Native Milkwort - profile

Indicative distribution

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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: Polygala linariifolia

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 20 Dec 2023

Description

Native Milkwort is an annual or perennial herb about 20 cm high with a woody tap root and more-or-less upright branches. Its leaves are up to 3.5 cm long, variable in shape but usually oval, and often broader towards the tips. They have a short point at the tip and are dull in texture as they are sparsely covered in short hairs. Small groups of flowers appear in spring-summer, and are bluish purple, yellowish or occasionally white. The flattened fruit capsule is a broad oblong with a narrow wing, and the seeds are black with white hairs.

Distribution

North from Copeton Dam and the Warialda area to southern Queensland; also found on the NSW north coast near Casino and Kyogle, and there is an isolated population in far western NSW near Weebah Gate, west of Hungerford. This species also occurs in Western Australia.

Habitat and ecology

Sandy soils in dry eucalypt forest and woodland with a sparse understorey. The species has been recorded from the Inverell and Torrington districts growing in dark sandy loam on granite in shrubby forest of Eucalyptus caleyi, Eucalyptus dealbata and Callitris, and in yellow podsolic soil on granite in layered open forest.
In the Pilliga area, this species has been recorded in Fuzzy Box woodland, White Cypress Pine-Bulloak - Ironbark woodland, Rough-barked Apple riparian forb-grass open forest, and Ironbark - Brown Bloodwood shrubby woodland.
Other associated species include Eucalyptus trachyphloia, Eucalyptus sphaerocarpa, Angophora floribunda, Angophora leiocarpa, Lophostemon suaveolens, Corymbia henryi, Allocasuarina torulosa and Wahlenbergia species in the understorey.
Flowers are known to occur from September to February.
Has been recorded as rare, sparse, occasional and common in populations.
Recent surveys in the Pilliga area observed significant declines in populations over autumn and winter, apparently the result of P. linariifolia increasing with the previous summer's high rainfall then declining under below-average conditions.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Clearing of habitat for agriculture.
Domestic stock grazing in grassy woodlands when species is not dormant degrades habitat and harms species.
Browsing by feral goats and rabbits.
Competition and shading by invasive grasses such as Coolatai and African Lovegrass threaten species; Coolatai dries out the soil profile.
High levels of disturbance from road construction and maintenance including grading, hydrology changes, weed spraying, and road realignments.
Fire intervals that are too frequent or too long disrupt species life cycle.
Forestry activities including snigging affects ground cover and damage soil structure, especially when harvesting is done during wet periods.
Risk of local extinction because populations are small.
Mixed weeds compete with and overshadow species.
Lantana competes with and overshadows the species.
Infrastructure associated with Inland Train, Narrabri Gas Project, Mole River Dam, and energy (including solar farm) directly impacts individuals and populations, affects hydrology and increases weeds.
Uncertainty in taxonomy affecting management of far northwest population, which is potentially a different 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 6 priority actions to help recover the Native Milkwort in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Control feral goats and rabbits.
Protect areas of habitat from frequent fire.
Protect known populations and habitat areas from grazing stock.
Identify populations on roadsides and in logging areas, and protect them during works.
Control invasive exotic grasses in areas of habitat.
Protect areas of dry eucalypt forest and woodland on sandy soil from clearing.
Notify the DPE of any additional records of Native Milkwort.

Information sources

Adema, F. (1968) Identities of the herbaceous Australian species of Polygala represented in the Brisbane Herbarium. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 80(9): 125-130.
CANB Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the Canberra Botanic Gardens and Australian National Botanic Gardens (CSIRO and Australian National Botanic Gardens: Canberra).
Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
MEL Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the National Herbarium of Victoria (Royal Botanic Gardens: Melbourne).
Murray, L. (1992) Polygala. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 3 (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
NSW Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the National Herbarium of New South Wales (Royal Botanic Gardens: Sydney).
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Upper North Coast of NSW: Flora. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003) Threatened Species of the New England Tablelands and North West Slopes of NSW. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)
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
Stanley, T.D. and Ross, E.M. (1983) Flora of South-Eastern Queensland. Volume 1. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane)
UNE Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the University of New England (University of New England: Armidale).
Wheeler, J.R. (ed.) (1992) Flora of the Kimberley Region. (Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth)
Willdenow, C.L. (1803) Polygala Linarifolia Willd. Species Plantarum 4(3): 877.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Plains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Basalts	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Urisino Sandplains	Predicted	None
Nandewar	Inverell Basalts	Known	None
Nandewar	Kaputar	Known	None
Nandewar	Nandewar Northern Complex	Known	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Beardy River Hills	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Binghi Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Bundarra Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Deepwater Downs	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Eastern Nandewars	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Glenn Innes-Guyra Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Moredun Volcanics	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Tenterfield Plateau	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Tingha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Yarrowyck-Kentucky Downs	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Known	None