Carex archeri (a herb) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the herb Carex archeri Boott as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Carex archeri Boott (family Cyperaceae) is a perennial herb. The following description is taken in full from Wilson in Harden, G.J. (ed.) (1993)  Flora of NSW Vol.4. UNSW Press, Sydney. Rhizome long; shoots + loosely tufted. Culms slender, terete, smooth, 3-25 cm long, c. 0.5 mm diam. Leaves usually shorter than culms; blade to 0.5 mm wide. Inflorescence erect, c. 0.5 cm long, with 1 few-flowered spike; lowest involucral bract exceeding inflorescence. Spike androgynous (very short male portion). Glumes obtuse to acute, red-brown with narrow hyaline margins; female glumes 2.5-4 mm long. Utricles ellipsoid to ovoid, + falcate, nerveless or faintly nerved, 3-5 mm long, c. 1 mm diam., glabrous or minutely hispid on upper margins, red-brown to dark red-brown; beak 1.3-2.5 mm long, with apex notched. Style 3-fid. Nut narrow-ellipsoid.

2. Carex archeri occurs in the headwaters of streams within the alpine zone of the Kosciuszko area of the southern tablelands of NSW, and in Victoria and Tasmania (Wilson in Harden 1993). Plant specimens attributable to  Carex archeri in NSW, have been collected from 1 location in 1951 and a second location in 1980, both within Kosciuszko National Park. One of these specimens could represent an undescribed species that is closely related to  Carex archeri.

3. The population size of Carex archeri is unknown, however the species is thought to be generally rare or extremely localised in NSW. In 2002-03, searches of both locations where  Carex archeri has previously been collected have been unable to relocate the species (K. McDougall, 2003, pers. comm.).

4. Feral horse grazing and trampling threatens one of the locations of Carex archeri habitat. Peat fires that destroy rootstocks and soil seedbanks may also threaten the species.

5. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Carex archeri Boott is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Associate Professor Paul Adam
Chairperson
Scientific Committee

Proposed Gazettal date: 02/04/04
Exhibition period: 02/04/04 - 14/05/04

Reference: 

Harden GJ (ed.) (1993) Flora of NSW Vol.4. NSW University Press, Sydney.