Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
(
click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Crotalaria cunninghamii
Profile last updated:
03 Jan 2019
Description
Perennial shrub or subshrub, 1-2 m high, with stout velvety stems. Leaves large, soft and woolly on both surfaces. Flowers large and showy, clustered, yellowish green and streaked with purple, pea-like, resembling birds attached by the beak to the central stalk of the flowerhead. Pods club-shaped, swollen, hard and velvety.
Distribution
Recorded only from the Milparinka and Hungerford districts in the NSW far north-western plains, where it is quite rare. Also distributed in Qld, the NT, SA and WA.
Habitat and ecology
- Green Bird Flower is usually found in Mulga communities or on unstable sand dunes, particularly on the dune crests.
- Other habitats throughout its range include stabilised red sand dunes and ridges with deep soils, stony hills, sand in rock crevices, seaside dunes with spinifex, a disturbed vine thicket, river banks in heavy loam soil, dry sandy creek beds and riparian woodland.
- Flowers irregularly, and flowering time is probably rainfall-related. In western NSW it flowers from winter to spring and sometimes in autumn.
- Seedlings have been observed in some interstate populations, as well as regrowth from dead plants.
- Plant abundance at sites ranges from rare and infrequent to very common and abundant. Heavy growth was reported at one site
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Habitat degradation (sites with deep sandy soils are susceptible to erosion by rabbits).
- Grazing (possibly by stock in some areas but may not be a threat; grazed by goats in central Australia).
Recovery strategies
A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click
here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click
here
Activities to assist this species
- Protection of populations from rabbits.
- Monitoring of grazing impacts on plants.
- Survey for new populations
Information sources
- Bentham, G. (1863) Flora Australiensis. Volume 2 (1864). (Reeve, London)
- Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
- Gardner, C. and Harden, G.J. (2002) Crotalaria. Pp 497-503 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2. Revised Edition (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)
- Hooker, W.J. (1852) Crotalaria cunninghamii R. Br. Icones Plantarum 5: t. 829.
- Jessop, J.P. (1981) Flora of Central Australia. (Australian Systematic Botany Society, Sydney)
- Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (eds.) (1986) Flora of South Australia. Part ll. (South Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide)
- Porteners, M. and Robertson, G. (2003) Threatened Plants in Western New South Wales: Information Review. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
- Pressey, R.L., Cohn, J.S. and Porter, J.L. (1990) Vascular plants with restricted distributions in the Western Division of New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 112: 213-227
- Sturt, C. (1849) Expedition into Central Australia 2 (Jan.-Feb. 1849) Bot. App. 71.
- Wheeler, J.R. (ed.) (1992) Flora of the Kimberley Region. (Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth)
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