The mountain poranthera is a spreading, perennial herb found only in a high altitude subalpine karst community in Tasmania. Within its alpine karst environment the mountain poranthera is associated with cracks and crevices in exposed dolomite outcrops within low shrubberies, or with overhanging rocks and the mossy, shaded walls of sinkholes. This species is known to occur along the North East Ridge of Mount Anne within the South West National Park. Surveys in January 2005 recorded approximately 2000 patches from 15 locations at the Mt Anne site. Each patch may contain one or many plants. In 2011 mountain poranthera was recorded in the Gomorrah area, approximately 1.6 km from the Mt Anne site, representing new sites for the species, with a total of about 80 discrete patches. The species can reproduce vegetatively via runners rooting at the nodes, but otherwise little is known of its reproductive biology. It is likely that mountain poranthera is a fire-sensitive species, being part of a fire sensitive vegetation community which evolved in a high altitude environment that is relatively free from fire.
Mountain Poranthera |
Poranthera petalifera
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Poranthera petalifera
The main factors that are the cause of the species being eligible for listing in the Vulnerable category are that the area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 2000 km2 the species is known from fewer than 10 locations there is a continuing decline projected in the area; extent and or quality of habitat and a projected continuing decline from trampling; fire risk and climate change.
Given that climate change is the key threat for this species; it follows that action supporting the mitigation of the human influence on the warming climate system must therefore be a key conservation action.
It is likely that mountain poranthera is a fire sensitive species; having evolved in a high altitude environment that is relatively free from fire (Gilfedder 1989).
Threat factor Threat type and Evidence base status Fire Presence in Current Wildfire poses the greatest risk to mountain fire sensitive poranthera.
It is likely that mountain poranthera is a vegetation fire sensitive species; being part of a fire sensitive vegetation community which evolved in a high altitude environment that is relatively free from fire (Gilfedder 1989; TSS 2006).
Fire from the north west poses the greatest risk to the fire sensitive vegetation on North East Ridge.
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