Summer and autumn are not seasons synonymous with show-stopping wildflower displays. However, it is from December to April that the endangered daisy, the button wrinklewort, shows its true colours.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Button wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides) is listed as endangered in NSW. It is a multi-stemmed yellow daisy growing up to 30 cm tall, is perennial and holds on to the old stems long after they have died back. One flower head occurs on each stem and each flower head is made up of many smaller flowers.
In NSW it is restricted to a small number of scattered populations from Goulburn to Bredbo. Around half of the populations contain less than 100 plants. Some of the most immediate threats to the species are physical disturbance of sites, urban development and weed invasion with the loss of genetic diversity due to small population sizes posing a longer term threat to the survival of the species.
You are most likely to find this species growing in undisturbed grasslands and open woodlands such as yellow box – Blakely’s red gum grassy woodland. This habitat is also endangered, and has decreased to less than 0.5% of its natural extent. The largest populations can be found in Travelling Stock Reserves, rail and road easements and nature reserves, however there are also smaller populations on private property. These populations are important for the conservation of the species as they are likely to contribute different genetics than the larger populations.
What does it mean to have a threatened species on your property? It means that you are providing habitat that supports some of our most vulnerable and sensitive species. Through your land management decisions you are making a valuable contribution to maintaining the diversity of our native plants and animals - which is a great achievement indeed.
If you are considering clearing native vegetation on your property, would like more information about threatened species in your area, or would like assistance managing your native vegetation, please contact Laura Canackle at South East Local Land Services on 02 6118 7708 or email laura.canackle@lls.nsw.gov.au.