VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens (a shrub) – TSC Act vulnerable specieslistingNSW Scientific Committee - final determinationThe Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a FinalDetermination to list the shrubEpacris purpurascens var.purpurascens R. Br. as a VULNERABLE SPECIESon Schedule 2 of the Act. Listing of vulnerable species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.The Scientific Committee has found that:1. Epacris purpurascens var.purpurascens is an erect shrub 50-150 cm high. It is described in Harden,1992 (Flora of NSW Vol. 3) as follows: stems with prominent short, broad, leaf scars and villousbranchlets; leaves with an aristate tip to 1.4 mm long, margins entire, and petiole glabrous; corolla tubeshorter than, to as long as the sepals, 4.3-6 mm long, lobes 4.6-5 mm long; style 5.5-6.8 mm long;fruiting capsule about 2 mm long. Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens occurs in sclerophyll forest,scrubs and swamps, from Gosford and Sydney districts in the Central Coast botanical subdivision. It islisted under the ROTAP scheme (Briggs and Leigh 1995, Rare or Threatened Australian Plants, CSIRO,Canberra) as 2KC- (poorly known), occurring in NSW in region 57C-, Brisbane Water National Park.2. The species is currently known from about 30 locations. The size of populations, where known, variesfrom very small (1-5 plants) to greater than 1000 individuals.3. A number of the known sites are reserved, with populations recorded from several reserves includingKu-ring-gai Chase National Park, Muogamarra Nature Reserve, Brisbane Water National Park, BerowraValley Regional Park and Bents Basin State Conservation Area. However, most of these populations arevery small, with the largest known populations occurring within Sydney Catchment Authority areas, westof Wollongong.4. The main threats toEpacris purpurascens var.purpurascens are clearing and too frequent fire,particularly in areas north of Sydney. Due to the fragmented nature of the northern populations, andtheir small size, the species is susceptible to localised extinctions.5. In view of 2, 3 & 4 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the species is likely to becomeendangered unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary developmentcease to operate, and is therefore eligible for listing as a vulnerable species.Proposed Gazettal date: 24/12/99Exhibition period: 24/12/99 - 4/2/00