Coastal Fontainea is a shrub or small tree that grows 8-10 m high, sometimes with separate stems from the base. The multi-stemmed structure is possibly a coping response to disturbance or stress. The leaves are spirally arranged up the stem, 8-12 cm long, dark green, smooth and shiny above, and paler and slightly glossy below. There are two small oval glands raised 0.5-4 mm from the leaf base. The petioles are 1-2 cm long and swollen at the junction with the leaf base.
Coastal Fontainea |
Fontainea oraria
Status: Critically Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Fontainea oraria
Implement fire regime appropriate for the habitat of the species and ensure not all individuals are exposed to fire on a single event. o The translocation program will also mitigate the risk of all Fontainea oraria being affected by a fire.
Clearing of native vegetation ; Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and creepers ; Invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses ; Invasion and establishment of Lantana (Lantana camara L. sens. lat) and High frequency fire resulting in disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals and loss of vegetation structure and composition are listed as a Key Threatening Processes under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. 9.