Bertya opponens is a slender shrub that grows to 4 m tall. It may be multi-stemmed or have a single trunk. The branches and stems are densely covered with intertwined hairs. The thick leaves are smooth and dark green above and covered in velvety hairs below. The leaves are 10 to 80 mm long and 5 to 25 mm wide. The yellow-brown flowers appear during July and August in NSW, but in Queensland, flowering has been recorded in January, March and between June and November.
Bertya opponens |
Bertya opponens
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Bertya opponens
Threat factor Threat type Evidence base and status Fire and mechanical disturbance Non fire Potential In the absence of fire; some disturbance regimes may disturbance encourage germination and benefit the species (NSW frequency NPWS; 2002).
Fire Potential Bertya opponens is a fire sensitive species (killed by fire) that frequency regenerates from seed (obligate seeder) (NSW SC; 2009a). and intensity Site population health and abundance may decline with too frequent fire (less than 3 years; OEH; 2014a) that does not allow plants to sexually mature (and replenish the seed bank).