Bush Crew diaries May 2024

Published on 24 April 2024

At right: a Glycine latrobeana plant with empty seed pod, growing at the Andrew Yandell Habitat Reserve, Greensborough.

In their efforts to protect and enhance biodiversity in our conservation reserves, the Bush Crew has successfully planted, raised and collected seed from Clover Glycine, an indigenous species that is vulnerable to extinction.

The Clover Glycine (Glycine latrobeana) is a small perennial herb that can only be found in south-eastern Australia (where it is occurs in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia), growing mostly in grasslands and grassy woodlands. Glycine latrobeana is listed as vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Flora and Fauna Guarantee act 1988.

The species has suffered an extensive decline in distribution and abundance due to widespread degradation and destruction of habitat and faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. Current threats include grazing, weed invasion and altered fire regimes.

Glycine latrobeana plants were planted into our reserves during Spring 2022. Monitoring closely, the Crew was delighted to see the plants flower and then produce seed pods. Seed collection bags were carefully tied over the pods to catch the seed. We now have a collection of seeds that can be raised in our nursery. The new baby plants will be reintroduced to grasslands and grassy woodland reserves, bolstering the population of the species.