Key stats: 

  • Status: Endangered.
  • 20 plants are held in ex-situ collections at Wollongong Botanic Garden, constantly under propagation.
  • Seed collections by Wollongong Botanic Garden staff from wild plants have also been deposited into National Seed Banks.

Sublime Point Pomaderris (Pomaderris adnata)

Sublime Point Pomaderris (Pomaderris adnata) is an Endangered species endemic to NSW, found growing around Sublime Point on the Illawarra Escarpment. This shrub can grow up to two meters high, and is found growing on or near the edge of the escarpment on sandy loam soils over sandstone.

The adult plants of this species are killed by fire, but its seed can survive fire in the soil seedbank and germinate following fire.

At Wollongong Botanic Garden we have worked with our partners in the South East NSW Bioregion Working Group with Environment Trust funding to research and conserve this species. We keep and maintain an ex-situ collection representing a cross section of the wild population. This collection is duplicated as a 'backup' at other partner gardens for safety, and wider seed collections have been made and banked in the National Seed Bank.

Because it has a small population number and only grows across one small area, this species is at risk from many factors, particularly natural catastrophes like bushfires. This highlights the importance of ex-situ collections and seed banking to safeguard this species into the future.