Rare Breed Dogs, Rare breed Turkeys and now Rare Breed Plants.

Two endangered plant species are found on our property – the first Phebaliun Bifidum is sited on our property and on the adjoining roadside verge.
Phebalium bifidum (a shrub) - endangered species listing

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the shrub Phebalium bifidum P.H. Weston & M Turton 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.
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. Phebalium bifidum is a recently discovered species, first collected in 1998. It has recently been described by Weston and Turton (2004) as "erect shrubs 0.2–1.5 m high. Branchlets erect to spreading, terete, densely covered in glossy, scale-like compound trichomes, which vary in colour when young from cream with a scattering of ferruginous scales to uniformly ferruginous, discolouring to matt grey with age; oil glands not raised, covered by scales. Leaves of sexually immature shoots ('juvenile leaves') at first cuneate, with a slightly emarginate apex, successive leaves developing a distinctly bilobed apex, the largest leaves reaching 16 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, with an apical sinus 1 mm deep, densely lepidote on abaxial surface. Leaves of sexually mature shoots ('adult leaves') spreading to erect, shortly petiolate, Y-shaped, bilobed, 3.5–14 mm long; petiole 0.3–1.0 mm long, densely covered in scales; adaxial surface of lamina dark green when fresh, fading to olive or greyish green when dried, with distinctly impressed midvein, with oil glands protruding slightly above surrounding epidermis, sparsely to moderately covered in scales when young, glabrescent with age; margins entire, revolute; abaxial surface of lamina densely covered in glossy cream scales and a scattering of ferruginous scales when young, the scales discolouring to grey with age, the midvein protruding slightly to prominently; basal part of lamina (proximal to the lobes) narrow-oblong to narrow-cuneate, 2–10 mm long, 1–1.8 mm wide, 0.5–0.85 the length of the whole lamina; lamina lobes oblong or tapering slightly to a truncate to obtuse tip, straight or laterally incurved, 0.5–3.0 mm long, 0.6–1.2 mm wide, diverging from each other at an angle of 25–90º; sinus between lobes v-shaped to u-shaped, 0.5–2.5 mm deep, 0.5–3.5 mm wide. Inflorescences umbelliform, sessile or rarely shortly pedunculate, terminal or rarely axillary, 2–11- flowered. Pedicels c. 0.4–0.5 mm thick at base, c. 0.7–0.8 mm thick at apex, 2.5–7.5 mm long, densely covered in glossy cream scales and usually a few scattered ferruginous scales. Mature bud broadly obovoid, c. 2.5 mm long, c. 2.0 mm wide. Calyx cupulate, 0.9–1.6 mm long, 2.0–2.5 mm wide, smooth or verrucose with slightly protruding oil glands, densely lepidote with scales grading in colour from predominantly cream at the base to ferruginous at the upper margin, truncate to obtusely lobed. Petals 5, spreading, ±elliptical, 3.0–3.5 mm long, 1.4–1.8 mm wide, cream to bright lemon yellow on adaxial surface, densely lepidote on abaxial surface with glossy cream scales in the basal half and ferruginous scales in the apical half. Stamens divergently and symmetrically spreading, cream to bright lemon yellow; staminal filaments filiform, 5.0–5.5 mm long, c. 0.1 mm thick; anthers elliptical, glandular-apiculate, 0.6–1.2 mm long. Ovary subspherical, 0.9–1.1 mm high, densely covered in shiny, colourless, semi- transparent scales; style glabrous, ± equal to stamens, cream to bright lemon yellow. Fruits and seeds not known."
It has previously been known as Phebalium sp. 'Capertee' (NSW 481881).
2. Phebalium bifidum is found in the Capertee Valley, SE of Kandos in the South Eastern Highlands bioregion in NSW (Thackway and Creswell 1995). There are only two known populations, located c.3 km apart. These occur in dry sclerophyll woodland or heath on structured loam soil (Weston and Turton 2004).
3. There are approximately 230 plants known from two populations. One population comprises fewer than 10 plants on a roadside verge. The second population, which contains at least 90 per cent of all known plants, is located on private land in a moderately disturbed rural area. Phebalium bifidum is not known from any conservation reserve.
4. Phebalium bifidum is threatened with clearing and habitat fragmentation, and road maintenance activities. It is at risk of extinction from stochastic processes due to its very highly restricted distribution and very low population numbers.
5. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Phebalium bifidum P.H. Weston & M Turton 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.
Dr Lesley Hughes
Chairperson
Scientific Committee

The Grevillea obtusiflora is located in several locations within our area but the largest population is on our property.

Grevillea obtusiflora subsp. Fecunda

Number of Grevillea obtusiflora subsp. fecunda plants: approximately 500 plants
Size of the habitat: 600m x 200m
General description: This is the largest site of Grevillea obtusiflora subsp. fecunda,
and there is a high priority to keep this site intact and undisturbed.

Both have increased in numbers since our purchase of this land in 2003 and could in part be due to our Siamese Cats who have eliminated rabbits in the area they grow in. So whilst not a rare breed our Siamese are protecting a rare plant.

OUR OTHER ANIMALS

Siamese cats have played a role in our lives for many years. Nancys first encounter with them was way back in the 70’s when living on a 2000 acre property, which already had “farm” cats on moving in. Not being a great cat lover, when the last one died of old age replacements weren’t sought until field mice took over the house and pantry as well as the outside feed sheds.
So having discovered that cats were necessary Nancy purchased two of a breed that were nice to look at and could be trained in a manner similar to dogs.
And what cats they were – Mice, rats, rabbits, snakes and even ducks off the dams were a regular repast for them. Even a 6 foot snake was no match.
Hence Siamese continue in our lives.
Harpo and Groucho are our current “shed” cats and it is a rare event to see a mouse with them around. They have also eliminated all rabbits within of 500metre radius of the house and sheds. Although they sleep and eat in the “shed” they deign to visit the house usually once a fortnight – create havock and depart again to their duties.

We now have two breeds of Heritage Turkeys – Royal Palms which are black and white and Narrangasetts. A few guinea fowl make up the numbers. Both Turkeys and Guinea fowl are experts at eating insects, can be trained for weed control and make lovely farmyard noises.

A Maremma Sheepdog is also part of the team. Neapolitan Mastiffs are not good at keeping predators away as they consider it their duty to look after humans not animals. Blanco our Maremma killed his first fox at 7 months of age and we haven’t lost any poultry since he arrived. He gets on very well with all the Neapolitan Mastiffs, both male and female but is not so friendly with the cats.