A review of the conservation ecology of round-leaf Pomaderris 'Pomaderris vacciniifolia' F. Muell. ex Reissek (Rhamnaceae)

2014·1.8 MB·English

Contributions
A
reviewofthe conservation ecologyofRound-leafPomaderris
Pomaderris vacciniifolia F. Muell. ex Reissek (Rhamnaceae)
John Patykowski1 MariaGibson1andMattDell2
,
SchoolofLifeandEnvironmentalScience,DeakinUniversity,221BurwoodHighway,Burwood,Victoria3125
2BiosisPtyLtd,38BertieStreet,PortMelbourne,Victoria3207
Abstract
Round-leafPomaderris Pomaderris vacciniifolia F. Muell. ex Reissek (Rhamnaceae) is a Victorian endemic
shrublistedasthreatenedundertheFloraandFaunaGuaranteeAct 1988andcriticallyendangeredunderthe
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. A review oftheavailable literature for P.
vacciniifolia indicatedmostinformation isanecdotal orfoundinunpublishedworks.Betterunderstandingof
theecologyofP. vacciniifolia mayhelpexplainwhyitisvulnerable,andenhancefuturemanagement. Future
researchshouldfocus towardsbetterunderstandingofP. vacciniifolia habitat,reproductiveecology,seeddis-
persalmechanismsandcompetitiveabilityandhowthesecomparewithmorecommonsympatriccongeners,
todeterminewhetheranydifferencescouldexplaintherelativesuccessofthesespecies.Targetedsearchesfor
thisspeciesonpublicandprivatelandarewarrantedtorevealadditionalpopulationsandfullyappreciatethe
distributionofthisspecies. (TheVictorianNaturalist131(2)2014,44-51)
Keywords:Pomaderrisvaccinifolia, Rhamnaceae,conservationecology,threatenedspecies, seed
dispersal
Introduction
Within Australia,fewstudiesexplicitlyexplain (Fig. 5), and quicklydeciduous spathulate pet-
mm
causes of rarity or uncommonness in plants. als to 1.5 long (Walsh 1999). Flowers are
Often, thereislittleotherthananecdotalinfor- arranged in axillary, hemispherical or pyrami-
mm
mationorunpublishedliteratureavailablecon- dal panicles, 10-40 long and wide. Small
cerningtheirecology,which canbedifficult to
access.ThisisthecaseforRound-leafPomader-
risPomaderrisvacciniifolia F. Muell ex. Reissek
(Rhamnaceae), a Victorian endemic species.
Theobjectiveofthispaperistocollateavailable
informationforP. vacciniifoliay tohighlightde-
ficienciesin currentknowledgeandto provide
directionforfutureresearch.
Pomaderris vacciniifolia (Fig. 1) is a slender
shrub with weakspreading branches, growing
m
to a height of4 (Walsh 1999; Costermans
2009).Itsbranchletsaregreyishandcoveredin
stellate trichomes, with elliptic to broad-ellip-
tic leaves 8-22 mm long (usually 12-15 mm)
and6-13mm wide (usually 8-10mm) (Walsh
1999),withentiremarginsandanobtusetipand
base (Fig. 2). Stipules are deciduous and 1.5-2
mm
long; the upper leafsurface is dark green,
smooth, glossyand glabrous;thelowersurface
is greyish due to a fine, dense layer ofminute
stellatetrichomes,withoccasional,larger,rusty,
stellate trichomes (Fig. 3). It produces small
mm
creamy-whiteflowersonpedicels2-3 long
mm
(Fig. 4), with deciduous sepals 1.5-2 long Fig. 1. Population of Pomaderris vacciniifolia at
thatare pubescentonthelower (outer) surface ChumCreek,Victoria.
44 TheVictorianNaturalist
Contributions
Fig.2.Lower(a)andupper(b)surfaceofPomaderrisvacciniifolialeaves.
Fig. 3.Scanningelectron micrograph ofthelowerleafsurfaceofPomaderrisvacciniifolia
showinga dense covering ofminute stellate trichomes, with the occasional larger, rusty
stellatetrichome(arrowed).
Vol 131 (2) 2014 45
Contributions
Fig. 5. Scanning electronmicrograph ofPomaderris
vacciniifolia flower showingthe (a) glabrous adaxial
surfaceofsepals, (b) petalsand(c) stamen.Notethe
pubescenceonthelower(outer)surfaceofsepals.
