Phytogeography, Biology and Conservation of Western Australian Epacridaceae

The Epacridaceae of Western Australia comprise 181 named speciesdistributed in 17 genera. One hundred and seventy seven species(98% of the total) and ten genera are endemic to the region.within Western Australia, all members are confined to the south,with a bimodal pattern of species diversity centred on the sandplainsand uplands around the Stirling Ranges and Mount Lesueur.Leucopogon, the largest genus, reflects this pattern, however, speciesdiversity is greatest on the south coastal sandplains. All species are woody shrubs, mostly found on neutral or acidicsandy soils. Plants of at least 120 species are killed by fire;Astrolomacontainsthe only significant number of resprouting species. Althoughsome species are in flower every month every year, autumn/winterflowering is a common feature of many members of the family.All species are biotically pollinated. Bird pollination is foundin 18 species in six genera. The remaining species are insectpollinated. Bees are the major pollinators inLeucopogon, ConostephiumandColeanthera.Moths and butterflies are important pollinators inAndersonia,Leucopogon,LysinemaandStyphelia. Flies are minor pollinators of some speciesofAndersonia, LeucopogonandMonotoca. All species studied areprotandrous and outbreeding, with onlyCosmeliabeing capableof self pollination. Fruits are fleshy inAstroloma, Brachyloma,Croninia, in certain species ofLeucopogonandStypheliaand areanimal dispersed. Other genera have dry, dehiscent fruit withgravity or wind dispersed seeds. Many species have relatively narrow distribution ranges, 90species having ranges of over 300km, 54 species have rangesof 100–300km and 37 have ranges of less than 100km (andthere are many undescribed species in this group). The conservationstatus of many species is still poorly known. Dieback diseaseis a major threat to the family, and could cause the extinctionof several species in the wild. Western Australia; Epacridaceae; phytogeography; biology; pollination; dispersal; conservation; disease