NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. Hibbertia tenuifolia (family Dilleniaceae) is a newly described species following a revision of Hibbertia by Toelken. In the Flora of NSW Volume 1 (Harden & Everett in Harden 1990) it would be identified as falling within the H. sericea complex.
2. Hibbertia tenuifolia is described in Toelken, H.R. (2000) Notes on Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae) 3. H. sericea and associated species. J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 19: 1-54 as: decumbent shrublets to 0.2 m high, with wiry branches little branched, pilose to pubescent. Vestiture on all parts consisting of a mixture of long and short simple hairs, scarcely tubercle-based, usually antrorsely inclined or on calyx antrorsely curved. Leaves with axillary tufts of hairs elongating acropetally to 0.7 mm long and continued laterally of the base of the petiole; petiole 0.1-0.4 mm long; lamina of cauline leaves and hypsophylloids linear, rarely linear-lanceolate 4.1-7.5 (-9.2) x 0.6-0.9 mm, acute becoming rounded, scarcely constricted into the petiole, with broadened central vein (0.2-0.3 (-0.4) mm wide in the middle) rarely raised to the level of the recurved margins and continued into a not individually tufted apex, pubescent to almost scabrid, with undersurface rarely visible. Flowers single, terminal usually on main branches; bracts linear, 4.3-5.4 x 0.6-0.7 mm, leaf-like with recurved margins and raised central vein, pubescent. Calyx distinctly accrescent; outer calyx lobes lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 8.2-12.5 x 2.1-3.4 mm, pointed but not usually acuminate although with recurved upper margins, outside usually villous with antrorsely curved simple hairs, rarely appressed-pubescent; inside one-third to half covered with longer and shorter spreading hairs; inner calyx lobes oblong-elliptic to - lanceolate, acute to more or less pointed, 5.8-7.7 x 2.2-2.9 mm, outside villous to appressed-pubescent along the central vein becoming puberulous to glabrous along the margins, inside glabrous. Petals obovate-cuneate, 7.8-10.4 mm long, distinctly emarginate. Stamens 12-16, subequal; filaments more or less basally connate; anthers oblong to broadly oblong, 1.4-1.7 mm long, dehiscing by apical pore and lateral slits. Pistils 2, each oblong-obovoid and slightly laterally compressed, with 6-8 ovules; style base scarcely recurved, style from the outer edge spreading to erect in front of clustered stamens. Fruit tomentose with short spreading simple hairs. Seeds dark to mid brown, obloid, 1.8-2 x 1.2-1.4 mm, aril a fleshy ring expanding below the seed into a scarcely lobed collar around the basal but lateral attachment. Flowering: Oct.-Dec.
3. The species occurs in Queensland and reaches its southern limit in New South Wales. In New South Wales, it has only been collected in the Northern Tablelands area of New South Wales.
4. In NSW, the species is known from only three specimens. The most recent collection is from 1870.
5. In view of 3 and 4 above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Hibbertia tenuifolia might already be extinct but is not presumed extinct and consequently satisfies the criteria for listing as an Endangered Species.
Proposed Gazettal date: 10/05/02
Exhibition period: 10/05/02 - 14/06/02