| Snowy River westringia | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
 Vulnerable (EPBC Act) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Westringia |
| Species: | W. cremnophila |
| Binomial name | |
| Westringia cremnophila N.A.Wakef. | |
Westringia cremnophila, commonly known as Snowy River westringia, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, a rare shrub that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It is a small shrub with leaves mostly in groups of three and white flowers.
Description
Westringia cremnophila is a shrub to 0.1–0.5 m (3.9 in – 1 ft 7.7 in) high, much-branched and thickly covered with slightly flattened white hairs, and found growing out of steep cliffs. The leaves are arranged in whorls mostly in groups of three, oblong or almost linear shaped, 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide, thickly hairy when young, becoming smooth, margins distinctly rolled under, apex rounded occasionally sharply points and on a petiole 0.4–1 mm (0.016–0.039 in) long. The flowers are in racemes, the corolla about 10 mm (0.39 in) long, white with a mauve tinge and yellow-brown spotted throats. The calyx tube 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long, lobes about 2 mm (0.079 in) long and up to 1 mm (0.039 in) wide and the outer surface thickly covered with white hairs. Flowering occurs in spring.
Taxonomy and naming
Westringia cremnophila was first formally described in 1957 by botanist Norman Wakefield and the description was published in The Victorian Naturalist based on a type specimen collected from "Porphory cliffs above Snowy River, east of Butchers Ridge". The specific epithet (cremnophila) is in reference to its "habitat".
Distribution and habitat
Snowy river westringia is restricted to Tulloch Ard Gorge in the Snowy River National Park in East Gippsland, where it grows on cliff faces above the Snowy River with a north to north-east aspect. Associated plant species include shrubby platysace (Platysace lanceolata), violet daisy-bush (Olearia iodochroa), digger's speedwell (Veronica perfoliata), common fringe-myrtle (Calytrix tetragona) and tall baeckea (Sannantha pluriflora).
Conservation status and measures
As of April 2022 Westringia cremnophila is listed as "vulnerable" under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
After previously being listed as "vulnerable" (as of 2014) on the Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria and under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic.), Westringia cremnophila is since October 2021 and as of April 2022 listed as "Endangered" .
Due to the species' restricted habitat in difficult terrain, plants have proved difficult to find over the years, but in 2011 about 500 plants were located. Only around 60 individuals (12%) of the former population of 500 plants remained after the 2019–2020 bushfires. Plants have been propagated and established at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne as an insurance population.
References
- "Westringia cremnophila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- "Westringia cremnophila". VICFLORA-Flora of Victoria. Royal Botanic Garden Victoria. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ Carter, Oberon; Neville Walsh (2006). "National National Recovery Plan for the Snowy River WestringiaWestringia cremnophila" (PDF). Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria). Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- "Westringia cremnophila". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- Wakefield, Norman (1957). "Westringia cremnophila". The Victorian Naturalist. 73 (11): 186. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 172. ISBN 9780958034180.
- "Westringia cremnophila - Snowy River Westringia". Species Profile and Threats Database. SPRAT Profile. Australian Government. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- Advisory list of rare or threatened plants in Victoria - 2014 (PDF). Victorian Government. Department of Environment and Primary Industries. 2014. ISBN 978-1-74146-313-2.
- "Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act Threatened List". Department of Environment, Water and Planning. Victorian Government. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 - Threatened List October 2021
- "Living on the Edge! - Rare plant continues to hang on". 28 December 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- "SWIFFT Seminar notes 29 July 2021, Royal Botanic Gardens". SWIFFT. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2022.