Fig. 4. Pomaderris vacciniifolia flowers displaying
the (a) pedicel, (b) sepal, (c) petal, (d) stamen and
(e)style.
bracts that subtend the flowers are deciduous
(Walsh 1999). The calyx belowthe free part of
mm
the sepals is approximately 0.5 long. The
ovaryishalf-superiortosuperior(Walsh 1999)
and covered with stellate trichomes. The style
istripartiteintheupper part (Fig.6).Fruitsare
mm
small, globular capsules to 2 wide (Walsh Fig. 6. Scanning electron micrograph ofPomader-
1999),containinguptothreehard,glossy,black risvacciniifoliaflowershowingthe(a)tripartitestyle
seeds (JPatykowskipers.obs.). and(b)stigma.
by Healesville, Flowerdale and Eltham (Walsh
PCoomnasdeerrvraitsiovanccsitnaitifuoslia islistedunder theFlora i1n9d9i9c;atDeSPE 2v0a1cc3ian)iif(oFliiga. 7o)c.cuHrisstoarriocaulndreTcyoerrdss
and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 as a threatened
and the Toongabbie-Cowwarr district (DSE
species. Under the Advisory List of Rare and
2013a),althoughrecordsarefewanddated,and
Threatened Plants in Victoria (Department of
its current presence requires ground-truthing.
Sustainabilityand Environment [DSE] 2005), it A small population was recently discovered at
is assigned a conservation status ofvulnerable. Bunyip Streamside Reserve, inWestGippsland
gInerJeadnuuanrdye2r01t4h,eitEwnavsirloisntmedenastcrPirtoitcealcltyioenndaannd- (M Dell pers. obs.). It occurswithin the High-
lands-Southern Fall,Highlands-NorthernFall,
Biodiversity'ConservtionAct 1999.
CentralVictorianUplandsandGippslandPlain
Geographicdistribution bioregions.
Remaining wild populations of P. vacciniifo- Remaining wild populations are found on
lia predominantly occur in often fragmented ridgelines in moist forests and on lowerslopes
stands, throughout damp sclerophyll forest inhillyfoothillcountry, extendingoccasionally
in the upper catchments ofthe Yarra, Yea and into drier forests at lowland sites, elevations
Plenty Rivers in Victoria in an area bounded ranging from 40 to 550 m (Walsh 1999; Cam-
46 TheVictorianNaturalist
The
Victorian
Index to
Volume 130, 2013
KN
Compiled by Bell
1
Amphibians Maguire GS(seeRimmeretal.) 75
Limnodynastes tasmaniensis, spawnpreda- Millet-RileyJ(seeChealetal.)96
tionbyleeches49 MorganJ88 (bookreview)
Release orretain,biodiversityconservation MortonA 45
1
207 MoxhamC(see Cheal etal.) 96
Spotted Marsh Frog,spawn predationby NashMA 127
leeches49 NewTRandYenAL 165
PooreGCB60 (bookreview)
AustralianNaturalHistoryMedallion PreslandG53(Tribute), 86 (Tribute), 137
Trustfund63
(Tribute),218 (bookreview)
Authors Rimmer JM,MaguireGSandWeston MA75
AbbottI 109 Robinson D (seeCullenetal.) 161
AllenTandEllisM212 Sherman C(seeLeesetal.) 84
Arbon K(seeCullenetal.) 161 Simmons P 177
Bendel S 174 StrakaT59 (bookreview)
BilneyRJ68 Tan L(seeLeesetal.) 84
CardiliniAP(seeLeesetal.) 84 TurnerGS49
CarlosE89 (bookreview) TurnerV(seeKohoutetal.) 192
ChealD,MoxhamC,KennySandMillet- Wallis R37,56 (bookreview), 57(bookre
Riley 96 view), 154(book review)
J M
ClemannN 151 (bookreview), 207 Warne 87 (book review)
CookeR62(bookreview) Warneke RMand DannP4
CorrickM 153 (bookreview) Weston MA (seeRimmeretal.) 75
Cullen B, InglisT,Arbon KandRobinson D Weston MA (seeLeesetal.) 84
161 Wilson Cand Godinho L 182
Dann PandWarnekeRM4 YenALandNewTR 165
DannP (see Leesetal.) 84 ZimmerH (seeKohoutMetal.) 192
DavisH (seeDeAngelisetal.)224 ZylstraP232
DeAngelis D, Davis H, JennerBanddeJong
Biodiversity
224
deJ JongJ (seeDeAngelisD etal.) 224 IBanttrroedsuecatricohn,vtoolBuinotdeievrerasiidty18S2ymposium 160
Editors, The VictorianNaturalist2,66,94, Invertebrateconservation 165
158, 190,222
EllisM andAllenT212 LeadbeatersPossum,conservation 174
Falconer A202 Partnercollaboration inendangeredspecies
Flanagan-MoodieAK40 recovery 177
M Reptiles andfrogs,biodiversityconservation
Gibson 54(bookreview),90(bookreview),
207
149 (bookreview)
GodinhoLandWilson C 182 TrustforNature 161
Green K240 Urban micro-bats, useofvolunteers 182
GreensladeP45 Birds
GreyE8 Avifauna, fire effectson,SnowyMountains
HubregtseV 139 240
InglisT(seeCullen etal.) 161 BirdsofSealRocks,BassStrait,4
JennerB(seeDeAngelisetal.) 224 FairyTernsnesting, LakeTyres 192
