Exocarpos syrticola

COMMON NAME : Coast Ballart

BOTANICAL NAME : Exocarpos syrticola

FAMILY : Chenopodiaceae

PLANT GROUP : Shrubs

SIZE : Medium 2-5m

CONSERVATION STATUS : Endangered

LOCAL NOTES:

Coast Ballart is confined to coastal dunes on and west of Wilson’s Promontory National Park, where it is locally common. It also occurs in Tasmania and South Australia.

It can grow into a shrub up to about 3m high but in the reserve it is usually observed as a scraggy small shrub. It is dark green in colour with erect branchlets that are often swollen at the tips.

It has tiny yellow flowers mostly appearing from September to December. The equally small fruits consist of a fruiting receptacle (white to pink when ripe) and the drupe (purple) which contains the seed. Reproduction by seed is rare as it needs to grow on or near a host plant's roots or the associated fungal mycelium.

Coast Ballart is a relatively long-lived plant, can form suckers and regenerate after fires. It is most commonly found on calcium rich coastal dune systems which were recently consolidated. Due to its longevity it may be found in treed areas due to the later invasion of shrubs, such as tea tree, which have spread out of their natural range.

The main threats to Coast Ballart are invasion by shrubs such as Coast Tea-tree and Coast Wattle, as well as weeds such as Polygala and Dolichos Pea. Landscape instability is also a threat, whether from natural causes or recreational use of coastal areas. Browsing of mature plants and suckers by feral and native animals is also a threat.

Coast Ballart can be confused with the more common Pale-fruit Ballart - Exocarpus strictus

Contributor: CT

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