The distribution, habitat and conservation status of Suregada glomerulata (Blume) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) from north-eastern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

2007·1.5 MB·English

by  David G Fell

Austrobaileya 7(3): 573-575 (2007) 573
SHORT COMMUNICATION
The distribution, habitat and conservation status of
Suregada glomerulata (Blume) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae)
from north-eastern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
David G. Fell
PO Box 337, Alstonville, New South Wales 2477, Australia
A systematic survey of the rainforest and dehisce septicidally to present black seeds
vegetation of Cape York Peninsula, far north¬ (EPA 2007).
eastern Australia, was carried out between
Distribution - Non-Queensland habitat.
1992 and 1995 (Stanton & Fell 2005). The
Suregada glomerulata is widespread in
survey which provided site data utilised in the
western and eastern Malesia including
mapping of the region’s vegetation (cf. Neldner
Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Timor
& Clarkson 1995), described the variety of
and New Guinea (EPA 2007). Within these
rainforest communities throughout Cape
areas it inhabits lowland and lower montane
York Peninsula, and resulted in significant
rainforest between altitudes of 130 to 1160 m,
contributions of voucher specimens to the
often near running fresh water on a variety
Queensland Herbarium (BRI) and other
of substrates including limestone (Airy Shaw
Australian herbaria. These records included
1975 cited in RBGK n.d.; EPA 2007). It also
a number of range extensions, including the
occurs throughout southern China, in Hainan,
first records of Suregada glomerulata (Blume)
Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces
Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) for Queensland.
where it is common in open areas, roadsides,
Suregada Roxb. ex Rottl. comprises and early recovery vegetation such as 5-25-
31 species of shrubs and small trees that year-old secondary forests on abandoned lands
predominantly occur in the tropical Asian of shifting cultivation (Ding & Zang 2005; Yi
- Pacific region, as well as Taiwan, South Ding, pers. comm., November 2006).
Africa and Madagascar (Govaerts 2004). The
In the Northern Territory, S. glomerulata
genus is characterised by leaves with unusual,
is known from vineforests and vinethickets
secretory lacunae that may be adaptive for
on dry sandstone, sandy alluvium associated
xeric environments (Wurdack et al. 2005).
with springs, or lateritic substrates (Liddle
Suregada glomerulata is a dioecious shrub et al. 1994; EPA 2007). The majority of the
or small tree with elliptic or narrowly cuneate- herbarium records are located in the Arnhem
obovate leaves up to 18 by 6 cm (Airy-Shaw Plateau Bioregion, over an approximate extent
1980). Leaves are typically decurrent at the of 100 km east-west by 140 km north-south
base merging into a very short petiole with (DPI 2006; Liddle et al. 1994; EPA 2007). The
an obtuse or rounded apex and translucent main population occurs in an area with an
areoles between the ultimate nerves (Airy- average annual maximum temperature of 34°
Shaw 1980). The stem blaze is reported as C and average annual rainfall of 1200-1600
yellow (J.P Stanton, pers. comm., June 2007). mm (DPI 2006). A disjunct population occurs
The flowers have been variously recorded as in the Tiwi - Coburg Bioregion on Croker
green (Brass 8219), greenish-cream (De Wild Island, some 200 km northwest of the main
19353), brownish yellow (Woerjantoro 120), population (EPA 2007). In contrast to the
and white (Van Steenis 9884, Tangkilisan 93, predominately sandstone environments of the
Stanton 67). Fruits are orange-red capsules Arnhem Plateau Bioregion, the Croker Island
population occurs on laterite in a maritime
Accepted for publication 24 August 2007 environment.
574 Austrobaileya 7(3): 573-575 (2007)
Queensland Habitat. Suregada glomerulata present at the West Claudie River site are
was first collected in Queensland in the Iron likely to exhibit acidic properties similar to
Range area in March 1994 (Fell & Stanton those of soils derived from sandstones in the
DGF4154, Site 117 West Claudie River, Cape Northern Territory sites, the precise habitat
York Peninsula; Stanton & Fell 2005). The parameters and relationships for this species
second collection in Queensland {Stanton are at this point speculative. Rainforest
67, October 1995) was recorded within two structure remains relatively constant in
kilometres of the first site. Both localities the West Claudie River area in response to
occur within Iron Range National Park within geology; however, floristics vary considerably
the traditional lands of the Kuuku y’au people in response to soil properties, slope position
(Horton 1994). and drainage (Stanton & Fell 2005). An
exception is vegetation on the upper granitic
The initial Queensland collection of
slopes and ridges which support simpler
Suregada glomerulata was from semi-
evergreen notophyll forests, representative
deciduous mesophyll-notophyll vine forest
of a continuum between sclerophyll forest
with Acacia species (Stanton & Fell 2005
{Acacia dominated) and vineforest.
- Type 49) where it was an uncommon
understorey shrub up to 2 m in height. The Conservation Status. Suregada glomerulata
survey site (Site 117) occurred on podzolic is widespread outside Australia and relatively
soils of poor internal drainage that are found well known in the Northern Territory
on the lower slopes and adjacent colluvial where it is assigned “least concern” status
deposits of granite ranges (Stanton & Fell under the Territory Parks and Wildlife
2005). Granite boulders outcrop on the Conservation Act 2000. In Queensland, the
site amongst which Dendrocnide cordata species is considered extremely rare, with
was frequent. The well-developed but two collections representing the only known