KennyS (seeChealetal.) 96 Hooded Plover,beachsignage75
KohoutM,ZimmerHandTurnerV 192 LittleTerns,nesting, LakeTyres 192
Kubiak PJ22 Masked Lapwings,cooperativebreeding84
Lees D, Weston MA,Sherman C,MaguireG, Sternula albifrons nesting, LakeTyres 192
Dann P, Cardilini APandTan L84 Sternula nereis ne,sting. LakeTyres 192
LongmoreNW 150 (bookreview) Ihinornisrubric,ollis beachsignage75
MaguireG (seeLeesetal.) 84 Vanellusmiles coope,rative breeding84
,
BookReviews Fungi
AFieldGuideto theBirdsofAustralia, the Boletesat Rowville 145
definitive workonbirdidentificationG Piz- Clavulina rugosa, introducedspecies81
zeyand F Knight,edSPizzey(ECarlos) 89 Coralfungus,introducedspecies 81
A GuidetoAustralia’sSpinyFreshwaterCray Phlebopusmarginatusat Rowville 145
AfiNsahtRurBalMcHiCsotrormyaocfkAu(sGtrCaBliPaonorBea)ts6-0Work- Invertebrates-Cnidarians
ingtheNightShiftG RichardsandL Hall (T Stalkedjelly-fish, Port Phillip Bay202
Stenoscyphus inabai Port Phillip Bay202
Straka) 59 ,
Australia’sAmazingKangaroos:theirconser- Invertebrates-Insects
vation, uniquebiologyandcoexistencewith Aliensinvading Australian Alps 127
humansKRichardson (RLWallis) 57 European honeybee,invader, Australian
Australia’sFossilHeritage:Acatalogueof Alps 127
importantAustralianfossilSitesACook> Europeanwasp, invader, AustralianAlps 127
J Magee, KDouglas,KO’Callaghanand Bees,sleepingfirerisk22
RSanderson (eds) (M Warne) 87 Collembolagenus, Temeritas,in SouthAust-
Australian High CountryOwlsJ Olsen (R ralia,systematics, etc.45
Cooke)62 Conservation,cooperation essential 165
AustralianLizards:a naturalhistorySKWil- Temeritas,systematics, distribution, conser-
son (NClemann) 151 vation in South Australia45
BirdsofPreyofAustralia:afieldguideSDebus
(NW Longmore) 150 Invertebrates-Leeches
CuriousMinds: thediscoveriesofAustralian Leech,predationoffrogspawn49
FlnoartauroaflitshtesOPtwMaaychPilnaienss(&GRParnegselsan2d:)Da2i1s8ies, InGvreerytefbirealdtesslu-g,Mionlvlaudserc,sAustralianAlps 127
Heaths, Peas, Saltbushes, Sundews Wattles
,
andothershrubbyandherbaceousdicoty- Invertebrates-Spiders
ledonsEMayfield (MCorrick) 153 HumpedspidersatNottingHill 139
KangaroosTDawson (RLWallis) 56 Moratussplendens,firstVictorian record224
Plantingforwildlife:apracticalguide to Peacockspider, firstVictoriarecord 224
restoringnativewoodlandsNMunroeand D
Lindenmayer(MGibson)90 Localities
Australian Alps,alien invertebrates 127
PlantsofMelbourne’s WesternPlains:a
gardener’sguidetotheoriginalflora. 2edn. AuosntrSanlioawnGAulpmssN2a3t2ional Park,fire influence
Australian PlantsSociety,KeilorPlains
Group Morgan) 88 BuldahStateForest,peacockspideroccur-
(J rence224
Plantsofthe Victorian High Country Mur-
phy and BDowling(M Gibson) 149J EastGippsland,antlerrubbings68
Snarlsfrom the Tea-tree: BigCatFolklore13 Framlingham Forest,koalas 37
WWaeltldarnodnWaeneddsS:TCoawunsesse,nCdu(reRsLaWnaldliCso)mp15r4o- La1k9e2Tyers, nesting ofLittleTern, FairyTern
misesN Romanowski (M Gibson) 54 Malleewoodlands,rareplantspeciesrecov-
ery96
Botany MunyangValley,SnowyMountains, fire
Acronychia oblongifolia antlerrubbings68 effectson avifauna240
,
Coasttea-tree,slash-burn management212 NottingHill, Humpedspiders 139
Fireeffectson Snow Gum forests232 PhillipIsland,Masked Lapwingbreeding84
Leptospermum laevigatum,slash-burn man- Port Phillip Bay,StalkedJellyfish 202
agement212 RedCastle-Graytown State Forest, Eastern
Rareplantrecovery,28spp., Mallee96 Pygmy-possum 40
Yellow-wood, antlerrubbings68 Rowville, largeboletes 145
SealRocks, BassStrait,birdfauna4
Wonthaggi Heathlands,tea-tree management
212
MammalsandMarsupials 97yearsago(possums) 44
Batresearch usingvolunteers 182 99years ago(coastalplants:shelterandfire)
Cercartetusnanusin RedCastle-Graytown 211
State Forest40 100years ago (Murray Pine) 108
Cervisunicolor,antlerrubbings,East 100years ago (Phillip Islandexcursion) 21
Gippsland 68 101 yearsago(forestpreservation) 181
Collaboration in endangeredspeciesrecov- 122years ago (Planarianworms) 52
ery 177 A HandbookofDestructiveInsectsofVictoria
Dasyurus, Aboriginalnames 109 248
Eastern Pygmy-possum, RedCastle-Gray- Aboriginalnamesapplied toDasyurusspp.
