Solanum armourense (a shrub) - endangered species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub Solanum armourense A.R. Bean as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.
NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. Solanum armourense A.R. Bean (family Solanaceae) is described by Bean, A. R. (2001) A revision of Solanum brownii Dunal (Solanaceae) and its allies. Telopea 9 639-661, as: shrub 1-1.8 m high. Fertile branchlets terete, grey or brown, tomentose, with very dense stellate hairs (obscuring branchlet), sparsely armed with prickles (1-10 per dm of branchlet) each 6-11 mm long, glabrous; stellae sessile to shortly stipitate, 0.1-0.2 mm across, lateral rays 6-8, central ray 0-0.5 times as long as laterals. Juvenile leaves shallowly to deeply lobed, 3.5-6cm long, 1.4-2 cm wide, sparsely prickly. Adult leaves elliptical in outline, entire or sinuate, lobes 0-2 on each side, obtuse, lobing index 1-1.5; lamina 2.9-5.5 cm long, 0.6-1.3 cm wide, 4.2-5 times longer than broad, apex acute, basally dimidiate or symmetrical, oblique part 0-3 mm long, obliqueness index 0-5%. Petioles 0.5-1.2 cm long, 17-26% length of lamina, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface grey-green, flat between major veins; prickles absent or present on midvein only; stellae dense to very dense, distributed throughout lamina, 0.1-0.15 mm across, sessile to shortly-stalked, lateral rays 6-8, central ray 0-0.5 times as long as laterals. Lower leaf surface yellowish-white, prickles absent; stellae densely packed in several layers, obscuring leaf surface, 0.15-0.2 mm across, more or less sessile (close tomentum), lateral rays 6-8, central ray 0-0.5 times as long as lateral rays. Inflorescence pseudo-umbellate or sometimes pseudo-racemose with rachis present, 1-4 flowered, prickles absent from rachis and pedicels; pedicels 6-11 mm long at anthesis. Calyx densely stellate-hairy, stellae 0.15-0.2 mm across, transparent or purple, lateral rays 6-8, central ray 0-0.5 times as long as laterals, prickles absent or with 1-5 per flower. Hypanthium campanulate, 2.5-3.5 mm long at anthesis; lobes deltate to attenuate, 1.5-3 mm long at anthesis. Corolla rotate to shallowly lobed, 15-18 mm across. Filaments 1.1-1.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers 3.2-4.6 mm long. Ovary surface with stipitate glands on the distal half, stellate hairs absent; functional style 6.5-7 mm long, erect, with stipitate glands on the proximal half; stigma entire or obscurely bifid. Fruits 1-2 per inflorescence, globular, green, mature size unknown.
2. Solanum armourense is a NSW endemic confined to a relatively small area south-west of Sydney, from Mt Armour within Blue Mountains National Park south to the Wombeyan area.
3. The species is known from only four locations where it grows amongst other shrubs in eucalypt woodland, on steep rocky hillsides with shallow soil. Three of the four locations occur within Blue Mountains National Park.
4. A recent survey at 3 of the locations found only 2 mature individuals at a single location, although the species may be present in the soil seed bank at these and other sites.
5. Solanum armourense is a fire sensitive obligate seeder and is thus potentially threatened by inappropriate fire regimes. Populations outside Blue Mountains National Park are also potentially threatened by habitat destruction.
6. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Solanum armourense A.R. Bean is likely to become extinct in nature unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.
Associate Professor Paul Adam
Chairperson
Scientific Committee
Proposed Gazettal date: 07/11/03
Exhibition period: 07/11/03 - 19/12/03