Species profile—Ozothamnus eriocephalus
Classification
Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Asteraceae (sunflower) → Ozothamnus eriocephalus
Sighting data
Species details
- Kingdom
- Plantae (plants)
- Class
- Equisetopsida (land plants)
- Family
- Asteraceae (sunflower)
- Scientific name
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus (J.H.Willis) Anderb.
- WildNet taxon ID
- 8841
- Alternate name(s)
- Eungella hairy daisy
- Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
- Vulnerable
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) status
- Vulnerable
- Conservation significant
- Yes
- Confidential
- No
- Endemicity
- Native
- Pest status
- Nil
- Description
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus is a weakly woody (spindly) shrub growing to approximately 1 m high and extensively branched with fine white hairs forming a mat over the branches. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate, acuminate and both surfaces arachnoid-tomentose. The leaves are dark green on the abaxial surface and pale, with prominent nerves on the adaxial surface. The inflorescences formed as dense sub-hemispherical corymbs at the ends of leafy branches, with a dense webbing of fine hairs. Inflorescence heads consist of 40 florets, which are purple to white in colour. Individual flowers are about 3 mm long with anthers. The cypselas are glabrous (Pollock, 1997).
Ozothamnus eriocephalus may be confused with O. whitei, however O. eriocephalus has smaller inflorescences, larger numbers of florets and the leaves of both surfaces are tomentose (Burbidge, 1958). - Map
- View Map
- Distribution
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus is an endemic to Queensland and is known from the Bowen and Mackay area of central Queensland. The species occurs at Pease Lookout and Dick's Tableland in the Eungella National Park, Sydney Heads in Homevale NP, Finch Hatton Gorge, Lake Elphinstone, Mt Abbott (two small populations), Gloucester Island and Redcliffe vale (Pollock, 1997; DSEWPC, 2008; Queensland Herbarium, 2011).
- Distributional limits
- -19.9734439, 147.7343639
-21.581772, 148.6427554 - Range derivation
- Range derived from extent of the taxon's verified records
- Habitat
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus is known from a range of habitat types, including the margins of notophyll vine forest, margins of gallery forest, microphyll vine forest, tall open Eucalyptus andrewsii. E. resinifera forest with an understorey of Allocasuarina littoralis; tall open forest with E. drepanophylla, E. acmenoides, C. intermedia and C. citriodora; in open eucalypt forest and on rocky ridges within Eucalyptus spp. - Acacia spp. scrub. It is also known from the edge of creek banks, crevices on steep granite slopes, often in sunny situations. O. eriocephalus grows from moderate to high elevations ranging from 380 to 950 m. It occurs on skeletal sandy or gravelly soils or occasionally deeper red-brown clay loams derived from granites and sandstones (Pollock, 1997; DSEWPC, 2008; Queensland Herbarium, 2011).
- Reproduction
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus is known to flower in March, May and from July to September. Fruits have been recorded in March and July (Pollock, 1997; Queensland Herbarium, 2011).
- Threatening processes
- Possible threats to Ozothamnus eriocephalus include overgrazing (especially near cattle camps beside watering points and molasses troughs) and weed invasion, particularly species such as molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora) and guinea grass (Panicum maximum). Other weeds threatening O. eriocephalus may include blue-top (Ageratum conyzoides) and lantana (Lantana camara). Other threats include inappropriate timber harvesting and inappropriate fire regimes (Pollock, 1997; DSEWPC, 2008).
- Status notes
- Ozothamnus eriocephalus is listed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act (DSEWPC, 2008).). The species is also listed as Vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.
- Management recommendations
- Pollock (1997) outlines a number of management actions for the protection of O. eriocephalus and its habitat. These include: monitoring the impact of grazing and adjusting accordingly to limit adverse impacts; control or eradicate weeds such as lantana, guinea grass, molasses grass, cobbler's peg (Bidens pilosa) and blue-top (Ageratum conyzoides) on sites where O. eriocephalus occurs; minimise the risk of hotfires on sites where O. eriocephalus occurs and establish a protective buffer (at least 0.25 ha) that excludes clearing and timber harvesting in habitat of O. eriocephalus (Pollock, 1997).
- Notes
- Occurs in the following Queensland pastoral districts: Leichhardt, North Kennedy, South Kennedy (Bostock and Holland, 2010).
- References
- Burbidge, N.T. (1958). A monographic study of Helichrysum subgenus. Ozothamnus (Compositae) and of two related genera formerly included therein. Australian Journal of Botany 6 (3): 229-284.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC) (2008). Ozothamnus eriocephalus in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra.
Pollock, A.B. (1997). Ozothamnus eriocephalus Species Management Profile. Department of Natural Resources, Brisbane.
Queensland Herbarium (2011). Specimen label information. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 21/07/2011.
Willis, J.H. (1952). Notes on some Australian Compositae. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 62 (11): 101-102. - Profile author
- Lynise Wearne (09/12/2011)
Other resources
- Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)
- The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH)
- Atlas of Living Australia
Data source
This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=8841.
This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
