Threatened species & ecological communities

National recovery plan for the Lake Varley Grevillea (Grevillea involucrata)

Department of Environment and Conservation, Kensington

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Summary

Illustrations and/or further information:

Atkins, K. (2008) Declared Rare and Priority Flora List for Western Australia. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia; Brown, A., Thomson-Dans, C. and Marchant N. (1998). Western Australia’s Threatened Flora. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia. pp 97; Olde, P. and Marriott, N. (1995). The Grevillea Book. 2: 215-16. Makinson, R.O. (2000). Proteaceae 2, Grevillea. Flora of Australia Volume 17A. Melbourne: ABRS/CSIRO Australia. pp 348-9. DEC (2007) Western Australian Herbarium FloraBase 2 – Information on the Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia. Accessed 2007. http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/science/ 

Current status:

Grevillea involucrata was declared as Rare Flora under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 in 1980 and is currently ranked as Endangered (EN) under World Conservation Union (IUCN 1994) Red List criteria C2a;D due to populations being severely fragmented and in continuing decline and there being less than 250 mature individuals. The main threats are road maintenance, firebreak maintenance, gravel extraction, weeds and lack of a suitable disturbance regime. The species is ranked as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Grevillea involucrata is currently known in the wild from 23 populations and 154 mature plants in DEC’s Great Southern District. Seventeen populations currently contain living plants.

Description:

Grevillea involucrata is an open prostrate to decumbent shrub 0.15 to 0.5 m tall and 2 m across. The leaves are 1.5 to 4 cm long and 6 to 10 mm wide, feather shaped, with leaflets divided almost to the base. Each leaf has five to fifteen short mutually aligned oblong to linear lobes 1 to 8 mm long, 0.8 to 1.2 mm wide which are not pungent. The leaf margins are inrolled on the lower surface, enclosing the entire lower leaf surface except for the midvein, and are sometimes covered with scattered appressed hairs. The conflorescence is erect, terminal or axillary, simple, one to three flowered, and the rachis is 0.5 to 1 mm long. The flowers are erect, with the perianth pale pearly pink to dark pink, lacking hairs outside, but containing long, soft or distinct stiffened hairs inside, the style is deep pinkish red, covered in long, soft hairs, becoming sparsely haired towards apex. The pistil is 23 to 25 mm long, the ovary covered in long soft hairs. The follicle is obloid to ellipsoidal and apiculate, 13 to 15 mm long, and loosely covered in long, soft hairs (Makinson 2000).

Grevillea involucrata is closely related to Grevillea fulgens which differs in its hairy pedicels and perianth limb (Olde and Marriott 1995).

Habitat requirements:

Grevillea involucrata occurs on gravelly sands or occasionally concretionary gravels in areas of mallee-heath.

Habitat critical to the survival of the species and important populations:

Grevillea involucrata is ranked EN, and is known from 23 populations, a number of which are presumed to be extinct or not viable.  It is considered that all known habitat of viable populations of the species is habitat critical to its survival, and that all extant, or presumed extant, wild populations are important populations. Habitat critical to the survival of the species includes the area of occupancy of known extant populations, areas of similar habitat (i.e. gravelly sands or concretionary gravels in mallee-heath) surrounding important populations (this is necessary to provide habitat for pollinators and future population expansion) and additional occurrences of similar habitat that may contain the species or be suitable for future translocations.

Benefits to other species or ecological communities:

Recovery actions implemented to improve the quality or security of the habitat of Grevillea involucrata will also improve the status of remnant native vegetation in which it is located. One threatened and two Priority flora species are located with G. involucrata.

International obligations:

This plan is fully consistent with the aims and recommendations of the Convention on Biological Diversity that was ratified by Australia in June 1993, and will assist in implementing Australia’s responsibilities under that convention. Grevillea involucrata is not listed under any specific international treaty however, and therefore this IRP does not affect Australia’s obligations under any other international agreements.

Indigenous consultation:

According to the Department of Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register, no sites of Aboriginal significance are known at or near populations of the species covered by this IRP. However, the involvement of the Indigenous community is currently being sought to determine whether there are any issues or interests identified in the Plan. If no role is identified for indigenous communities in the recovery of this species, opportunities may exist through cultural interpretation and awareness of the species.

The advice of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) and Department of Indigenous Affairs is being sought to assist in the identification of potential indigenous management responsibilities for land occupied by threatened species, or groups with a cultural connection to land that is important for the species' conservation.

Continued liaison between DEC and the indigenous community will identify areas in which collaboration will assist implementation of recovery actions.

Social and economic impact:

The implementation of this recovery plan is unlikely to cause significant adverse social and economic impacts. However, as some populations occur on, or adjacent to, private land the protection of them has the potential to affect farming activities. Minor adjustments to management practices may be required to ensure the protection of populations on lands not managed primarily for conservation. Recovery actions refer to continued liaison between stakeholders in regards to these areas.

Affected interests:

Stakeholders potentially affected by the implementation of this plan include Western Power, the Shires of Lake Grace, Kulin and Kent and owners of private property.

Evaluation of the plan’s performance: DEC in conjunction with the Great Southern District Threatened Flora Recovery Team (GSDTFRT) will evaluate the performance of this IRP. In addition to annual reporting on progress and evaluation against the criteria for success and failure, the plan will be reviewed within five years of implementation.

Completed Recovery Actions

  1. Land managers including private land owners, Western Power and Shires with populations on land under their management have been made aware of the threatened nature of this species, its location and their legal obligations to protect it.
  2. Declared Rare Flora (DRF) markers have been installed at most road verge populations.
  3. Fencing of Populations 7 and 9 and Subpopulation 11a on Private Property has been undertaken.
  4. The gravel pit in which part of Population 18 is located has been rehabilitated.
  5. Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) have two grafted Grevillea involucrata in their gardens.

Ongoing and future recovery actions

  1. The GSDTFRT are overseeing the implementation of this IRP and will include information on progress in their annual report to DEC’s Corporate Executive and funding bodies.
  2. Staff from DEC’s Great Southern District office are monitoring all known populations.

IRP objective:

The objective of this IRP is to abate identified threats and maintain or enhance viable in situ populations to ensure the long-term preservation of the species in the wild.

Recovery criteria

Criteria for success:

The number of populations have increased and/or the number of mature individuals in populations have increased by ten percent or more over the five year term of the plan.

Criteria for failure:

The number of populations have decreased and/or the number of mature individuals in populations have decreased by ten percent or more over the five year term of the plan.

Recovery actions

  1. Coordinate recovery actions
  2. Liaise with relevant land managers
  3. Monitor populations
  4. Install DRF markers
  5. Develop and implement disturbance trials
  6. Develop and implement a fire management strategy
  7. Conduct further surveys
  8. Promote awareness
  9. Collect seed
  10. Map habitat critical to the survival of Grevillea involucrata
  11. Undertake weed control
  12. Obtain biological and ecological information
  13. Review the plan and assess the need for further recovery actions
Cover page of recovery plan

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