Summary
Scaevola albida (pale fanflower) is a cushion-forming herb that spreads vegetatively by root suckers. Pale fanflower occurs in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. In Tasmania the species is known from a few sites on Flinders Island and a single site on the northwest coast near Temma. The habitat of pale fanflower in Tasmania includes near-coastal scrubs, woodlands and grasslands, usually on calcareous sands, and it has also been observed colonising road margins. The species responds positively to disturbance, including fire, slashing or physical disturbance. It is likely to have a long-lived soil-stored seedbank. Threats to pale fanflower include land clearance, dune destabilisation, weed invasion, inappropriate roadside maintenance, a lack of disturbance and stochastic events.
Key Points
- Important: Is this species in your area? Do you need a permit? Ensure you’ve covered all the issues by checking the Planning Ahead page.
- Important: Different threatened species may have different requirements. For any activity you are considering, read the Activity Advice pages for background information and important advice about managing around the needs of multiple threatened species.
ActivityGeneral
Habitat
- ‘Habitat’ refers to both known habitat for the species (i.e. in or near habitat where the species has been recorded) and potential habitat (i.e. areas of habitat with appropriate characteristics for the species and within the species' potential range which have not yet been adequately surveyed).
- If in doubt about whether a site represents potential habitat for this species, contact the Threatened Species Section for further advice.
- The known range of pale fanflower includes several sites on Flinders Island and a single site on the northwest coast near Temma (see distribution map, above). The potential range of pale fanflower on Flinders Island is roughly delineated by areas of Quaternary sands with limestone deposits, in the Marshall Bay land system. The potential range of pale fanflower in north-western Tasmania is is roughly delineated by areas of Quaternary sands with limestone deposits in the Temma land system.
- Habitat for pale fanflower includes the following elements: coastal scrubs, woodlands and grasslands, usually on calcareous sands, and it has also been observed colonising road margins; the elevation of known sites is 10 to 30 m above sea level, and the annual rainfall is about 500 to 700 mm.
What to avoid
Clearance of habitat (e.g. for agriculture and housing)
Weed invasion of roadside localities
Damage to coastal dune habitat by off-road vehicles
Surveying
ActivitySurveying
Key |
Survey reliability more info |
M |
Best time to survey |
M |
Potential time to survey |
M |
Poor time to survey |
M |
Non-survey period |
To ensure you follow the law - check whether your survey requires a permit. Always report any new records to the Natural Values Atlas, or send the information direct to the Threatened Species Section. Refer to the Activity Advice: Surveying page for background information.
Species |
Spring |
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
pale fanflower |
S |
S |
O |
O |
N |
N |
D |
D |
J |
J |
F |
F |
M |
M |
A |
A |
M |
M |
J |
J |
J |
J |
A |
A |
Pale fanflower is most readily detected during its flowering season, November to January. Flowers are required for the identification of the species.
Helping the species
ActivityConservation
- Learn to identify pale fanflower so as to recognise the species if it occurs on your property. If in doubt about what it is, seek expert assistance with identification.
- If you live or work in the area where the species occurs (see distribution map, above), look out for and record any observations of the species. All records of this species can provide important information on distribution and abundance.
- If you are interested in knowing for certain whether the species occurs on your land, organise a formal survey. You may need to employ an ecological consultant to do this. Your local Bushcare or Field Naturalist club may be able to assist you with a survey.
- Always report any observations of the species to the NRE Natural Values Atlas, or else provide the data direct to the Threatened Species Section. Records stored on the NVA are a permanent record and are accessible to other people interested in this species.
- Consider the needs of the whole habitat. Preserving a threatened species' habitat is a very important way to manage both the species and the environment in which it lives.
- For long-term protection of populations on private land – consider protection of habitat through a vegetation management agreement or conservation covenant.
- See the 'What is Needed' section in the pale fanflower Listing Statement for a full list of conservation management actions for this species.
Cutting or clearing trees or vegetation
ActivityCutting
- Habitat for pale fanflower on Flinders Island occurs primarily on private land, and the species is at risk from vegetation clearance (e.g. for agriculture or housing).
- To prevent loss of habitat - do not clear coastal scrub, woodlands and grassland habitat for this species.
- Pale fanflower responds positively to disturbance including slashing of roadside habitat, and the prolonged absence of disturbance in areas supporting native vegetation may be detrimental to the species.
- To maintain habitat for this species - conduct slashing operations in roadside habitat at an appropriate level for pale fanflower. Contact the Threatened Species Section for more information on appropriate levels of slashing for this species.
Road maintenance
- Roadside localities of this species may be vulnerable to damage during roadside maintenance activities.
- To prevent removal of habitat and loss of plants - avoid physical damage to habitat and removal of plants during scraping of roadside margins during road maintenance activities.
Burning
ActivityBurning
- Pale fanflower responds positively to disturbance including fire, and the prolonged absence of fire in areas supporting native vegetation may be detrimental to the species.
- To maintain habitat for this species - conduct controlled burning operations in roadside habitat at an appropriate level for pale fanflower. Contact the Threatened Species Section for more information on appropriate levels of burning for this species.
Changing water flow / quality
Use of chemicals
ActivityChemicals
- Localities of this species on road margins are at some risk from weed invasion, as well as off-target damage during the application of herbicides to treat roadside weed infestations.
- To prevent impacts on this species - avoid off-target herbicide damage to pale fanflower during weed-control operations.
Recreation
ActivityRecreation
- The species’ coastal dune habitat near Temma is sensitive to physical disturbance, especially from off-road vehicles. There are a number of active blow-outs in the area and recorded sites have already been enveloped by expanding blows.
- To protect dune habitat for this species - avoid off-road vehicle activity in areas of dune habitat.
Check also for listing statement or notesheet pdf above (below the species image).
FurtherInformation