlan Point), advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) on Amendments to the list of Threatened Species under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999(EPBC).
Washington H (2002) Population assessment of the endangered pea PultenaeaGenowlan Point, Capertee Valley, Year 1. Unpublished report prepared for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Ecosolution Consulting, Rylstone.
Washington H (2003) Population assessment of the endangered pea Pultenaea Genowlan Point, Capertee Valley, Year 2. Report to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service by Ecosolution Consulting, Rylstone.