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.
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click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Cratystylis conocephala
Profile last updated:
18 Oct 2022
Description
Bluebush Daisy is a silver-grey or blue-grey shrub, one metre or more in height and diameter, strongly resembling Pearl Bluebush (Maireana sedifolia). The stems are densely branched arising from a gnarled trunk with fibrous bark, while younger stems white to grey-woolly. Flowerheads are stalkless, somewhat chaffy, without “petals”, and are borne singly at the ends of short branchlets. Seeds are hairless, striped, 6-7 mm long, and are topped with a tuft of short, minutely barbed bristles.
Distribution
Very rare in NSW, restricted to a few small populations in the Wentworth district in the far south-western plains. Most records are from the Scotia mallee near the South Australian border, including Tarawi Nature Reserve, Scotia Sanctuary and Nanya Station. It has also been recorded from near Lake Victoria and from Garston Station between the Darling River and the Great Darling Anabranch. The species is also rare in Victoria, known from only seven plants in three reserves in the far north-west. Bluebush Daisy is more common in South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Habitat and ecology
- Bluebush Daisy grows in mallee with areas of Belah (Casuarina pauper) on calcareous red soil. NSW populations are invariably found in Belah-Rosewood woodland or on the edge of sandplain mallee in calcareous soils.
- Associated species include western Rosewood (Alectryon oleifolius subsp. canescens), Belah, Red Mallee (Eucalyptus oleosa subsp. oleosa), Pointed Mallee (E. socialis), Mueller's Daisy Bush (Olearia muelleri), O. pimeleoides, Silver Cassia (Senna artemisioides), Sandhill Wattle (Acacia burkittii), Wait-a-while (A. colletioides), Mallee Saltbush (Atriplex stipitata), Pearl Bluebush (Maireana sedifolia), Narrow-leaf Emu-bush (Eremophila sturtii) and Tarbush (E. glabra).
- The species prefers more alkaline soils and specifically red loam with calcareous nodules at depth. Recorded soils include red or brown loam, yellowish loamy sand and red loamy laterite.
- Individual shrubs can bear up to 500 inflorescences and the flowers are known to emit a sickly sweet scent. They produce little nectar but receive numerous visits from small bees, flies, wasps and cerambycid beetles.
- Survives in habitats that have a naturally low fire frequency, as well as being located in areas that are not close to stock grazing points.
- Forms a scattered understorey within low open woodland or mallee communities. Populations are discrete and small in area. Old shrubs become woody and much-branched with partial dieback within living shrubs. Can be locally abundant or very scattered (2 to 3 plants only).
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Habitat disturbance by goats, rabbits and stock (populations have degraded understoreys, little ground cover, high levels of soil erosion and scalding).
- Grazing pressure (goats and possibly rabbit grazing has been observed within NSW populations).
- Populations vulnerable to fire (populations confined to areas which has been long-unburnt, suggesting that the species does not tolerate fire).
- Senescence and lack of regeneration (NSW populations comprise a high proportion of old senescing plants and contain too few plants to maintain the genetic integrity and diversity of the populations).
Recovery strategies
A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.
Activities to assist this species
- Establish ex-situ seed collection.
- Implement appropriate fire management strategies to protect vulnerable populations from burning.
- Protect existing populations with the construction of stock, goat and rabbit-proof exclosures.
- Carry out regeneration trials.
- Regular monitoring of known populations and survey potential habitat for new populations.
Information sources
- Anderberg, A.A., Karis, P. and El-Ghazaly, G. (1992) Cratystylis, an isolated genus of the Asteraceae-Cichorioideae. Australian Systematic Botany 5(1): 81-94.
- Barker, S. and Lange, R.T. (1969) Effects of moderate sheep stocking on plant populations of a black oak-bluebush association. Australian Journal of Botany 17(3): 527-537
- Bentham, G. (1878) Flora Australiensis. Volume 3. (Reeve, London)
- Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
- Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
- Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part lll. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
- Keighery, G.J. (1984) Dioecy in Cratystylis S. Moore (Asteraceae-Inuleae). Flora 175(1): 75-77
- Moore, S. (1905) Alabastra diversa 12. Sertulum Asiatico-Australiense. Journal of Botany 43: 137-150
- Mueller, F.J.H. von (1855) Descriptions of fifty new Australian plants, chiefly from the colony of Victoria. Transactions and Proceedings of the Victorian Institute (for the Advancement of Science) 1: 28-48
- Mueller, F.J.H. von (1865) Aster conocephalus F. Muell. Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 79-81
- Mueller, F.J.H. von (1887) Remarks on a new Victorian Haloragis and on the occurrence of the Genus Pluchea within the Victorian Territory. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 24: 132-139
- Porteners, M. and Robertson, G. (2003) Threatened Plants in Western New South Wales: Information Review. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
- Porteners, M.F. (1992) Cratystylis. P. 185 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 3. (New South Wales University Press, Kensington)
- Porteners, M.F. (1998) Tarawi Nature Reserve Threatened Plants Survey. Report to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS, Sydney)
- 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
- Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1999) Flora of Victoria; Volume 4, Dicotyledons Cornaceae to Asteraceae. (Inkata Press, Melbourne)
- Westbrooke, M.E., Miller, J.D. and Kerr, M.K.C. (1998) The vegetation of the Scotia 1:100 000 map sheet, western New South Wales. Cunninghamia 5(3): 665-684
- Willis, J.H. (1967) Notes on two species of Western Australian Compositae. Western Australian Naturalist 10(7): 158-160
- Wilson, P.G. and Albrecht, D.E. (2002) Notes on the genus Cratystylis (Asteraceae), including one new species. Nuytsia 14(3): 445-452
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