New plant found in Perth

Plant species discovery Perth's most significant in six years

A NEW plant species has been discovered by West Australian scientists in the Perth suburb of Kenwick.


Described as the most significant botanical find in the Perth metropolitan area since 2005, Ptilotus christineae was discovered late last year by botanical consultant Cate Tauss while working on behalf of the V&C Semeniuk Research Group.

Western Australian Herbarium director Dr Kevin Thiele says the species is one of the rarest in its genus.

“It’s currently known from only one locality and differs from other species in details of its habitat and flowers,” he says

“Most other species of Ptilotus grow in arid parts of WA such as the Pilbara, although there are a number around Perth and the south west.”

Ms Tauss found the new species while surveying a variety of habitats near Kenwick’s Brixton Street wetlands.

“These are important—and now very rare—clay-based wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain and contain a number of rare and localised species,” Dr Thiele says.

“Whenever plant surveys are conducted in WA there’s always a chance of finding something new or rare, so in that sense Cate was on the lookout… But the actual discovery of the new species was serendipity.”

Botanists working at or in association with the WA Herbarium discover and name about 30 to 50 new species of plants, algae and fungi every year.

Dr Thiele says this is one of the highest rates of discovery in the world, highlighting the extraordinary richness of WA’s biodiversity and the expertise of the botanists studying it.

“Perth is built on the Swan Coastal Plain which is a region with extraordinarily high native plant richness in global terms.The region has been relatively well-explored by botanists for more than 200 years but new species still occasionally turn up in the Perth region,” he says.

“Ptilotus christineae is only known from one small population in Kenwick and its area of occupancy is less than 0.2 ha.

“It’s unlikely more populations will be found because most of its wetland habitat has been lost to urban development.”

Ptilotus christineae was named in recognition of scientist Christine Semeniuk’s contribution to the study of wetland environments across the State.

The species faces multiple threats including the immediate threat of illegal off-road vehicle traffic through the bushland every weekend, which Dr Thiele says could be stopped by more adequate fencing.

“Climate change, industrial development and inappropriate water management in the local catchment are probably the most serious threats in the medium and long term,” he says.

Details of the new species have been published in the scientific journal Nuytsia.


http://www.sciencewa.net.au/3782-plant-species-discovery-perths-most-significant-in-six-years.html