Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287:reg:3:p219
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 219/276)
Character Range: 804968–808000

control and maintenance. Maintain fencing and current grazing exclusion in Mission Road rainforest remnants.

Recovery target
The recovery target is shown in Table 112.
Table 112 Recovery target for Meryta angustifolia
EPBC Act status  Estimated population (2023)  Where known populations occur  2034 target
Vulnerable       494                          >95% within the national park  1000

Relevant literature
Christian NE & Mills K (2021) Vegetation Mapping of Norfolk Island 2021. Unpublished data.
Invasive Species Council & TierraMar (2021) The Native Plant Communities of Norfolk Island. Invasive Species Council, Katoomba, NSW.
Orchard A (ed) (1994) Flora of Australia. Vol. 49. Oceanic Islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
TSSC (Threatened Species Scientific Committee) (2003b) Commonwealth Listing Advice for Norfolk Island Flora - 15 Vulnerable Species.

Meryta latifolia—broad-leaved meryta
Family ARALIACEAE

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

Description
Very distinctive tree with large, very broad, dark green leaves growing to 6m tall with few branches and producing a large yellow flower spike.

Distribution and abundance
Only 33 plants were found in 1988; 20 of these were in the Mission Road rainforest remnants (Sykes & Atkinson 1988). While the total number of mature individuals of Meryta latifolia in 2003 was 149, the effective reproductive population was determined by the limited number of mature female plants, which was estimated to be approximately 20 (TSSC 2003f). In 2012, 110 plants were counted within the national park, almost all of which were along tracks and on valley floors where they had been planted (Mills 2012b).
The species is now found on Phillip Island where it has been planted in various locations amongst Norfolk Island pine and white oak (Mills 2009b), and it also occurs in public reserves and in many private gardens on Norfolk Island. Propagation and planting have occurred through the Norfolk Island National Park threatened flora program.
The population estimate in 2021 was 395, including 216 in Anson Bay and Selwyn Reserve (Mills 2017d).
The distribution is shown in Map 48.

Ecology
Little known.

Habitat
This species grows on steep slopes, coastal cliffs, and within both shaded and unshaded sites. It is most commonly found at the edges of canopy gaps or along forest margins but can sometimes be found beneath Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla; Sykes & Atkinson 1988). It occurs in viny hardwood forest and sheltered coastal forest (Invasive Species Council & TierraMar 2021).
Map 48 Distribution of Meryta latifolia
Green outlines indicate reserves within which the species occurs. Green shading shows plant communities within which the species may occur (Christian & Mills 2021). Points show recorded locations (Mills 2017d).

Threats
Threats to the species include weed invasion, predation of seeds by rats, senescence of over-mature plants, sex ratio bias and