Three Springs Daviesia (Daviesia bursarioides) is listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and Critically Endangered under the WA Wildlife Conservation Act 1950.
Daviesia bursarioides is a branching shrub that grows to two metres tall, with blue-green spine-tipped branches. The leaves are distinctive among Daviesias as they are scattered, small and obovate in shape, narrowing to the base. The flowers appear between July and September and are grouped in 3-8 flowered racemes on a long stem to 35mm. They are small and typically pea-shaped. Each flower has an upper standard petal 7x9mm, yellow in colour and maroon towards the base. The wing petals are 6x3mm and deep pink, while the keel is 5x2mm and maroon in colour.
Daviesia bursarioides is endemic to the Three Springs area, and is known from approximately 120 plants in six populations over a range of about 15 k ilometres. Populations occur on road reserves, private property and a Nature Reserve. Daviesia bursarioides is found in open shrub mallee habitat dominated by Eucalyptus gittinsii and Allocasuarina campestris, with a range of Acacia, Dryandra, Hakea, and Grevillea species. Typically, the soils are shallow brown sandy loams, with extensive lateritic gravel.
The main threats to Daviesia bursarioides are edge effects, degraded habitat, road, fence and firebreak maintenance, weed invasion, competition due to shading, inappropriate disturbance regimes, and disease.
Information Source: Government of Australia, Department of Environment and Energy and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Three Springs Daviesia (Daviesia Bursarioides) Interim Recovery Plan 2004-2009, and Florabase.
