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: Acacia meiantha
Gazetted date:
02 Oct 2015
Profile last updated:
01 Aug 2024
Description
This species is an erect or sometimes straggling shrub to 1.5 m high (sometimes to 2.5 m) with a root suckering habit. It has smooth greenish/brown bark and with straight to slightly curved phyllodes (leaf like structure) 2-5 cm long; 0.4-1.2 mm wide. Mid vein indistinct. Inflorescences 2-19, heads globulose, 4-8 flowered, 3-5mm diameter, yellow to dark yellow. Pods straight or slightly curved, 2-8cm long 4-7mm wide. Plants are able to reproduce clonally through underground suckering, adult plants may comprise of dense clusters of stems arising from the roots of a single parent plant.
Distribution
It is only known from three disjunct locations, all within the Central Tablelands and each separated by more than 60 kms. These disjunct populations include Clarence, which covers an area of approximately 1 hectare; Mullions Range State Forest north of Orange; and Carcalgong, which is confined to 2.5km of road easements and appears to occur within several adjacent private properties. Of the three populations, the majority (96%) are known to occur in Mullions Range State Forest occurring both within remnant native forest and in plantation forests. Where it occurs at both Carcalgong and Mullions Range State Forest, plants are among the tallest and most common shrub forming dense aggregates.
Habitat and ecology
- Clarence population occurs in an open eucalypt forest (Eucalyptus dives and E. sieberi) and in an adjacent area of mainly shrubs, where tree overstorey has been cleared near power lines. Dense shrub layer is dominated by Leptospermum trinervium with L. obovatum, Phyllota squarrosa, Banksia spinulosa and Isopogon anemonifolia.
- Populations at Carcalgong and Mullions Range State Forest occur in the same broad Southern Tablelands Dry Sclerophyll Forests vegetation class composition differ. At Carcalgong Eucalyptus rossi, E. sparsifola and E. lactea dominant with scattered E. goniocalyx. At Mullions Range State Forest, the dominant overstorey species include Eucalyptus rossi, E. mannifera, E. dives and E. macrorhyncha.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Clearing for expansion of pine forestry plantation and road widening/maintenance activities.
- Disturbance due to road maintenance and road widening
- Invasion of weeds such as pine wildlings African lovegrass, St John's wort and blackberry
- Illegal rubbish dumping along access to dam and power line infrastructure at Clarence population
- Potential for too-frequent fire to degrade or remove populations
- Disturbance and degradation of populations due to recreational vehicles (e.g. 4WDs and trailbikes)
- Poor knowledge of the species population size and distribution
- Low genetic diversity and number of stems renders some populations susceptible to stochastic events.
- Grazing and trampling by livestock
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
- Minimise damage / impact to plants during road maintenance works at sites where populations occur along roadsides.
- Add illegal dumping signage at Clarence population
- Minimise damage / impacts to plants during forestry activities at Mullions Range populations
- Control of weed infestations, particularly pine wildlings, where they occur near within existing populations.
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