Wrinkled Buttons

Wrinkled Buttons (Leiocarpa gatesii) formerly referred to as (Leptorhynchos gatesii) is only found in a small geographic area in the eastern part of the Otway Ranges, Victoria, Australia.  It is considered endangered due to its restricted geographic range and specific ecological requirements for growth and flowering.

Wrinkled Buttons (not to be confused with Button Wrinklewort) was first recorded in 1921 but thought to be extinct prior to its rediscovery in 1984. In 1999 four populations were known to exist in the Anglesea area. In 2007 it was thought there were about 10-15 populations in the Anglesea / Lorne area. There are now 12 locations within the eastern Otway Ranges where this species is known to exist. Most populations are contained within the Great Otway National Park.

Wrinkled Buttons is a short-lived perennial herb with white cottony stems growing to 30 cm tall containing yellow button-like flower heads which occur from December to April. Leaves are dark green, more or less hairless above and white, densely haired below. Its name is derived from the wrinkly bracts surrounding the flower head. Wrinkled Buttons can develop rhizomes which can give the appearance of more than one plant.

Distribution

Ecology & Habitat

Winkled Buttons occurs on dry hillside areas in open forest containing Scentbark Eucalyptus aromaphloia, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus tricarpa with an open forest understorey of Varnish Wattle Acacia verniciflua, Thatch Saw-sedge Gahnia radula and Large-leaf Bush-pea Pultenaea daphnoides.

It is now understood that this species can benefit from hot burns.  Its rediscovery in 1984 occurred a year after the major Ash Wednesday fires which burnt much of the Otway Ranges. Seeds may stay dormant for long periods until receiving suitable conditions for germination. Flowering is most prolific about one year after fire, gradually declining over time with virtually no flowering after 5 years. Some populations have been present for 13 years and certain levels of soil disturbance have been beneficial to reproduction, however this does not mean all types of soil disturbance are beneficial. Soil disturbance has also resulted in the loss of plants.

Population Status

An important aspect of considering the population status of Wrinkled Buttons is the fact that this species is only known from a small geographic area in which recorded populations are dispersed across less than 20 sites. Surveys results can vary across sites in different years with the highest count being 4,800 in 2009. Yet surveys at other know sites only have counts of less than 10 plants. The highest count in 2020 was 500 plants, in 2022 100 plants and 2023 & 2024 1000 plants being the highest number at a site.   

 In 2021 the collective count across a number of sites was close to 7,000 plants.  

 It is important to consider that for many years Wrinkled Buttons was thought to be extinct. Discovery in 1984 has provided a new opportunity to better understand the localised distribution and factors which can be detrimental or beneficial to the population.

Threats

The main threats are associated with:

• Excessive physical disturbance; damage from machinery during fire management and track works. 
• Physical disturbance caused from off road vehicles and motor cycles.
• Loss of habitat due to developments involving earthworks on private land.
• There is a potential for environmental weeds to spread into populations and compete with Wrinkled Buttons. 

A known population at the Lorne Country Club (private land) requires careful management due to development at the site.

Conservation & Management

Parks Victoria in conjunction with Department of Energy, Envirnment and Climate Action (DEECA) and local conservation groups undertake monitoring and management in the Great Otway National Park and surrounding areas.

In 2009, 12 locations were identified and mapped. Parks Victoria now incorporate conservation of these sites into park management to ensure that sites are not disturbed by activities such as track maintenance, disturbance during prescribed burning operations, and inappropriate fire regimes.

Parks Victoria is implementing management prescriptions for known locations to ensure that the conditions required to stimulate seed germination are provided.

Cuttings and seeds have been collected for the RBG and the Millennium Seed Bank.

Wrinkled Buttons has been successfully propagated and planted at selected sites by local conservationists.

DEECA has monitored population trends and responses against recovery actions by collecting demographic information including recruitment and mortality, timing of life history stages and morphological data. In 2009, 12 locations were identified and mapped. Annual surveys were carried out between 2005 to 2017.

In 2021 surveys were carried out under contract by Biodiversity Services. A total of 6929 individuals were recorded, mostly along wide scrapes around the tracks which have been created as part of fire management works.  

Monitoring at selected sites was carried out in 2022 to 2024 as part of the Strategic Fuel Break program (which was managed by the Forest, Fire Operations Division in DEECA), prior to works being undertaken which found some new records and updated information on existing sites. The Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) has also undertaken research into the management requirements of Wrinkled Buttons.

References & Links

• Australian Government – Leiocarpa gatesii Species profile and threats database, Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.
• Flora Fauna Guarantee Action Statement No.98 revised in 2008
• VBA (2025) Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, Department of Energy, Envionment and Climate Action (DEECA), Victoria.
• VVB (2025) Visualising Victoria's Biodiversity map portal.

See also: Button Wrinklewort Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides which is a grassland species

Please contribute information regarding Wrinkled Buttons - observations, images or projects.  Contact SWIFFT