Sturt's Pigface
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.


Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
Display IBRA region text
Northern Flinders (FLB05) | Flinders Lofty Block | Least Concern |
Central Flinders (FLB06) | | Least Concern |
Myall Plains (GAW01) | Gawler | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Gawler Volcanics (GAW02) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Gawler Lakes (GAW03) | | Near Threatened |
Arcoona Plateau (GAW04) | | Least Concern |
Kingoonya (GAW05) | | Near Threatened |
Torrens (GAW06) | | Least Concern |
Roxby (GAW07) | | Least Concern |
Commonwealth Hill (GAW08) | | Least Concern |
Maralinga (GVD03) | Great Victoria Desert | Least Concern |
Tallaringa (GVD05) | | Least Concern |
Yellabinna (GVD06) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Nullarbor Plain (NUL02) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Barrier Range (BHC01) | Broken Hill Complex | Least Concern (Probable Increase) [Edge of range. Stock will graze; persists; could be increasing; seeds readily; likes sandy areas] |
Barrier Range Outwash (BHC04) | | Least Concern (Probable Increase) [Stock will graze; persists; could be increasing; seeds readily; likes sandy areas] |
Bimbowrie (BHC05) | | Least Concern (Probable Increase) [Stock will graze; persists; could be increasing; seeds readily; likes sandy areas] |
Curnamona (BHC06) | | Least Concern (Probable Increase) [Stock will graze; persists; could be increasing; seeds readily; likes sandy areas] |
Simpson Desert (SSD02) | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Least Concern |
Dieri (SSD03) | | Least Concern |
Warriner (SSD04) | | Least Concern |
Strzelecki Desert (SSD05) | | Least Concern |
Breakaways (STP01) | Stony Plains | Least Concern |
Oodnadatta (STP02) | | Least Concern |
Murnpeowie (STP03) | | Least Concern |
Peake-Dennison Inlier (STP04) | | Least Concern |
Macumba (STP05) | | Least Concern |
Witjira (STP06) | | Least Concern |
Baltana (STP07) | | Least Concern |
Sturt Stony Desert (CHC02) | Channel Country | Least Concern |
Coongie (CHC06) | | Least Concern |
Lake Pure (CHC07) | | Least Concern |
Everard Block (CER03) | Central Ranges | Least Concern |
Tieyon (FIN03) | Finke | Least Concern |
Pedirka (FIN04) | | Least Concern |
2 of 6 subregions | Flinders Lofty Block | Least Concern |
8 of 8 subregions | Gawler | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Rare |
3 of 4 subregions | Great Victoria Desert | Least Concern , Rare |
Nullarbor Plain (NUL02) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
4 of 4 subregions | Broken Hill Complex | Least Concern |
4 of 4 subregions | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Least Concern |
7 of 7 subregions | Stony Plains | Least Concern |
3 of 4 subregions | Channel Country | Least Concern |
Everard Block (CER03) | Central Ranges | Least Concern |
2 of 2 subregions | Finke | Least Concern |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 2
Prior names
Gunniopsis quadrifaria, orth.var.
Sesuvium quadrifidum
Aizoon quadrifidum
Common names
Sturt's Pigface
Etymology
Gunniopsis from the genus Gunnia, named after Ronald Campbell Gunn (1808-1881), a Tasmanian botanist and from the Greek 'opsis', meaning resembling, alluding to the resemblance of this genus to the genus Gunnia. Quadrifida from the Latin 'quadri', meaning four and 'fidus', meaning split, referring to the 4-ribbed capsule.
Distribution and status
Found across the northern half of South Australia growing on saline soils, especially on the margins of salt lakes and clay pans. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Native. Common in South Australia. Uncommon in Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Common in Western Australia.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Densely papillose woody perennial to 40 cm high, occasionally to 1 m. Leaves narrow-linear to terete; fleshy, to 30 mm long and 5 mm wide. Flowers solitary, white; terminal or in the forks of the branches, Flowers throughout the year. Fruits are 4-ribbed capsule to 10 mm diameter, ribs keeled, valves becoming bi-fid on opening. Seeds are black reniform seed to 1.5 mm long, covered in round tubercules. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Pick mature capsules when they turn a straw colour and contain hard dark seeds. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for at least a week. Then rub the dried capsules to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 100%.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | BGA MSB | 6,100 (10.3 g) 6,100 (10.3 g) | 50+ | 7-Dec-2005 | DJD303 Eyre Peninsula | 28-Jul-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 3,100 (3.05 g) | 30+ | 18-Aug-2011 | DEM7284 Lake Eyre | 1-Nov-2012 | 100% | -18°C |
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.
Germination table:
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