Silky 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 sericea

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 24 Dec 1999

Profile last updated: 11 Feb 2019

Description

The Silky Swainson-pea is a prostrate or erect perennial, growing to 10 cm tall. The stems and leaves are densely hairy. The leaves are up to 7 cm long, composed of 5 - 13 narrow, pointed leaflets, each up to 15 mm long. The purple pea-shaped flowers are to 11 mm long, and are held in groups of up to 8 flowers, on a stem to 10 cm tall. The spring flowers are followed by hairy pods, up to 17 mm long.

Distribution

Silky Swainson-pea has been recorded from the Northern Tablelands to the Southern Tablelands and further inland on the slopes and plains. There is one isolated record from the far north-west of NSW. Its stronghold is on the Monaro. Also found in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

Habitat and ecology

Found in Natural Temperate Grassland and Snow Gum Eucalyptus pauciflora Woodland on the Monaro.
Found in Box-Gum Woodland in the Southern Tablelands and South West Slopes.
Sometimes found in association with cypress-pines Callitris spp.
Habitat on plains unknown.
Regenerates from seed after fire.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Insufficient knowledge of the distribution of the species and abundance/ population size.
Insufficient understanding of threats.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations for residential developments and/or agriculture.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations by intensification of grazing regimes.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations by invasion of weeds.
Infrastructure developments such as the Googong to Murrumbidgeee pipeline project are known to have destroyed populations of the Silky Swainson-pea.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations from road works (particularly widening or re-routing).
Populations exhibit variations in ploidy level indicating that they are separate taxa.

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

Protect known populations from changes to land use.
Do not undertake road works, pasture modification or other changes in land use that may affect populations.
Do not increase grazing pressures on sites where populations persist - reduce grazing pressures where possible.
Undertake weed control in and adjacent to populations, taking care to spray or dig out only target weeds.
Mark sites and potential habitat onto maps (of the farm, shire, region, etc) used for planning (e.g. road works, residential and infrastructure developments, remnant protection, rehabilitation).
Search for new populations in potential habitat.

Information sources

Eddy, D., Mallinson, D., Rehwinkel, R and Sharp. S. (1998) Grassland Flora: a field guide for the Southern Tablelands (NSW & ACT). (Environment ACT, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra)
Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2, Revised Edition. UNSW, Sydney.
Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part ll. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
NSW Scientific Committee (1999) Swainsona sericea (a shrub) - Vulnerable species determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.
Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1998) Flora of Victoria; Volume 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae. (Inkata Press, Melbourne)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Brigalow Belt South	Narrandool	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Basalts	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Talbragar Valley	Known	None
Channel Country	Core Ranges	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Predicted	None
Cobar Peneplain	Nymagee	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Known	North of Gwydir Hwy
Darling Riverine Plains	Warrambool-Moonie	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Nandewar	Inverell Basalts	Known	None
Nandewar	Nandewar Northern Complex	Known	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Bundarra Downs	Known	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	Nightcap	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Ellerston	Predicted	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Capertee Valley	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Fans	Predicted	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bathurst	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bungonia	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Capertee Uplands	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Kybeyan-Gourock	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Monaro	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Murrumbateman	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Oberon	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Burragorang	Predicted	None

Images

Silky Swainson Pea (Swainsona sericea) flower, John Briggs Image 1 of 5.
View slideshow.

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