Narrow-leafed Bumble - 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: Capparis loranthifolia var. loranthifolia

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 03 Jan 2019

Description

The Narrow-leafed Bumble is a dense, spiny tree or spreading shrub, 2 - 8 m tall. The bark is dark greyish-brown, narrowly fissured and cracked. The leaves are spirally-arranged, oblong to linear in shape, 3 - 7 cm long and 8 - 10 mm wide. The flowers have cream-coloured petals, each to 20 mm long. Flowers appear singly or in groups up to five, and are on stems 20 - 40 mm long. The fruit is a large, spherical berry, 30 - 40 mm in diameter, smooth or coarsely netted, on a stalk 2 - 9 cm long. The plant is very similar to Capparis mitchellii but is smaller and more spiny.

Distribution

Recorded in the north-western plains of NSW, from near Weilmoringle north of Brewarrina. Several populations have recently been found in Culgoa NP. The species is relatively common in western Qld.

Habitat and ecology

Throughout its range, found in mixed soft-wood forest in fine red soil, and in brown silty clay-loam near creeks. It is sometimes incorrectly regarded as a weed in cleared areas and is recorded as abundant in the NSW population, and rare and scattered to locally frequent interstate..
Associated species include Eucalyptus populnea, Eucalyptus melanophloia, Eucalyptus microtheca, Eucalyptus crebra, Geijera parviflora, Acacia aneura, Acacia oswaldii, Acacia harpophylla, Acacia catenulata, Eremophila mitchellii, Atalaya spp. and Triodia spp.
Plants form low, stunted trees to very bushy, ground-hugging shrubs with a deep green appearance.
Flowers in spring.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Habitat erosion; sandy ridge habitats are vulnerable to degradation from rabbit, stock and goat activities.
Competition from other woody shrub species may limit distribution and population size.
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

Protect sites from rabbits, stock and goats.
Instigate monitoring studies to investigate the competitive effects of woody shrubs.
Survey for new populations.

Information sources

Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
Everist, S.L. (1969) Use of fodder trees and shrubs. Advisory Leaflet No. 1024 (Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane).
Harden, G.J. (2000) Capparis. Pp. 455-7 in Harden, G.J. (ed.). Flora of New South Wales. Volume 1. Revised Edition. (University of New South Wwales Press, Kensington)
Hewson, H.J. (1982) Capparaceae. 2. Capparis. Pp. 208-222 in Flora of Australia Volume 8: Lecythidales to Batales. (ABRS, Canberra and CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
Jacobs, M. (1965) The Genus Capparis (Capparaceae) from the Indus to the Pacific. Blumea 12(3): 385-541
Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part I. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
Mitchell, T.L. (1848) Journal of an expedition into the interior of tropical Australia, in search of a route from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria. (Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans)
Porteners, M. and Robertson, G. (2003) Threatened Plants in Western New South Wales: Information Review. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
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
Stanley, T.D. and Ross, E.M. (1983) Flora of South-Eastern Queensland. Volume 1. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane)