The Botany Bay bearded greenhood is a terrestrial orchid growing only in Kamay Botany Bay National Park on the Kurnell Peninsula of New South Wales. This species is found on moist flat sites on sandy soils and in association with coastal heath dominated by Melaleuca nodosa (pricklyleaf paperbark) and Baeckea imbricata (a shrub). The Botany Bay bearded greenhood occurs in small localised populations, often within the heath where the canopy allows filtered light to reach the ground. Flowering typically occurs from August to September. This species is threatened by too frequent fires and long fire intervals as well as by habitat degradation related to unrestricted access.
Botany Bay Bearded Greenhood |
Pterostylis sp. Botany Bay
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Botany Bay Bearded Orchid
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Pterostylis sp. Botany Bay
Threat factor Threat Evidence base type and status Fire Too frequent potential Fires between July and September will destroy the above burning current ground parts of the plant.
The absence of fire or infrequent fires may be a threat to the species as it may alter the habitat of the species at known sites by altering the species composition and the age structure of the vegetation (NPWS 2001).