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Telopea 9(2): 2001 
Conservation Status: the confirmed populations of this species are wholly conserved 
within the Gibraltar Range National Park and Serpentine Nature Reserve. The main 
threat to this species is road widening; a number of individuals occur close to the 
Gwydir Highway. An inappropriate fire regime may also be a threat as this species 
appears to regenerate only from the soil seed bank. None of the individuals observed 
appeared to be lignotuberous. This species, because of its narrow distribution, should 
be coded 3RCt (Briggs & Leigh, 1996). 
Etymology: the epithet rupestris is Latin meaning 'rocky' and refers to its preferred 
habitat of granite outcrops. 
Notes: Dillwynia rupestris only came to the attention of botanists in the mid 1950s after 
the Gwydir Highway was constructed between Bald Knob and Jackadgery. The 
previous main road between Glen Innes and Grafton went through Newton Boyd and 
Dalmorton, some 50 kilometres south of the Gibraltar Range. 
Dillwynia rupestris has long been regarded as distinct from D. acicularis Sieber ex DC. 
although obviously closely related; they can also be easily distinguished in the field. 
Dillwynia rupestris also morphologically closely resembles the Western Australian 
endemic D. pungens (Mackay ex Sweet) Benth., which also prefers granite outcrops. 
Table 1 compares these three species highlighting the morphological differences 
between them. The phylogenetic relationships of these three species are currently 
under study. 
Table 1. Comparison of morphological characters and distribution between Dillwynia rupestris. 
D. acicularis and D. pungens. 
Character 
Dillwynia rupestris 
Dillwynia acicularis 
Dillwynia pungens 
Habit 
Stout, small tree-like 
shrub (single stemmed) 
Slender filiform, 
multi-stemmed shrub 
Stout, small tree-like shrub 
(single stemmed) 
Leaves 
0.6-2.1 cm long, 
0.75-1.0 mm wide 
Mucros: 0.5-0.75 mm 
long, yellow or with 
brown tip 
1.0-3,5 cm long, 
0.5-0,75 mm wide 
Mucros: 0.5 mm 
long, yellow with 
brown tip 
or dark brown 
1.3-2.1 cm long, 
0.75-1.0 mm wide 
Mucros: 0.75-1.0mm 
long, yellow with 
light brown tips 
Leaf base scars 
Present 
Absent 
Absent 
Inflorescences 
3-18 flowers 
Compact & 
tightly arranged 
3-9 (-15) flowers 
Widely spaced & 
loosely arranged 
3-9 flowers 
Compact & 
tightly arranged 
Distribution & 
soil preference 
NSW - New England 
Tablelands, prefers 
granite outcrops 
NSW - Coxs Gap to 
Bargo, prefers 
sandstone screes 
WA - Mt Manypeaks 
to Cape Arid, prefers 
granite outcrops 
Unsuccessful 
attempts were made in 
1997 and 1998 to 
find the population at 
approximately 56-58 km from Glen Innes along the Gwydir Highway (e.g. Burgess s.n. 
(CBG 2758) and other collections made near there in the mid 1960s). That section of the 
Gwydir Highway is flanked by dense eucalypt forest, heavy clay soil and no obvious 
granite outcrop, conditions unsuitable for D. rupestris. 
Selected specimens examined: New South Wales: Northern Tablelands: Gibraltar Range National 
Park, Tire Needles Lookout, 1.5 km NE of Dandahra Falls, 29°31’S 152°23’E, Crisp 7567 & Taylor, 
2 Nov 1984 (fr.)(AD, CANB, MEL, NSW); Gibraltar Range National Park, 1 km S of Boundary Trig, 
29°33’S 152°16E, Crisp 7373 & Telford, 30 Sep 1984 (fl.)(CANB, MEL, NSW); Gibraltar Range 