uneven canopy reaching 35 m in height was occurrence of a highly disjunct population. On
dominated by Acaciapolystachya, Terminalia current information, the species is restricted
sericocarpa and Canarium australianum, to the West Claudie River catchment in the
and also featured Brachychiton velutinosus Cape York Peninsula bioregion in vegetation
(listed as Rare in the Queensland Nature types that are restricted to the Iron Range area
Conservation Act (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 (Stanton & Fell 2005).
{NCR 2006)) and Margaritaria indica (listed
Based on available knowledge and the
as Vulnerable in the NCR 2006). The diverse
limited extent of known potential habitat, S.
understorey featured dense patches of the
glomerulata may have a very restricted area
native bamboo Neololeba atra (listed as Rare
of occupancy in Queensland. The species is
in the NCR 2006). At the time of survey, the
conserved within Iron Range National Park
site was undisturbed by human activity and
and not currently under any apparent threat.
free of weeds.
Furthermore, the isolation of the population
The second collection of Suregada limits the potential incidence and degree of
glomerulata was located in tall simple anthropogenic threats. However, there remains
mesophyll/notophyll vine forest on a gentle a risk of stochastic extinction of the species in
slope, with red loam soils derived from Queensland due to its small population size
weathered schist (Stanton & Fell 2005 - Type and very localised extent of occurrence.
38).
Accordingly, the species should be
Environmental Relationships: In contrast considered regionally significant in the
to the Northern Territory populations, the Cape York Peninsula bioregion and afforded
Queensland habitats of S. glomerulata are Vulnerable status under the Nature
very wet (rainfall + 2,000 mm per annum), Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 as
perhaps more resembling those described consistent with Criterion D2 (IUCN 2001).
for the extra-Australian populations in Asia This recommendation acknowledges the
and Malesia. While the granitic derived soils difficulties in attributing conservation status
Fell, Suregada glomerulata 575
to taxa which are rare in Queensland, both Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI)
in terms of restricted geographic distribution (2006). Australia’s Virtual Herbarium. NT
Herbarium map tool. Northern Territory DPI,
and habitat, but widespread in neighbouring
Darwin. Online at http://www.ipe.nt.gov.au/cgi-
regions, for example Papua New Guinea where
bin/avh/avh.cgi (accessed 3 November 2006).
we have limited knowledge of their status.
Such species in the Cape York Peninsula Ding, Y. & Zang, R.-G. (2005). Community
characteristics of early recovery vegetation
bioregion are numerous and include Aglaia on abandoned lands of shifting cultivation in
argentea, Aglaia brassii, Albizia retusa subsp. Bawangling of Hainan Island, South China.
retusa, Brachychiton velutinosus, Cleistanthus Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 47: 530-
538.
myrianthus, Macaranga polyadenia,
Margaritaria indica, Pimeleodendron Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2007).
amboinicum, Syzygium malaccense and S. HERBRECS Database extract, June 2007.
Environmental Protection Agency: Brisbane.
buettnerianum, all of which are currently
listed as Rare (NCR 2006). In many cases, Govaerts, R. (2004). World Checklist of Euphorbiaceae.
data on Australian and extra-Australian The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, UK. Online at http://www.kew.
habitat of such species are limited and reliant
org/wcsp/ (accessed 2 July 2007).
on historical herbarium collections. While
the broader distribution needs to be taken into Horton, D (ed.) (1994). The Encyclopedia of Aboriginal
Australia. Australian Institute of Aboriginal
account when considering the conservation
and Torres Strait Islander Studies (Aboriginal
status and potential for extinction of taxa that Studies Press): Canberra.
also occur outside Australia, there remains
Iucn (2001). IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
an obligation to protect all species extant
Version 3.1. IUCN Species Survival
within the country and to protect the genetic Commission. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
diversity inherent in populations on the edge and Cambridge, UK. Online at http://www.
of a species’ range. iucnredlist.org/info/categories_criteria2001
(accessed 21 August 2007).
Acknowledgments
Liddle, D.T., Russell-Smith, J., Brock, J., Leach, G.J.
The field survey was conducted under the & Connors, G.T. (1994). Atlas of the Vascular
Rainforest Plants of the Northern Territory.
guidance of Peter Stanton for the Queensland
Flora of Australia Supplementary Series No.
Parks and Wildlife Service and funded 3. Australian Biological Resources Study:
through the National Rainforest Conservation Canberra.
Program and the Cape York Peninsula Land
Neldner, V.J. & Clarkson J. R. (1995). Vegetation
Use Study (CYPLUS). Advice on the identity
Survey and mapping of Cape York Peninsula.
of the original plant material was provided CYPLUS, Office of Coordinator General &
by the staff of the Queensland Herbarium Queensland Department of Environment &
Heritage: Brisbane.
and distributional data was BRI specimen
data. Information on habitat parameters Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBGK) (n.d.). The Flora
and conservation status by Peter Stanton, of Brunei Darussalam - Euphorbiaceae -
Suregada. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Online
and background text and comments on the
athttp://www.rbgkew.org.uk/herbarium/brunei/
manuscript by A. Jasmyn J. Lynch are most
fams/151_01.htm#SUREGADA (accessed 3
appreciated. November 2006).
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Cape York Peninsula. Cooperative Research
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