Threatened species & ecological communities

National recovery plan for the Broad-fruited Haloragis (Haloragis platycarpa)

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 209; Blackall, W.E. and Grieve, B.J. (1974). How to Know Western Australian Wildflowers, parts I, II, and III. Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press. pp 469; Bentham, G. (1864). Flora Australiensis: A description of the plants of the Australian territory. London, Lovell Reeve and Company. 2: 478; Orchard, A.E., Lepschi, B.J. and Hislop, M. (2005). New taxa a new record and a rediscovery in Western Australian Haloragis (Haloragaceae). Nuytsia 15(3): 439-440; Western Australian Herbarium (2007) FloraBase 2 – Information on the Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia; http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/science/  (Accessed 2007).

Current status:

Haloragis platycarpa was declared as Rare Flora under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 in 2002 and is currently ranked as Critically Endangered (CR) under World Conservation Union (IUCN 2001) Red List criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D due to being known from less than 50 mature individuals and its area of occupancy being less than 10km2 with a continuing decline in the extent and quality of habitat. The main threats to the species are weeds and inappropriate fire regimes. H. platycarpa is listed as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

The single known population numbered 30 mature individuals in 2000. However, no plants have been seen at this location since. The species appears to be a short lived disturbance opportunist and, as its habitat is undisturbed, it is presumed that a disturbance event is required for plants to reappear. However, too frequent or incorrect disturbance can result in habitat degradation which would cause more longer term impacts to the species. Therefore any disturbance must be carefully managed.

Description:

Haloragis platycarpa is a short-lived perennial herb up to 30 cm tall. The branches are numerous and more or less hairless, although some have single-celled transparent hairs. The leaves are stalkless, up to 45 mm long, and arranged alternatively along the stem. The leaves are lanceolate, with several large teeth towards the apex. Flowers are held in groups of one to three in the upper leaf axils but only the central flower is functional. Each flower has four petals, up to 2 mm long, eight stamens and four styles. A single fruit develops in each axil and is up to 2.5 mm long with a swollen, spongy covering. It has four compartments, four weak ribs, and is densely covered with minute, rounded projections (Brown et al. 1998).

Haloragis platycarpa resembles Haloragis scoparia, Haloragis hamata and Haloragis foliosa, but differs from all of these in its small fruit with inflated pericarp and densely papillose indumentum. In its inflated pericarp it resembles Haloragis uncatipila but this species is larger in all its parts including the fruit and the indumentum is of hooked rather than short papillose hairs as it is in H. platycarpa (Orchard et al. 2005).

Habitat requirements:

Haloragis platycarpa occurs on brown, loamy soils supporting open woodland.

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

Given that Haloragis platycarpa is listed as Critically Endangered, it is considered that all known habitat is critical to the survival of the species, and that the wild population is an important population. Habitat critical to the survival of H. platycarpa includes the area of occupancy of the population, areas of similar habitat (i.e. brown loamy soils supporting open woodland) surrounding the population (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 Haloragis platycarpa will also improve the status of remnant associated vegetation. The DRF species Eremophila pinnatifida grows near H. platycarpa and may benefit from recovery actions aimed at maintaining associated bushland.

International obligations:

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

Indigenous consultation:

The Department of Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register lists no sites of Aboriginal significance 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 IRP has the potential to have some limited social and economic impacts as the known population was located in a Town Reserve, managed by the Shire of Dalwallinu.

Affected interests:

Stakeholders potentially affected by the implementation of this plan include the Shire of Dalwallinu.

Evaluation of the plan’s performance: DEC in conjunction with the Avon Mortlock District Threatened Flora Recovery Team (AMDTFRT) 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 following four years of implementation.

Completed recovery actions

  1. Relevant authorities have been made aware of the threatened nature of this species, its location and their legal obligations to protect it.

Ongoing and future recovery actions

  1. The AMDTFRT is overseeing the implementation of this IRP and will include it in their annual report to DEC’s Corporate Executive and funding bodies.
  2. Staff from DEC’s Avon Mortlock District office are monitoring the known population.

IRP objective:

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

Recovery criteria

Criteria for success:

Further populations are located and/or mature individuals are found over the term of the plan.

Criteria for failure:

No mature individuals are found over the term of the plan.

Recovery actions

  1. Coordinate recovery actions
  2. Monitor population
  3. Undertake weed control
  4. Collect seed
  5. Promote awareness
  6. Conduct further surveys
  7. Obtain biological and ecological information
  8. Investigate options for long-term protection of habitat
  9. Map habitat critical to the survival of Haloragis platycarpa
  10. Review the plan and need for further recovery actions

Cover page of recovery plan

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