The purple-leaf muttonwood is a small, evergreen tree or shrub that grows to 5 metres high and occurs in north-east NSW in tall open sclerophyll forest with a rainforest subcanopy, swamp sclerophyll open forest and on the margins of subtropical rainforest. Three populations within the Richmond River and Clarence River catchments are known. Estimating the number of mature individuals is difficult as plants occur in clusters with many of the stems being suckers from the lateral roots of a parent plant. Approximately 400 plants are known over three populations. Collections from seven locations have not been relocated.
Purple-leaf Muttonwood |
Myrsine richmondensis
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Lismore Muttonwood
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Myrsine richmondensis
Threats Known threats Loss and fragmentation of habitat through clearing and development; weed invasion and competition (weeds identified as threatening the ripple leaf muttonwood include o Protoasparagus africanus (asparagus fern) o Solanum seaforthianum (climbing nightshade) o Passiflora suberosa (corky passionfruit) o Glycine sp. o Ligustrum sinense (small leaved privet) o Lantana camara (lantana) o Andredera cordifolia (madeira vine) o Ageratina riparia (mistweed) and o Tradescantia fluminensis (tradescantia) inappropriate fire regimes; damage from roadside maintenance (e.g. herbicide spraying or drainage works) (NSW DEC; 2004).