Downy Wattle - profile

Indicative distribution

Loading map...

Key:

known

predicted

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 pubescens

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Profile last updated: 10 Sep 2019

Description

A spreading shrub, 1 - 5 m high with brilliant yellow flowers, bipinnate leaves (divided twice pinnately) and conspicuously hairy branchlets.

Distribution

Concentrated around the Bankstown-Fairfield-Rookwood area and the Pitt Town area, with outliers occurring at Barden Ridge, Oakdale and Mountain Lagoon.

Habitat and ecology

Occurs on alluviums, shales and at the intergrade between shales and sandstones. The soils are characteristically gravely soils, often with ironstone.
Occurs in open woodland and forest, in a variety of plant communities, including Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest, Shale/Gravel Transition Forest and Cumberland Plain Woodland.
Longevity is unknown, but clonal species have been known to survive for many decades.
Flowers from August to October. Pollination of Acacia flowers is usually by insects and birds. The pods mature in October to December.
Recruitment is more commonly from vegetative reproduction than from seedlings. The percentage of pod production and seed fall for this species appears to be low.
Acacia species generally have high seed dormancy and long-lived persistent soil seedbanks. It is thought that the species needs a minimum fire free period of 5 - 7 years to allow an adequate seedbank to develop.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Sydney Basin

Threats

Habitat loss
Habitat degradation (through mechanical damage, rubbish dumping, and illegal track creation).
Disease
Hybridisation
Inappropriate fire regime.
Illegal and accidental clearing of individuals.
Invasive grasses including African Lovegrass, Paspalum and Briza species are preventing recruitment. Canopy species including African Olive, Privet and Cootamundra Wattle may also be impacting on this species.
Liaise with council - management of road work
Mechanical damage

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 13 priority actions to help recover the Downy Wattle in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Remove hybrids.
Protect known populations.
Enhance existing habitat.
Monitor the reproductive status of populations.
It is thought that the species needs a minimum fire free period of 5 - 7 years to allow an adequate seedbank to develop.

Information sources

Auld, T.D. (1996) Ecology of the Fabaceae in the Sydney region: fire, ants and the soil seedbank. Cunninghamia 4(4): 531-552
Bell, S.A.J. (2008) Rare or threatened vascular plant species of Wollemi National Park, central eastern New South Wales. Cunninghamia 10(3): 331–371
Hewitt, A. (2013) Revisiting Tony Price’s (1979) account of the native vegetation of Duck River and Rookwood Cemetery, western Sydney. Cunninghamia 13(1): 25–124
Hogbin, P. (2002) Review of the Threatened Species Conservation Act Flora Schedules: Recommendations to the Scientific Committee.
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)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003) Downy Wattle (Acacia pubescens) Recovery Plan. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville NSW)
Tame, T. (1992) Acacias of South East Australia. (Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst)
Thomas, J. (1994) Effects of hazard reduction burning on a grassy woodland remnant in Western Sydney. Unpublished MSc thesis, School of Geography, University of NSW, Sydney

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Burragorang	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Sydney Cataract	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None

Images

Foliage and flowers, Downy Wattle Image 1 of 5.
View slideshow.

Related information

Get involved

Report a sighting

Nature conservation

Threatened species