Grevillea juniperina subsp. juniperina (a shrub) - vulnerable species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina as a Vulnerable species on Schedule 2 of the Act. Listing is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Grevillea juniperina R. Br. was first collected 11 km NW of Prospect in October 1803 by George Caley and described by Robert Brown in 1810. Grevillea juniperina is currently treated in the Flora of New South Wales as an aggregate of several distinct taxa. Makinson (Flora of Australia Vol 17A, in press) recognises 7 subspecies. This species was called Grevillea juniperina R. Br. (Type form) in the Scientific Committee's Preliminary Determination. This taxon is now known as Grevillea juniperina R.Br. subsp. juniperina (Makinson in press).

2. Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina [Family Proteaceae] is described by Makinson (in press) as: More or less erect to spreading dense divaricate shrub 0.5-1.5 m tall; major branches appearing subcolumnar (leaves clustered on short lateral branchlets); foliage dense. Adult leaves often dark green with paler veins, usually narrow, needle-like, 10-22 mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm wide, angularly deltoid to trigonous in cross-section; midvein and intramarginal veins usually very prominent; upper surface with appressed hairs; margins strongly and angularly revolute; lower surface usually fully enclosed; juvenile leaves scarcely broader than adults. Flower colour: perianth red, yellow, pale orange, or rarely greenish; style similar to perianth or a little paler. Perianth subsericeous outside with biramous hairs only. Pistil (13-) 20-25 mm long.

3. Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina is confined to Western Sydney and is known from the area bounded approximately by St Marys - Londonderry - Prospect. It has been reported from the local government areas of Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith, often persisting along roadsides.

4. Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina has a restricted range occurring on red sandy to clay soils - often lateritic on Wianamatta Shale and Tertiary alluvium in Cumberland Plain Woodland and Castlereagh Woodland. It occurs as localised, often small populations, often on road verges.

5. A small population has been recorded from Castlereagh Nature Reserve.

6. Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina is threatened over most of its range due to habitat destruction including clearance for urban and industrial development, road upgrading, inappropriate fire regimes, weed invasion, rubbish dumping, trampling and vehicular damage.

7. In view of 3, 4, 5 & 6 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Grevillea juniperina R. Br. subsp. juniperina is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival cease to operate.

Proposed Gazettal date: 28/4/00
Exhibition period: 28/4/00 - 2/6/00