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: Phebalium bifidum
Gazetted date:
21 Oct 2005
Profile last updated:
29 Jun 2022
Description
Phebalium bifidum is a shrub between 0.2–1.5 m high. The branchlets are erect to spreading and densely covered in glossy, scale-like hairs, which vary in colour when young from cream with a scattering of rust-colour scales to uniformly rust-colour, discolouring to matt-grey with age. Leaves of sexually mature shoots ('adult leaves') are Y-shaped, bilobed, 3.5–14 mm long with a distinctly impressed midvein. The upper surface is dark green when fresh, fading to olive or greyish green when dried. Inflorescence appear in clusters of 2–11. The five-petaled flowers are cream to bright lemon yellow on the upper-surface with creamy scales changing to rust-colour scales at the tip of the petals lower surface.
Distribution
Phebalium bifidum is restricted to the Capertee Valley, south east of Kandos in the Sydney Basin bioregion, NSW. The species is extremely rare, in being known from only four disjunct sites from within the Valley. Only one subpopulation of Phebalium bifidum is located on a conservation reserve.
Habitat and ecology
- Occurs in dry sclerophyll woodland or heath on structured loam soil; in most instances plants have been found on relatively flat ground on broad ridges and hill crests.
- Associated tree species include Eucalyptus fibrosa, E. crebra, E. polyanthemos, E. punctata and Callitris endlicheri; associated understorey species include Leptospermum muticus, Calytrix tetragona, Acacia gladiiformes and the endangered Grevillea obtusiflora.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Clearing, habitat fragmentation and road maintenance activities.
- Threats associated with grazing by domestic stock.
- Alterations to natural fire regimes, in particular high intensity fire.
- Species at risk of extinction from stochastic processes due to its highly restricted distribution and very low abundance.
- Invasive grasses (e.g. African lovegrass) take over vegetation community by building biomass and increasing risk of wildfire.
- Goats browse on mature plants.
Recovery strategies
A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click
here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click
here
Activities to assist this species
- Communicate the importance of populations to private landholders and land managers and enourage the implementation of sympathetic management.
- Installing marker signs for roadside populations.
- Advise consent authorities, in particular with regard to the impacts of road maintenance and rural subdivisions and development.
- Investigate favoured disturbance regimes, including fire.
- Monitor local populations with regard to landuse, implementation of specific management and the species' ecology.
- Investigate whether additional populations exist and identify site specific threats and ecological associations.
- Following experimental studies on ex-situ plants and subsequent experimentation with in-situ populations, implement ecological fire management at a subset of sites or as needed.
Information sources
- NSW Scientific Committee (2005) Phebalium bifidum (a shrub) - endangered species determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.
- Weston, P.H. and Turton, M. (2004) Phebalium bifidum (Rutaceae), a new species from the Capertee Valley, NSW. Telopea 10:787-792.
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