Declared Plant Policy
under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004
miconia (Miconia spp.)
Miconia is a genus of about 1000 tropical shrubs and trees. Four species of Miconia have been found as weeds in Queensland, and are subject to a national eradication program. Consequently, all States and Territories have agreed through the Australian Weeds Committee on its uniform national declaration.
Outcomes
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Prevent any supply of miconia by growers in SA to other States where they may be invasive weeds.
Objectives
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To prevent any trade in miconia.
Implementation
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Compliance action in the event of miconia plants being produced in SA for sale.
Regional Implementation
Refer to regional management plans for further details.
NRM Region
|
Actions
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Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges
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prohibit sale
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Alinytjara Wilurara
|
prohibit sale
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Eyre Peninsula
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prohibit sale
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Kangaroo Island
|
prohibit sale
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Northern and Yorke
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prohibit sale
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South Australian Arid Lands
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prohibit sale
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South Australian Murray Darling Basin
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prohibit sale
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South East
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prohibit sale
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Declaration
To implement this policy, miconia is is declared under the Natural Resources Management Act, 2004 throughout the whole of the State of South Australia so that any further sale or movement of the plant can be prevented. The movement or transport of the plant on a public road by itself or as a contaminant, its entry to South Australia, or sale by itself or as a contaminant are prohibited.
Miconia is declared in category 3 under the Act for the purpose of setting maximum penalties and for other purposes. Any permit to allow its movement or sale can only be issued by the regional NRM Board pursuant to section 188.
The following sections of the Act apply to miconia throughout each of the NRM regions noted below:
Region
Sections of Act
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AMLR
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AW
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EP
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KI
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NY
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SAAL
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SAMDB
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SE
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175(1) Prohibiting entry to area
|
X
|
X
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X
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X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
175(2) Prohibiting movement on public roads
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
177(1) Prohibiting sale of the plant
|
X
|
X
|
X
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X
|
X
|
X
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X
|
X
|
177(2) Prohibiting sale of contaminated goods
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
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X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
180 Requiring notification of infestations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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182(1) Landowners to destroy the plant on their properties
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|
|
|
|
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|
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182(2) Landowners to control the plant on their properties
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|
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185 Recovery of control costs on adjoining road reserves
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|
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Review
Success of the program will be measured by its effectiveness in stopping any reported supply of miconias from SA to other States. This policy is to be reviewed by 2020.
Weed Risk
Invasiveness
Miconia species are rapidly growing seral plants manly found in rainforest regrowth. They are spread by fruit-eating birds and animals, but long range movement in Australia has been mainly by cultivation.
Impacts
Miconias invade and displace native vegetation in tropical Australia.
Potential distribution
Miconias are not frost hardy, and would need glasshouse protection to grow in South Australia.
Feasibility of Containment
No production nursery in this State is growing miconia as there is no demand for these plants in our Mediterranean-type climate.
Current distribution
Not present in South Australia.
Assessment using the Biosecurity SA Weed Risk Management System gave the following comparative weed risk and feasibility of containment scores by land use:
Land use
|
Weed Risk
|
Feasibility of control
| Response at State Level |
Native vegetation
|
negligible
0
|
very high
1
|
monitor
|
Miconia species are unlikely to survive anywhere in the wild in South Australia, and have no potential as weeds in this State.
Considerations
Some Miconia species have been grown in the wet tropics as ornamental shrubs for their large attractive leaves. They are not used by the ornamental nursery industry in South Australia.
Miconia has been declared under the Act to support the national eradication program.
Synonymy
Miconia Ruiz & Pav., Fl. Peruv. Prodr. 60 (1794); about 1000 species, of which the following four are of concern in Quensland:
Miconia calvescens DC., Prodr. (DC.) 3: 185 (1828).
Miconia cionotricha Uribe, Caldasia 9: 88 (1964).
Miconia nervosa Triana, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28: 111 (1872).
Miconia racemosa (Aubl.)DC, Prodr. (DC.) 3: 179 (1828).
Basionym: Melastoma racemosum Aubl., Pl. Guian. 1: 406 (1775).
References
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2009) ‘National Four Tropical Weeds Eradication Program - Annual Report 2008-2009’. 65 pp.
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