Tall Bonefruit - 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: Threlkeldia inchoata

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 18 Aug 2022

Description

Hairless, rounded subshrub to about 25 cm high and 30 cm diameter. Stems often spreading over the ground. Leaves succulent and narrow-cylindrical, to 20 mm long, hairless. Flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Fruiting body 3-4 mm long, hard and egg-shaped, asymmetric at the top and ribbed when dry.

Distribution

Uncommon in far north-western NSW, with a record only in the White Cliffs area. Other records are from widely separated locations in western NSW near Menindee and Kiacatoo west of Condobolin. Also occurs in northern SA and southern NT.

Habitat and ecology

Usually grows on gibber soils, recorded in the White Cliffs area on a rocky hillside in shallow, brown gibber soil.
Found interstate in slightly saline areas near creeks and water.
Associated species interstate include Eucalyptus intertexta, Atriplex nummularia and Lignum.
Recorded as rare, infrequent and common in populations.
Recorded near Menindee from habitat of open Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) woodland with an understorey dominated by Black Roly-poly (Sclerolaena muricata) on grey cracking soils.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Clearing and habitat loss.
Grazing (the fleshy and succulent leaves and fruiting perianths are likely to be palatable).
Lack of information on the species in NSW to inform a conservation management strategy.

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

Protection from grazing and associated physical disturbances.
No further loss of extant populations.
Report new record of species to the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Information sources

Black, J.M. (1914) Additions to the Flora of South Australia. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 38: 463.
Black, J.M. (1915) Additions to the Flora of South Australia. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 39: 95.
Black, J.M. (1916) Additions to the Flora of South Australia. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 40: 60.
Black, J.M. (1924) Flora of South Australia. Part 2. Government Printer, Adelaide.
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).
Chapman, A.D. (1991) Australian Plant Name Index. Australian Flora and Fauna Series. Numbers 12-15 (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra).
Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
Jacobs, S.W.L. (1990) Threlkeldia. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 1 (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part I. (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
Wilson, P.G. (1984) Chenopodiaceae. In George, A.S. (ed.) Flora of Australia vol. 4. (Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra)