Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287:reg:3:p236
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 236/276)
Character Range: 864637–867845

Agency.
DCCEEW (2024) Conservation Advice for Polyphlebium endlicherianum (middle filmy fern). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Canberra.
Mills K (2007e) The Flora of Norfolk Island. 2. Epiphytes and Mistletoes. Kevin Mills & Associates, Jamberoo, 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.

Pteris kingiana—King's brakefern
Family PTERIDACEAE

Conservation significance
Endemic to Norfolk and Phillip Islands.
EPBC Act Listing Status: Endangered.

Description
A tufted fern with a short erect rhizome and fronds growing to 90 cm long.

Distribution and abundance
Pteris kingiana has been collected from Ball Bay (Orchard 1994) and is known from several scattered sites but never with very many individuals. There were few populations in the Norfolk Island National Park (Braggins 1996).
There were fewer than 200 mature plants recorded in 2003 (TSSC 2003c). Mills (2012b) found 93 plants at two sites within the national park. These populations contained many small plants as well as tall, mature specimens.
Surveys of the public reserves in 2017 (Mills 2017a, b, d, e, f) recorded 7 plants in Point Ross Reserve, 6 plants in Bumbora Reserve, 161 in Cascade Reserve, 45 in Anson Bay Reserve, 28 in Selwyn Reserve, 50 in Hundred Acres Reserve, and 89 in Ball Bay Reserve. The species also occurs on Phillip Island (Mills 2009b).
The population estimate in 2021 was 483.
The distribution is shown in Map 58.

Ecology
Wind dispersed spores. This species grows on shady forest floors, almost always near the coast.

Habitat
The species mainly grows in sheltered coastal forest (Invasive Species Council & TierraMar 2021).

Threats
Threats to the species includes weed invasion and competition, cattle grazing, and clearing of woody weeds without replacing vegetation.

Impact on other species
None known.
Map 58 Distribution of Pteris kingiana
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 20017a, b, d, e and f).

Risk assessment
Risk assessment undertaken for Endangered ferns as a grouping. The risk assessment is shown in Table 133.
Table 133 Risk assessment for Endangered ferns 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%)  Extreme      Extreme
2. Loss and fragmentation of native vegetation through current or future land clearing                             Rare (0–10%)              Negligible   Negligible
3. Degradation of native vegetation through past grazing or loss of nutrients                                      Almost certain (91–100%)  Extreme      Extreme
4. Degradation of