Sand Spurge - 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: Chamaesyce psammogeton

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 13 Mar 1998

Profile last updated: 11 Jun 2019

Description

Sand Spurge is a herb that forms mats to 1 m across. It grows on dunes and sea strandlines. Leaves are smooth, to 30 mm long and 15 mm wide. The tiny flower-heads are surrounded by white leaf-like processes (bracts); each flower-head actually comprises a female flower surrounded by up to five sprays of minute male flowers, hidden in a cup from which the bracts grow. The fruiting capsule is smooth and about 2 mm long.

Distribution

Sand Spurge is found sparsely along the coast from south of Jervis Bay (at Currarong, Culburra and Seven Mile Beach National Park) to Queensland (and Lord Howe Island). Populations have been recorded in Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve, Myall Lakes National Park, Moonee Beach Nature Reserve and Bundjalung National Park.

Habitat and ecology

Grows on fore-dunes, pebbly strandlines and exposed headlands, often with Spinifex (Spinifex sericeus) and Prickly Couch (Zoysia macrantha)
Flowering recorded in spring and summer.
Sand Spurge seeds float, so some dispersal between beaches may occur.
Longevity of the species is approximately 5 – 30 years with a primary juvenile period of less than 1 year.
Plant growth occurs in spring and summer.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Sea level rise and storm surge.
Risk of extinction due to small population size.
Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) invades sand spurge habitat and smothers the species.
Excessive pedestrian trampling may cause erosion of dunes and loss of sand spurge habitat.
Dune thistle, primrose, sea rocket, Scaveloa and bitou bush directly outcompeting the species.
Off-road driving of four wheel drive (4WD) vehicles may damage plants and habitat.
Substrate disturbance and removal of dune stucture to make way for airport development.
Little recent survey has meant that the species' distribution and abundance is relatively unknown.
Coastal developments may increase visitor pressure on populations.
Competition with native species that may include Melanthera biflora, Ipomoea brasiliensis and Dianella spp.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Searches should be conducted in suitable habitat for proposed developments and activities affecting dunes.
Prohibit vehicle access in known or suspected habitat.
Position beach access tracks away from sites and fence off populations if required.
Undertake Bitou Bush control in known or suspected habitat.
Monitor known populations to investigate population fluctuations and reasons for decline.

Information sources

Auld, T.D. and Hutton, I. (2004) Conservation issues for the vascular flora of Lord Howe Island. Cunninghamia 8(4): 490-500
Benson, D. (2011) Native plants of Sydney Harbour National Park: historical records and species lists, and their value for conservation monitoring. Cunninghamia 12(1): 61–84
Benson, D. and McDougall, L. (1995) Ecology of Sydney plant species. Part 3: Dicotyledon families Cabombaceae to Eupomatiaceae. Cunninghamia 4(2): 143-431
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (2010) Northern Rivers Regional Biodiversity Management Plan.
Heyligers, P.C. (1998) Some New South Wales coastal plant distributions: a comparison of herbarium records with transect survey data. Cunninghamia 5(3): 645-664
Heyligers, P.C. (2008) Flora of the Stockton and Port Hunter sandy foreshores with comments on fifteen notable introduced species. Cunninghamia 10(3): 493–511
James, T.A. and Harden, G.J. (2000) Chamaesyce. Pp 426-30, 609-10 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 1. Revised Edition (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)
NSW Scientific Committee (1998) Chamaesyce psammogeton (a prostrate herb) - Endangered species determination - final.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	Within 1 km of coast
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	Within 1 km of coast
NSW North Coast	Yuraygir	Known	Within 1 km of coast
Ocean	Batemans Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	South Pacific Ocean	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Predicted	None
Pacific Subtropical Islands	Lord Howe Island	Known	Within 100 m of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Predicted	Within 1 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	Within 1 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Predicted	Within 1 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Sunshine Coast-Gold Coast Lowlands	Predicted	Within 1 km of coast
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None

Images

Sand Spurge flowers and fruit. Image 1 of 4.
View slideshow.

Related information

Get involved

Report a sighting

Nature conservation

Threatened species