Ausfeld's Wattle - profile

Scientific name: Acacia ausfeldii 
 Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Description

Acacia ausfeldii is an erect or spreading shrub 2 - 4 m high with branchlets angled or flattened, resinous and smooth. Leaves are narrowly elliptic to linear-oblong, straight to slightly curved, 2 - 7 cm long, 2 - 5 mm wide, hairless and dotted with resin glands. The midvein is prominent, the lateral veins are obscure, the apex is obtuse with a short sharp tip with 1 gland located near the base; the pulvinus is less than 2 mm long. Two or sometimes 3 flower clusters stemming from the axil of the leaf, the flower stalks are 4 - 9 mm long, hairy and enclosed by oval shaped leaves 2 mm long, often falling early. Seed heads are sphere shaped with 25 - 35 bright yellow flowers, 6 - 8 mm in diameter. Pods straight with raised over seeds, or straight-sided and irregularly constricted between some seeds, 4 - 9 cm long, 2 - 4 mm wide, papery, smooth; seeds longitudinal; seed stalk thread like.

Location and habitat

Distribution
 Found to the east of Dubbo in the Mudgee Ulan - Gulgong area, of the NSW South Western Slopes bioregion, with some occurrences in the adjoining bioregions of Brigalow Belt South and the Sydney Basin. Also recorded in Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve in 1963 and in Victoria.

• A. ausfeldii is mostly found on flat sandy ground in remnant roadside patches of eucalypt woodland.
• Established plants are likely to be killed by fire, as mature and juvenile plants have a single-stemmed growth form.
• Associated species include Eucalyptus albens, E. blakelyi and Callitris spp., with an understorey dominated by Cassinia spp. and grasses.
• A. ausfeldii is likely to have a dormant soil seedbank from which germination is stimulated by fire, however a small fraction of seeds have been observed to germinate in the absence of fire.
• Flowers from August to October.

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.

• Central West
• Hunter/Central Rivers

Threats

• Roadside disturbance is a major threat, with half of the remaining populations located within an agricultural landscape on road verges.
• Weed invasion, grazing and small-scale clearing resulting in population decline.
• Population viability within conservation reserves, state forests and leasehold lands may be affected by adverse grazing regimes or adverse fire regimes.

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 1 priority actions to help recover the Ausfeld's Wattle in New South Wales.

What needs to be done to recover this species?

• Protect populations present in conservation reserves, state forests and leasehold lands from adverse grazing regimes or adverse fire regimes.
• Reduce road side disturbance and protect from weed invasion, grazing and small scale clearing.
• Consider installing bollards or fences to protect plants from disturbance.

References

• Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of NSW Revised Edition Volume 2. UNSW, Sydney.
• Thackway R, Creswell ID (1995) An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia: a framework for setting priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program. Version 4.0. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.