Yellow Swainson-pea - 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: Swainsona pyrophila

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Profile last updated: 18 Oct 2022

Description

Erect, soft-wooded perennial to 1 m high, with a sub-shrubby habit. Leaves mostly 5-15 cm long, composed of 15-19 leaflets, each 10-25 mm long and 4-12 mm wide. Flowers yellow, pea-like, about 10 mm long. Pod crescent-shaped to elliptic, much-inflated, tapering at the base, 20-30 mm long.

Distribution

Occurs in the south-western plains regions of NSW and into Victoria and SA. The species is distributed in the south-eastern half of SA, along the Murray River valley into north-western Victoria, with isolated occurrences northward.

Habitat and ecology

Grows in mallee scrub on sandy or loamy soil, usually found only after fire.
Sites include cleared and burnt mallee scrub on red loam to sand, previously burnt Eucalyptus dumosa mallee, disturbed woodland in sheltered aspects, a bulldozed firebreak adjacent to wheat paddocks, roadsides, claypans and at the edge of fire ash.
Flowers mainly from September to December.
The species is usually found only after fire, which may be the stimulus for seed germination.
Recorded in small to moderately large populations, including 3, 20, 50, 250 and 300 plants, often scattered.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Habitat destruction (clearing and agricultural activities).
Altered fire regimes (dependent upon fire to stimulate germination).
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.
Younger plants may be palatable to goats and stock.
Insufficient understanding of distribution.
Insufficient understanding of threats.

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).
No further degradation or loss of potential habitat.
Protection from grazing and associated physical disturbances.
Conduct germination trials to determine seedbank and seed longevity.
Baseline surveys required to confirm known and locate new populations.

Information sources

Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
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)
Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part ll. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
MEL Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the National Herbarium of Victoria (Royal Botanic Gardens: Melbourne).
NSW Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the National Herbarium of New South Wales (Royal Botanic Gardens: 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. (1991) Swainsona pyrophila (Fabaceae), a new name and synonymisation. Telopea 4(2): 359.
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).
Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1998) Flora of Victoria; Volume 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae. (Inkata Press, Melbourne)