Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287:reg:3:p228
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 228/276)
Character Range: 836120–839552

2021. Unpublished data.
de Lange PJ & Murray BG (2003) Chromosome numbers of Norfolk Island endemic plants. Australian Journal of Botany 51, 211–215.
Director of National Parks (2010) Norfolk Island Region Threatened Species Recovery Plan. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.
Gardner RO & de Lange PJ (2002) Revision of Pennantia (Icacinaceae), a small isolated genus. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 32, 669–695.
Invasive Species Council & TierraMar (2021) The Native Plant Communities of Norfolk Island. Invasive Species Council, Katoomba, NSW.
Mills K (2012b) The Flora of Norfolk Island. Report 14. The Endangered Plants in the national park: Field Survey and Review. Kevin Mills & Associates, Jamberoo, NSW.
Orchard A (ed) (1994) Flora of Australia. Vol. 49. Oceanic Islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
TSSC (Threatened Species Scientific Committee) (2003c) Commonwealth Listing Advice for Norfolk Island Flora – 16 Endangered Species.

Phreatia limenophylax—Norfolk Island phreatia
Family ORCHIDACEAE

Conservation significance
Endemic to Norfolk Island.
EPBC Act Listing Status: Critically Endangered.

Description
A small, tufted, epiphytic orchid growing to 3-6 cm high with a long inflorescence of many tiny greenish-white flowers.

Distribution and abundance
The species has been recorded from Anson Bay (Orchard 1994) but likely only remains within the Mt Pitt section of Norfolk Island National Park. The total number of mature Phreatia limenophylax plants in 2003 was five (TSSC 2003a). The species was not found during a 2007 study of epiphytes on Norfolk Island by Mills (2007e).
The distribution is shown in Map 53.

Ecology
Little known.

Habitat
Grows on the branches of trees in the Mt Pitt section of the national park, within moist palm valley forest.

Threats
Threats to the species include small population size and subsequent increased risk of extinction through natural events such as cyclones, slips and drought, and climate change.

Impact on other species
Grows on the branches of trees.
Map 53 Distribution of Phreatia limenophylax
Green outlines indicate reserves within which the species occurs. Green shading shows plant communities within which the species may occur (Christian & Mills 2021).

Risk assessment
Risk assessment undertaken for all threatened orchids as a grouping. The risk assessment is shown in Table 123.
Table 123 Risk assessment for all threatened orchids as a grouping
Risk                                                                                                               Likelihood of exposure    Consequence  Threat rating
1. Loss and fragmentation of native vegetation through past land clearing                                          Almost certain (91–100%)  Minor        Medium
2. Loss and fragmentation of native vegetation through current or future land clearing                             Rare (0–10%)              Moderate     Negligible
3. Degradation of native vegetation through past grazing or loss of nutrients                                      Almost certain (91–100%)  Minor        Medium
4. Degradation of native vegetation through current or future grazing                                              Possible (26–50%)         Moderate     Medium
6. Predation by rodents                                                                                            Rare