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: Euphrasia ciliolata
Gazetted date:
18 Jan 2002
Profile last updated:
15 Jun 2020
Description
Polblue Eyebright is an upright, much-branched herb up to 45 cm high. The branches bear four rows of short, white hairs. It dies after flowering and fruiting. The paired leaves are oval to narrowly oblong, and usually bear 1 to 3 pairs of teeth on their margins. The trumpet-shaped flowers are blue, deep purple or mauve with a white throat, and borne on the ends of branches in loose, lax spikes of 16 to 26 blossoms. Flowers appear in summer and autumn.
Distribution
Polblue Eyebright is restricted to the northern tablelands of NSW. Major occurrences are on the Barrington Tops and Gloucester Tops in Barrington Tops NP, but the species also occurs in Werrikimbe NP, near Yarrowitch and in Nowendoc SF. An old collection from near Deepwater has not been relocated.
Habitat and ecology
- Occurs on the edge of montane and sub-alpine swamps and on open grassy slopes bordering swamps, Snow Grass meadows, Snow Gum woodland, open boggy meadows amidst Black Sallee woodland, and in seasonally inundated upland grassland.
- Flowers December to May.
- Polblue Eyebright is an 'annual', ie each plant lives for one year and dies after flowering and fruit-set has finished. Some plants may merely die back to ground level, leaving the underground parts to resprout the following season. This annual 'disappearance' means that surveys for this plant must be confined to its flowering season.
- Polblue Eyebright is partly parasitic upon other plants, such as Snow Grass, and may only be able to grow in close proximity to such host plants.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Invasion of habitat by Scotch Broom, Cytisus scoparius, on Barrington Tops.
- Disturbance and predation by feral pigs, grazing by feral horses.
- Trampling by humans where habitat is close to camping areas.
- Change to hydrology of swamp areas.
- Clearing and draining of habitat.
- Potential for infection by various exotic pathogens
- Gravel dumping and other potential disturbance to roadside populations
- Risk of too frequent or too intense fires inhibiting growth or reproduction.
- Some risk that multiple wildfires will remove the species if occurring more frequently than every 10 years.
- Proximate native vegetation is likely to encroach and compete for space and resources; restricting the species' ability to grow and/or reproduce. Soil seedbank viability is unknown.
- Various weedy grasses competing for space and resources with the species.
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
3 priority actions
to help recover the Polblue Eyebright in New South Wales.
Activities to assist this species
- Maintain natural hydrology of swamp areas where this plant occurs.
- Protect habitat from damage by pigs and grazing by horses.
- Prevent trampling of populations by humans.
- Control Scotch Broom.
- Protect areas of habitat from clearing, draining or disturbance.
- Study and monitor populations to determine this plant's biology.
Information sources
- Barker, W.R. (1982) Taxonomic studies in Euphrasia L. (Scrophulariaceae). A revised infrageneric classification, and a revision of the genus in Australia. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 5:280-285
- Harden, G.J. (ed.) (1992) Flora of New South Wales Vol. 3. UNSW Press, Kensington, NSW.
- NSW Scientific Committee (2002) Euphrasia ciliolata (a herb) - Vulnerable species determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.
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