Bomaderry Zieria - profile

Scientific name: Zieria baeuerlenii 
 Conservation status in NSW: Endangered
National conservation status: Endangered

Description

Bomaderry Zieria is an 80 cm tall shrub, with clover-like (trifoliate) leaves that are covered in velvety hairs. Each leaflet is rounded and blunt, to 12 mm long and 9 mm wide, with curled-under edges. Shrubs produce masses of small pinkish-white flowers between September and October, arranged in clusters of three to seven.

Location and habitat

Distribution
 The species occurs in only one location north-west of Nowra. The population occurs in a total of 43 colonies in six discrete clusters. These clusters are confined within a 0.5 km x 1.0 km area of the bushland, and are found on both sides of Bomaderry Creek.

• Bomaderry Zieria occurs on skeletal sandy loam overlaying sandstone, on a rocky plateau amongst sandstone boulders in either shrubby open forest, shrubby woodland or closed scrub.
• Seed production has never been observed in the Bomaderry Zieria and all evidence collected to date suggests that the species has lost its capacity to reproduce sexually.
• Plants resprout following fire.

Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.

• Southern Rivers

Threats

• Increased nutrients and other pollution from adjoining developments.
• Habitat damage associated with illegal rubbish dumping, vandalism, unintentional trampling and bushrock removal.
• Habitat disturbance during powerline maintenance.
• Weed invasions resulting in the loss of habitat.
• Grazing by rabbits.
• Fire suppression actions may threaten plants and habitat.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 17 priority actions to help recover the Bomaderry Zieria in New South Wales.

What needs to be done to recover this species?

• Control rabbits.
• Exclude deliberate fires (e.g. hazard reduction burns and picnic fires) from the site containing the population.
• Ensure run-off from sites above the population is controlled.
• Limit vehicle access to the site to deter rubbish dumping.
• Erect markers to alert maintenance staff to the presence of this species.
• Fence sites to protect from rabbits.
• Control threatening weeds where necessary.
• Mark sites and potential habitat onto maps used for planning powerline maintenance work.

References

• Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of New South Wales Volume 2 Revised Edition. UNSW, Sydney.
• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Recommendation for the Identification of Critical Habitat for the Bomaderry Zieria (Zieria baeuerlenii) - A recommendation report prepared for public exhibition pursuant to Part 3 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville, NSW.