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.
(
click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Swainsona colutoides
Profile last updated:
18 Oct 2022
Description
Erect annual shrub 0.4-1.5 m high, with several, often very stout stems and a simple taproot. Leaves comprising 13-17 rounded leaflets, each 10-30 mm long and 15 mm wide, both surfaces hairless. Flowers purple, pea-like. Fruit pods crescent-shaped, mostly 30-40 mm long, deep red, inflated and rubbery in texture when fresh.
Distribution
Occurs in the south-western corner of NSW, with several populations all located within Tarawi Nature Reserve. Also found in inland parts of southern Western and South Australia (where it is widespread), and in the Northern Territory near Alice Springs.
Habitat and ecology
- Grows on sandy flats or skeletal hillside soils in mallee woodland. Plants are usually found in large numbers in areas of previous controlled burns and wildfires.
- Populations in Tarawi NR restricted to an area burned 18 months previously. Associated species include post-fire shrubby regrowth of Eucalyptus socialis, E. dumosa and E. gracilis, with understorey shrubs of Myoporum platycarpum subsp. platycarpum, Acacia colletioides, Triodia scariosa subsp. scariosa, Grevillea huegelii and Beyeria opaca. Bare ground with very little leaf litter constituted the ground layer.
- Usually flowers in winter and spring, though in NSW has been observed flowering in June with the flower spikes over 1.2 m from the ground, as well as in February, April, May, September, November and December.
- Populations comprise mostly even-aged mature shrubs and forbs growing below post-fire mallee regrowth, with populations comprising 100’s of plants (one site carried only 10 plants). All plants were fertile, showing full development from buds to fruit pods in spring. Plants were evenly distributed as scattered shrubs or small clumps.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Dependent upon fire to stimulate germination (fire is a prerequisite for germination; all populations on record in NSW found in recently burned mallee and spinifex dunefield areas).
- Younger plants may be palatable to goats and stock, though there has been no evidence of older shrubs in Tarawi NR being grazed.
- Feral animal disturbance (goat and rabbit invasion in sandy habitats may precipitate soil erosion and vegetation loss, especially in vulnerable post-fire sites).
- Viability of seeds in the soil seedbank.
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
- Continued rabbit and goat control in population areas.
- Appropriate fire management (fire combined with favourable follow-on seasonal conditions promotes germination; experimental burns required to determine suitable regimes).
- Protection from grazing and associated physical disturbances.
- Conduct germination trials to determine seedbank and seed longevity.
- Survey of fire scars following wildfires, hazard reductions and environmental burns to determine distribution.
Information sources
- Black, J.M. (1917) Additions to the Flora of South Australia. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia.
- Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
- Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part ll. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
- Mueller, F.J.H. von (1876) Swainsona colutoides F. Muell. Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 10: 6-8.
- Porteners, M. and Robertson, G. (2003) Threatened Plants in Western New South Wales: Information Review. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
- 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
- Thompson, J. (1993) A revision of the genus Swainsona (Fabaceae). Telopea 5(3): 427-581.
- Thompson, J. and James, T.A. (1991) Swainsona. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2 (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
|
IBRA Bioregion
|
IBRA Subregion
|
Known or predicted
|
Geographic restrictions region
|
|---|