Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Hairy Quandong (Elaeocarpus williamsianus FAMILY ELAEOCARPACEAE)
Introduction. The generic name Elaeocarpus means ‘olive fruit’ (from the Greek ‘elaia’, the olive tree and ‘karpos’ a fruit)
and the species name refers to J.B. Williams in recognition of his work on rainforest plants in NSW (Floyd 1989). The
common name Hairy Quandong refers to the characteristic rusty hairy shoots and leaf venation. This species was discovered
only recently (in 1980) and is still known only from a few locations, all in north-eastern NSW. Three of the five
locations are in Byron Shire and only one of the sites is reserved (Inner Pocket Nature Reserve in Byron Shire). Hairy
Quandong is very rare and is apparently restricted to a very small area of NSW with its stronghold in Byron Shire.
A draft Recovery Plan has been prepared (Hunter et al. undated) and is currently being redrafted.
Conservation status. Hairy Quandong is listed on Schedule 1 (Endangered) of the TSC Act, 1995 and has a ROTAP code
of 2ECi (Briggs and Leigh 1996).
Habit. A small to medium tree up to 15 m tall (Floyd 1989).
Flowers. Small, pale green, in axillary racemes. Flowering November to December (Floyd 1989). No information about
pollination is available.
Fruit. Drupe, shiny, blue, globular, 2 - 3 cm diameter. Ripe April to July but occasionally in November to December
(Floyd 1989). No information about dispersal is available, but like the fruit of related species, the fruits may be eaten by
larger frugivorous birds. Dispersal is likely to be inefficient.
Habitat. Floyd (1989) describes Hairy Quandong as occurring in regrowth subtropical/warm temperate rainforest on
paleozoic metamorphics on old landslips on a steep hillside. Hunter et al. (undated) record a site on a creek bank and
lower slope at Inner Pocket. Hairy Quandong occurs naturally on the coast ranges on metasediments on steep and
eroding slopes at low altitude in ‘disturbed’ gully rainforest and in an open site above the road on a steep slope at
Goonengerry.
Distribution. Burringbar; Middle Pocket (Floyd 1989). Recent records have been near Brunswick Heads (J. Holmes, A.
Benwell, pers. comm.), also at Goonengerry (S. Bower pers. comm.).
Regeneration and horticulture. Hairy Quandong is little known in horticulture. Fruits rarely contain seed, but where it
is present, regeneration from seed is likely to require abrasion in the soil or other conditions which break down the hard
endocarp. No detailed studies of the regeneration of Hairy Quandong have been carried out, and its regeneration requirements
are assumed to be similar those of related rainforest species. The seedlings will have some shade tolerance,
and will require small light gaps for continuing development. Regeneration from coppice shoots following damage to the
main stems of the trees has also been observed (Hunter et al. undated).
Economic and cultural significance. Hairy Quandong is too rare to be used. No use and significance beyond the aesthetic
and ecological values of all native rainforest species is known.
Abundance and reservation. Hairy Quandong is known in small numbers only, and Inner Pocket NR is the only reserve
in which it occurs. Briggs and Leigh (1996) consider Hairy Quandong to be inadequately conserved. The conservation of
the plants that occur in the study area is thus of particular importance for the species.
Threats and amelioration. Land clearance, development, agriculture, fire, roading, and weed invasion. The coastal rainforests
are also vulnerable to natural disturbances including cyclones and fires. To improve the conservation status of
Hairy Quandong, the health of the population and its regeneration potential should be enhanced by weed management,
grazing exclusion, fire protection and replanting of surrounding habitat.
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