Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
(
click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Acacia curranii
Profile last updated:
20 Feb 2023
Description
The Curly-bark Wattle is a broombush-like shrub that grows to 4 m tall, with long, wispy branchlets and a very characteristic, reddish-brown, curling fibrous bark. Plants are silky-downy all over, except for the old wood. The phyllodes (wattle leaves) are cylindrical and linear, 13 - 18 cm long and 1 - 1.5 mm wide, with a silvery covering of silky hairs between the leaf veins. The flower-heads are spherical to slightly cylindrical, golden-yellow in colour, on stalks 1 - 2 mm long. The pods are straight and flat, except slightly raised over seeds, 4 - 6 cm long, 3 - 4 mm wide, and covered with a mat of short, white hairs.
Distribution
The majority of the species distribution lies within the Mt. Hope - Lake Cargelligo - Hillston region, including populations in the conservation areas of Yathong National Park, Nombinnie State Conservation Area and Round Hill Nature Reserve. There are about 20 populations with fewer than 5000 individuals each and one population with an estimated 150,000 individuals. Also known in Qld from two populations totalling several hundred individuals near Gurulmundi.
Habitat and ecology
- Grows in Acacia shrubland and mallee. Prefers acidic, skeletal soils in rocky habitats and occupies specialised habitats comprising rocky ridges and deeply weathered sandstone.
- Associated species in NSW populations include Eucalyptus dwyeri, E. populneus subsp. bimbil, E. intertexta, E. microcarpa, E. morrisii, Callitris glaucophylla, Acacia doratoxylon, A. havilandiorum, A. aneura and Eremophila spp.
- Flowers from August to September.
- Regenerates from root suckers after fire, with fire disturbance also said to contribute to seedling establishment.
- Forms open to closed shrublands (sometimes with scattered emergent trees), with plants locally frequent to dominant in populations. Queensland and the majority of NSW populations are described as grove-forming and growing in dense pure stands.
- Populations with about 2500 plants over approximately 5 hectares have been recorded, as well as less than 10 plants within Nombinnie Nature Reserve; populations near Lake Cargelligo range from one to several thousand individuals; several hundred plants occur in the two patches at Gurulmundi. The largest known population at Yathong Nature Reserve (150,000 stems) occurs in nine dense patches ranging in size from 0.08 - 6.0 ha within an overall area of 1.5 sq. km. This population is equivalent to all other known locations combined.
- Very few seedlings have been recorded from any site unprotected from grazing except for after high rainfall seasons. Grazing animal exclusion fencing has allowed for significant regeneration to occur at several sites.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Feral goats; grazing, browsing and horning of adult plants and seedlings, habitat erosion; feral goats occur in all known NSW sites.
- Clearing during fire trail widening.
- Quarrying; two sites at Shepherds Hill and Gurulmundi are directly threatened by quarrying operations.
- Insect seed predation; a large proportion of seeds may be non-viable, due to insect damage.
- Fire; lack of suitable disturbance for seedling establishment.
- Other grazing; stock, rabbits and kangaroos.
- Opuntia species invasion impacting integrity and condition of population
- Lack of knowledge
- Prolonged drought can kill off juveniles and prevent regeneration leading to senescing populations.
Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological
community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified
16 priority actions
to help recover the Curly-bark Wattle in New South Wales.
Activities to assist this species
- Protect from feral goats.
- Construct fences and informative signage at sites threatened by quarrying activities.
- Protect from all grazing animals.
- Do not permit further clearing of potential habitat.
- Prevent further loss of extant populations.
- Conduct ecological research into specific germination and disturbance requirements and limitations.
- Conduct ecological research into specific fire and disturbance requirements.
- Baseline surveys are required to confirm known populations and to locate new ones.
Information sources
- Ayers, D., Nash, S. and Baggett, K. (1996) Threatened Species of Western New South Wales. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney)
- Bowen, P.F. and Pressey, R.L. (1993) Localities and habitats of plants with restricted distributions in the Western Division of New South Wales. Occasional Paper No. 17. (NSW NPWS, Sydney)
- Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
- Cohn, J.S. (1995) The vegetation of Nombinnie and Round Hill Nature Reserves, central-western New South Wales. Cunninghamia 4(1): 81-101 (includes one 1:100 000 map)
- Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
- Hall, N. and Johnson, L.A.S. (1993) The names of acacias of New South Wales - with a guide to pronunciation of botanical names. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney)
- Kodela, P.G. and Harden, G.J. (2002) Acacia. Pp 381-476 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2. Revised Edition (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)
- Maiden, J.H. (1916) Notes on Acacia, (with description of new species), No. 1. Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 49: 463-513
- Maslin, B.R. and Pedley, L. (1982) The distribution of Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Australia. Part 1. Species distribution maps. Western Australian Herbarium Research Notes 6: 1-128.
- Pedley, L. (1962) Notes on Acacia chiefly from Queensland, I. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 74(6): 53-59
- Pedley, L. (1978) A revision of Acacia Mill. in Queensland. Austrobaileya 1(2): 75-234
- Pickard, J. (1995) Acacia curranii Maiden (Curly Bark Wattle). Conservation Research Statement. Australian Nature Conservation Agency Endangered Species Program. Project No. 248 (ANCA, Canberra)
- Pickard, J. (1995) Acacia curranii Maiden (Curly Bark Wattle). Recovery Plan. Australian Nature Conservation Agency Endangered Species Program. Project No. 248 (ANCA, Canberra)
- Pickard, J. (1995) Acacia curranii Maiden (Curly Bark Wattle). Research Plan. Australian Nature Conservation Agency Endangered Species Program. Project No. 248 (ANCA, Canberra)
- Porteners, M. and Robertson, G. (2003) Threatened Plants in Western New South Wales: Information Review. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
- Pressey, R.L., Cohn, J.S. and Porter, J.L. (1990) Vascular plants with restricted distributions in the Western Division of New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 112: 213-227
- Tindale, M.D. (1975) Notes on Australian taxa of Acacia No. 4. Telopea 1(1): 68-83
|
IBRA Bioregion
|
IBRA Subregion
|
Known or predicted
|
Geographic restrictions region
|
|---|