Small Purple-pea - 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: Swainsona recta

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Endangered

Profile last updated: 28 Apr 2022

Description

Small Purple-pea is a slender, erect perennial herb growing to 30 cm tall. The leaves are divided into up to six pairs of 10 mm long, very narrow leaflets, each with a pointed tip. There is also a single leaflet at the end of each divided leaf. It bears one to several sprays of between 10 and 20 purple, pea-shaped flowers, between late September and early December. Flowers are followed by pods up to 10 mm long in summer.

Distribution

Small Purple-pea was recorded historically from places such as Carcoar, Culcairn and Wagga Wagga where it is probably now extinct. Populations still exist in the Queanbeyan and Wellington-Mudgee areas. Over 80% of the southern population grows on a railway easement. It is also known from the ACT and a single population of four plants near Chiltern in Victoria.

Habitat and ecology

Before European settlement Small Purple-pea occurred in the grassy understorey of woodlands and open-forests dominated by Blakely’s Red Gum Eucalyptus blakelyi, Yellow Box E. melliodora, Candlebark Gum E. rubida and Long-leaf Box E. goniocalyx.
Grows in association with understorey dominants that include Kangaroo Grass Themeda australis, poa tussocks Poa spp. and spear-grasses Austrostipa spp.
Plants die back in summer, surviving as a rootstocks until they shoot again in autumn.
Flowers throughout spring, with a peak in October.
Seeds ripen at the end of the year.
Individual plants have been known to live for up to 20 years.
Generally tolerant of fire, which also enhances germination by breaking the seed coat and reduces competition from other species.

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Grazing and trampling by cattle, sheep and goats.
Loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat and/or populations for residential and agricultural developments.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations by weed invasion, including exotic grasses mostly, as well as bridal creeper and St John's wort.
Increased competition from other native grassland species within the habitat because of reduced fire frequency.
Increased competition from black cypress pine (Callitris endlicheri) within the habitat possibly because of exclusion of fire from some northern sites.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations from inappropriate rail reserve maintenance.
Inherent risk of loss of small populations from natural or un-natural catastrophic events.
Accidental damage at some sites from recreational vehicles such as 4WDs and trail bikes.
Construction of inappropriate hazard reduction control lines.
Erosion of some railway embankments is causing the direct loss of habitat and individual plants
Feral pigs have seriously impacted on one population near Williamsdale

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

Protect known populations from changes to land use.
Do not undertake road works, pasture modification or other changes in land use that may affect populations.
Do not increase grazing pressures on sites where populations persist - reduce grazing pressures where possible.
Erect on-site signs to alert maintenance staff to the presence the species.
Eliminate grazing on sites where populations occur, fencing is appropriate.
Undertake weed control in and adjacent to populations, taking care to spray or dig out only target weeds.
Undertake cypress pine thinning at selected sites.
Monitor known populations to ensure that management is retaining populations.
Undertake burning trials on sites to establish a suitable biomass control regime; and to encourage recruitment.
Mark sites and potential habitat onto maps (of the farm, shire, region, etc) used for planning (e.g. road works, residential and infrastructure developments, remnant protection, rehabilitation).
Search for new populations in potential habitat.
Control erosion of embankments adjoining some populations

Information sources

ACT Government (1998) Small Purple-pea (Swainsona recta): an endangered species. Action Plan No. 9. Environment ACT.
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).
Eddy, D. (2002) Managing Native Grassland: a guide to management for conservation, production and landscape protection. (World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, Sydney)
Eddy, D., Mallinson, D., Rehwinkel, R and Sharp. S. (1998) Grassland Flora: a field guide for the Southern Tablelands (NSW & ACT). (Environment ACT, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra)
Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2, Revised Edition. UNSW, Sydney.
Lee, A.T. (1948) The genus Swainsona. Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium 1(1): 132-271.
Leigh, J., Boden, R. and Briggs, J. (1984) Extinct and Endangered Plants of Australia (The Macmillan Company of Australia Pty Ltd: Melbourne).
Leigh, J.H. and Briggs, J.D. (eds.) (1992) Threatened Australian Plants - overview and case studies. (Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra)
Lunt, I., Barlow, T. and Ross, J. (1998) Plains Wandering. Exploring the Grassy Plains of South-Eastern Australia (Victorian National Parks Association and Trust for Nature: Victoria).
Marriott, N. and J. (1998) Grassland Plants of South-Eastern Australia. Bloomings Books, Melbourne.
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).
Thompson, J. (1993) A revision of the genus Swainsona (Fabaceae). Telopea 5(3): 427-581.
Thompson, J. and James, T.A. (1991) Swainsona. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2 (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1998) Flora of Victoria; Volume 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae. (Inkata Press, Melbourne)
Zich, F.A., Briggs, J.D. and Corrigan, V.T (1995) Swainsona recta (Small Purple Pea). Recovery Plan (CSIRO: Canberra and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney).

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Darling Riverine Plains	Bogan-Macquarie	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Predicted	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Capertee Valley	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Capertee Uplands	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Monaro	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Murrumbateman	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Orange	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None

Images

Small Purple-pea, John Briggs Image 1 of 6.
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