Backwater Grevillea - 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: Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 15 Jun 2020

Description

Backwater Grevillea is a low spreading shrub, which is usually a groundcover but sometimes is a shrub up to 1.5 m high. Its leaves are stiff and leathery with sharply-toothed edges and its flowers are black and green. Field observations of Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa note that the plants often have a very sprawling and mat-forming habit, with some plants spreading up to 2.5 m wide with a very thick and woody main stem. The flowering branches are often laid close to or directly on the ground or bare rocks.

Distribution

Restricted to granite country on the New England Tablelands, including granitic outcrops, slabs and slopes. It is known from Baldersleigh, Backwater and Warra National Park in the Guyra district and Mann River Nature Reserve east of Glen Innes.

Habitat and ecology

Grows in shrubby sclerophyll woodland, on granitic slabs and slopes in sandy loam soils. It often grows amongst low granite outcrops.
Associated species recorded at sites include Eucalyptus radiata subsp. sejuncta, Eucalyptus dalrympleana subsp. heptantha, Eucalyptus pauciflora, Eucalyptus caliginosa, Eucalyptus nova-anglica, Eucalyptus campanulata, Eucalyptus acaciiformis, Petrophile canescens, Leptospermum polygalifolium, Bursaria spinosa, Hakea dactyloides, Persoonia cornifolia, Banksia integrifolia, Melichrus procumbens, Lomandra longifolia, Lomatia sialifolia, Poa sieberiana, Pteridium esculentum, Oxylobium, Hibbertia, Themeda and Calochilus species.
Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa plants have been recorded in the Backwater area with a scattered distribution. Plants are also recorded as locally occasional to locally abundant in populations, with one population of about 500 plants noted.
Plants are probably killed by fire, with the species regenerating from soil-stored seed.
Flowers from spring to autumn.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

New England Tablelands

Threats

Clearing and fragmentation of shrubby woodland and heath habitat for agriculture and rural subdivision.
Road maintenance (e.g. scraping) threatens roadside populations.
Inappropriate fire regimes including risk from uncontrolled fires due to arson, frequent asset protection hazard reduction and escaped private property fires. Too frequent and too intense fire negatively impact on the mortality and reproduction of the species
Encroachment of exotic weeds, particularly blackberry, into habitat where the species occurs. Weeds are likely to out-compete seedlings.
Disturbance by feral pigs.
High risk of local population extinction through catastrophic events such as fire, due to the scattered distribution of small populations of the taxon.
Plants have also been observed to be grazed by cattle.
Lack of knowledge of the species abundance and distribution
Uncertainty of future land management practices, which could limit access or on-ground conservation.
Risk of local population extinction due to small population size and catastrophic fire events
Over-browsing and damage or death of plants by feral goats and pigs.
Potential threat of timber harvesting and removal on private land (both legal and illegal) degrading habitat and removing plants
Lack of knowledge on competition for floral resources between wild pollinating insects of the species and feral honeybees.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 12 priority actions to help recover the Backwater Grevillea in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Control feral pigs.
Protect areas of habitat from frequent fire.
Identify roadside populations and protect during roadworks and roadside management activities.
Assist with the control of Blackberry.
Protect habitat from clearing and fragmentation.
Report new occurrences of Backwater Grevillea to the OEH.

Information sources

Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2, Revised Edition. UNSW, Sydney.
Makinson, R.O. (2000) Proteaceae 2, 41. Grevillea. 23b. Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa (Blakely & McKie) McGill. In Wilson, A.J.G. (Ed) Flora of Australia 17A: 68-69.
Makinson, R.O. (2002) Grevillea. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Revised Edition Volume 2 (University of New South Wales Press Ltd: Sydney).
McGillivray, D.J. (1986) New Names in Grevillea (Proteaceae): 14.
McGillivray, D.J. and Makinson, R.O. (1993) Grevillea, Proteaceae. A taxonomic revision (Melbourne University Press: Melbourne).
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003) Threatened Species of the New England Tablelands and North West Slopes of NSW. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

New England Tablelands	Moredun Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Nightcap	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None

Images

Flower, Backwater Grevillea. Image 1 of 6.
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