Curcuma australasica

The distribution of this species falls within three of Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots; Forests of East Australia, Polynesia-Micronesia and East Melanesian Islands. Although there are no specific threats identified for this species its rainforest habitat has declined in extent and quality throughout the three Hotspots. The Polynesia-Micronesia and the East Melanesian Island Hotspots face threats from habitat loss through conversion to agricultural lands and plantations, invasive species and extreme natural events like cyclones (CEPF 2007, 2012). In Papua New Guinea 15% of forests have been cleared from 1972–2002 for logging and plantations (Shearman and Bryan 2011). This species is found in the lowland forests of Papua New Guinea which has a higher rate of forest loss; 30% was cleared or degraded between 1972–2002 (Shearman and Bryan 2011). This species is used by local people in Micronesia but it is not known if they use cultivated plants or harvest material from the wild.

This species is found in several protected areas including Black Mountain National Park (Queensland, also part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland UNESCO World Heritage Site), Warddeken Indigenous protected area (Northern Territory), Tonda Wildlife Management Area (Papua New Guinea, also a Ramsar wetland site) and Pegunungan Arfak nature reserve (West Papua, Indonesia). It is found as living collections in 20 botanic gardens (BGCI 2016) but it is not known if these are of wild origin or cultivars. Recommended further research includes monitoring the population size, habitat threats and levels of harvest in the Micronesian islands.