Coochin Hills grevillea
Scientific name: Grevillea hodgei Olde & Marriott
Family: Proteaceae
Status: Critically Endangered
Description
The Coochin Hills grevillea is an erect shrub with deeply divided leaves with erect, linear leaflets, and clusters of hairy, cream-coloured flowers.
Habitat and distribution
Three subpopulations occur on two hills surrounded by urbanised areas near Beerwah in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Two subpopulations occur in the Glass House Mountains National Park.
It occurs on mid-upper slopes in shrubby woodland where the trachyte soil meets the underlying sandstone layer in well-drained, skeletal, sandy loam soils amongst exposed trachyte rock outcrops. It is commonly associated with black sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis), swamp mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens), brown bloodwood (Corymbia trachyphloia) and a grasstree (Xanthorrhoea latifolia).
Life history and behaviour
Flowering occurs all year but peaks in March and October. Flowers provide an abundant food source for nectivorous birds and arboreal mammals, which pollinate the species. Grevillea hodgei is thought to be killed by fire and regenerate from seed after this disturbance but can also germinate after mechanical disturbance as observed on Rupari Hill.
Generation length is unknown, however individuals can live for at least 10 years and possibly much longer. Many plants have also been observed resprouting from the base.
Threatening processes
The following threats have contributed to the decline of the Coochin Hills grevillea.
- There is evidence of hybridisation occurring with a garden escapee G. banksii on the eastern peak of Mt Coochin, where both species and intermediates are found. Given the proximity of all subpopulations to urban areas, hybridisation is considered a potential future threat to all subpopulations.
- Inappropriate fire regimes, it is thought to be killed by hot fire and regenerate from seed. Appropriate fire regimes to ensure long-term persistence are unknown.
- Invasive weeds such as ochna and lantana.
Recovery actions
A Recovery Action Plan is expected to be finalised and published in early in 2023.
Existing conservation measures
No previous Recovery Plans exist for this species, however a Conservation Advice was adopted, effective from 2019. Where it occurs on a national park, it is being actively managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Related information
- Threatened Species Scientific Committee (2021). Conservation Advice Grevillea hodgei, Coochin Hills Grevillea. Canberra: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
- Makinson, R. O. Grevillea, Flora of Australia, 17A: 1–460 (2000).
- Silcock, J., Collingwood, T., Llorens, T., Fensham R. 2021. Action Plan for Australia's Imperilled Plants. NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Brisbane.