town StateForest40 109
Gymnobdideusleadbeateri,conservation 174 Authorguidelines250
KoalasatFramlinghamForest37 IntroductiontoSymposium:‘Workingto-
Leadbeaterspossum,conservation 174 getherforecologicaloutcomesin
Micro-bats,urban 182 InternationalYearofCooperatives’ 160
PhascolarctoscinereusatFramlinghamForest
37 Reptiles
Quoll, Aboriginalnames 109 Releaseorretain,biodiversityconservation
Research usingvolunteers 182 207
Sambardeer, antlerrubbings,EastGippsland
Tributes
68
DorothyMahler(G Presland) 53
Miscellaneous DrNoel Schleiger(G Presland) 137
80years ago (faunasurvival) 173 ArthurWolfgangThies(GPresland) 86
90yearsago(tributeto LeSouef) 219
Contributions
Flowerdale Post2000
>nbinane • Pre2000
•Glenburn
•KinglakeWest
KingLake^
m
*
Hufstbridge Af
arraG|e
Healesville
10km
•Seville
0 25 50 75 100
Fig.7.DistributionofPomaderrisvacciniifoliarecords.DataSource:‘VictorianBiodiversityAtlas’©TheState
ofVictoria,DepartmentofEnvironmentandPrimaryIndustries(2013),andCouncilofHeadsofAustralasian
Herbaria(2013).
eron2006;DSE2013a). Basedonitsknowndis- leafPeppermintE. radiataSieberexDC.subsp.
tribution,P.vacciniifoliaisgenerallyconfinedto radiata and Manna Gum E. viminalis Labill.
soilsderivedfromSilurianorDevonianmarine subsp. viminalis. Less optimal habitat occurs
m
sediments (usually sandstone or mudstone), on lowland sitesof40 to 300 elevation, with
although some lowland populations occur on 650-800mm annual rainfall. TheDSE(2013b)
alluvial soils (DouglasandFerguson 1988;DSE modelledEVCsoftheseareasareValleyGrassy
2013a). Forest, Creekline Herb-rich Woodland or oc-
Optimum conditions for this species appear casionally Grassy Dry Forest (DSE 2013b).
to occur at elevations above 300 m with 800- The dominant tree species for these areas are
mm
1000 annual rainfall, where individuals Broad-leafPeppermintE. divesSchauer, Bundy
seem to exhibit fastergrowth, reach reproduc- E.gojvocalyx F.MuellexMiq., Red Stringybark
tive maturity when younger and arc longer- E.macrorhynchaF.Muell.exBenth.subsp.mac-
lived than plants growing at lower elevations rorhyncha. Yellow Box E. meltiodora Cunn. ex
and in drier conditions (Cameron 2006). Eco- Schauer, Red Box E. polyanthemos subsp. ves-
logical Vegetation Class modelling bythe DSE tita L.A.S.Johnson and K.D.Hill, or on lower
(2013) indicates that populations found under slopesandterracesE. viminalissubsp.viminalis
theseconditionsareassociatedwithDampFor- (Cameron 2006; DSE 2013a). The recentlydis-
est and Herb-rich Foothill Forest. These Eco- covered population at Bunyip Streamside Re-
logical Vegetation Classes (EVCs) include the serve was found growing in the EVC Swampy
dominantcanopyspecies Mountain Grey-gum Woodland (M Dell pers. obs.), which includes
Eucalyptus cypellocarpa L.A.S.Johnson, Mess- thedominantcanopyspecies SwampGum Eu-
mate Stringybark E. obliqua I’Her., Narrow- calyptusovataLabill.There havebeen noother
Vol 131 (2) 2014 47