Holly-leaf 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 ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia

Conservation status in NSW: Critically Endangered

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 17 Dec 2010

Profile last updated: 29 Jun 2022

Description

The Holly-leaf Grevillea is a small to medium spreading to erect shrub. The flowers are born in short one sided heads 2-5 cm long. The perianth (the outer envelope of the flower) is pale green to grey in colour. The pistil is 19-25 mm long and either red, or rarely pink, orange,or pale yellow. The leaves are roughly kite-shaped 2-7 cm long and 0.8-3.5 cm wide.

Distribution

In New South Wales, the Holly-leaf grevillea occurs, or has occurred, at highly disjunct localities in the central west and central south of the State. The only population confirmed as extant occurs at Round Hill Nature Reserve north-west of Lake Cargelligo. It was previously known from the Griffith area but that population is now thought to be extinct.

Habitat and ecology

In New South Wales Grevillea ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia has been recorded from shrubby mallee communities.
At Nericon near Griffith, Weare (1988) reports it as having occurred in ‘dense mallee’ in the early 1950s; the sole known plant of this population surviving in recent decades was growing in sandy loam soil in a disturbed remnant association of mallee eucalypts (Eucalyptus gracilis, E. socialis and E. dumosa), with Callitris glaucophylla, Acacia brachybotrya and Olearia pimeleoides (NSW Herbarium specimen data, Makinson 1307, 1993).
At Round Hill Nature Reserve near Lake Cargelligo, it occurs in red sandy soil in a mallee association of Eucalyptus socialis, E. leptophylla, and Callitris verrucosa, with a shrubby understorey of Acacia montana, Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata, Triodia sp., Prostanthera serpyllifolia, Santalum sp., Myoporum sp., and Phebalium squamulosum (Australian National Herbarium Specimen Information Register, 2010).
The reported West Wyalong occurrence was a single plant in a roadside mallee remnant. Grevillea ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia in other States is recorded from habitats of mallee, heath, and woodland on a variety of soil types.
Grevillea ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia in New South Wales probably flowers from September to November. It is likely to be primarily bird-pollinated, although introduced Honeybees (Apis mellifera) may be able to effect pollination. The taxon is thought to be an obligate out-breeder (R. Makinson in litt. 2010; N. Marriott in litt. 2010). It is also likely to reproduce only from seed; it is not known to be capable of producing rhizomatous ramets (‘root-suckers’).

Regional distribution and habitat

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

Threats

Land clearing
Inappropriate fire regimes
Grazing and browsing by herbivores
Potentially susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi
Vehicle disturbance (e.g. cars, graders) damaging plants or degrading habitat
Small population size impacting the viability of the species in NSW
Seed predation potentially impacting species recruitment
Low genetic diversity / inbreeding potentially limiting recruitment and long-term viability at the site

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

Collect plant material and attempt to propogate.
Undertake surveys of previous known sites.
Ensure only known extant is protected from accidental or deliberate damage.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Nymagee	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	Darling Depression	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Predicted	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Predicted	None