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Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia 5.1

See the primer on WA’s IBRA regions for further information.

Western Australian Flora Conservation Taxa

Under the Wildlife Conservation Act, the Minister for the Environment may declare species of protected flora to be Rare Flora if they are considered to be in danger of extinction, rare or otherwise in need of special protection. Such species are referred to as Threatened Flora, and receive special management attention.

There are also three categories of Priority Flora defined to cover poorly known species. The categories are arranged to give an indication of the priority for undertaking further surveys based on the number of known sites, and the degree of threat to those populations. A fourth category of priority flora is included for those species that have been adequately surveyed and are considered to be rare but not currently threatened. Special consideration should be given to the management of these species.

Declared Rare Flora - Presumed Extinct: taxa which have not been collected, or otherwise verified, over the past 50 years despite thorough searching, or of which all known wild populations have been destroyed more recently, and have been gazetted as such, following approval by the Minister for the Environment, after recommendation by the State’s Endangered Flora Consultative Committee

Declared Rare Flora - Extant: taxa which have been adequately searched for, and are deemed to be in the wild either rare, in danger of extinction, or otherwise in need of special protection, and have been gazetted as such, following approval by the Minister for the Environment, after recommendation by the State’s Endangered Flora Consultative Committee. ( = Threatened Flora = Endangered + Vulnerable)

Priority One - Poorly Known: taxa which are known from one or a few (generally <5) populations which are under threat, either due to small population size, or being on lands under immediate threat, e.g. road verges, urban areas, farmland, active mineral leases, etc., or the plants are under threat, e.g. from disease, grazing by feral animals, etc. May include taxa with threatened populations on protected lands. Such taxa are under consideration for declaration as ‘rare flora’, but are in urgent need of further survey

Priority Two - Poorly Known: taxa which are known from one or a few (generally <5) populations, at least some of which are not believed to be under immediate threat (i.e. not currently endangered). Such taxa are under consideration for declaration as ‘rare flora’, but are in urgent need of further survey

Priority Three - Poorly Known: taxa which are known from several populations, at least some of which are not believed to be under immediate threat (i.e. not currently endangered). Such taxa are under consideration for declaration as ‘rare flora’, but are in need of further survey

Priority Four - Rare: taxa which are considered to have been adequately surveyed and which, whilst being rare (in Australia), are not currently threatened by any identifiable factors. These taxa require monitoring every 5–10 years