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 |
Murnpeowie (STP03) | Stony Plains | Least Concern [edge of range] |
Sturt Stony Desert (CHC02) | Channel Country | Least Concern |
Coongie (CHC06) | | Least Concern |
Lake Pure (CHC07) | | Least Concern |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 10.
Etymology
Capparis from the Greek 'kapparis' meaning originating in the near or Middle East. Mitchellii named in honour of Major Sir Thomas Mitchell (1792 - 1855), a Scottish surveyor and explorer of south-eastern Australia.
Distribution and status
Found in the north-eastern arid region of South Australia. Also found in the Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Western Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Lake Eyre, Flinders Ranges, Eastern
NRM region: South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Small dense bushy tree growing to 10 m tall, with dull green, thick, hairy leaves and long spines on juvenile stems. Flowers large cream to pale yellow with numerous and conspicuous stamens. Flowering possibly all year round. Fruits are a large globular green fruit turning brown when mature, with yellow flesh inside. Seeds are large pale brown semi-flat seeds to 10 mm long and 7 mm wide. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Collect mature fruits usually when the flesh inside is bright yellow and the seeds are hard and brown. Soak the hard fruit in water and leave until soft. Then break open the fruits and wash the content in water. Drain the liquid leaving behind the seeds. Place the wet seeds onto paper towels and leave to dry. 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 80%.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | BGA MSB | 270 (39.4 g) 1,100 (155.71 g) | 50+ | 11-Jan-2006 | DJD240 Flinders Ranges | 28-Jul-2006 | 80% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,400 (126.86 g) | | 3-Mar-2006 | DJD240 Flinders Ranges | 1-Jan-2012 | | -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:
Display
Date | Result | T0 | T50 | Pre-treatment | Germination medium | Incubator: Photoperiod / Thermoperiod |
Mar-06 | 39% | 9 | NA |
filter paper over moist sponge; Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
Mar-06 | 39% | 24 | NA |
filter paper over moist sponge; Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
Mar-06 | 32% | 16 | NA |
filter paper over moist sponge; 12-Dec / 20°C |
Mar-06 | 26% | 16 | NA |
filter paper over moist sponge; 12-Dec / 20°C |
Result: Maximum percentage of germination observed.
T0: Number of days before first germinant observed.
T50: Number of days to achieve 50% germination.
Pre-treatment: The initial treatment that the seeds received prior to placement on germination media.
Germination medium: The substrate that seeds were placed on for the duration of the germination experiment.
Incubator conditions:
Photoperiod: The duration of light exposure that the seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Thermoperiod: The constant or diurnal temperatures that seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Winter conditions: 15°C 20 h (3am→11pm); 5°C 4 h (11pm→3am) / 10 h light (8am→6pm); 14 h dark (6pm→8am)
Spring/Autumn conditions: 22°C 12 h (8am→8pm); 10°C 12 h (8pm→8am) / 12 h light (8am→8pm); 12 h dark (8pm→8am)
Summer conditions: 30°C 14 h (6am→8pm); 15°C 10 h (8pm→6am) / 14 h light (6am→8pm); 10 h dark (8pm→6am)