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Scientific Name | Babiana karooica Goldblatt & J.C.Manning |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2021/04/30 |
Assessor(s) | J.H. Vlok & T. Patel |
Justification | A restricted endemic to the Little Karoo, it has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 545 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 36 km². It is known from five extant locations. Subpopulations once occurring in large numbers west of De Rust have been lost since 2008 due to urban and agricultural development. There is a continuing decline due to urban expansion, and habitat degradation from livestock overgrazing. It is therefore listed as Endangered under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is a narrow endemic of the southern Western Cape Province of South Africa, and is restricted to the central little Karoo. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Muscadel Riviere, Mons Ruber Fynbos Thicket |
Description | It is found on rock slopes of Enon conglomerate. |
Threats |
| This species has lost 22% of its habitat (calculated using landcover data in GIS) to crop cultivation, and only few subpopulations remain. Several of the subpopulations that used to occur at De Rust are now lost due to spread of informal housing in the past 10 years and this threat is ongoing. The remainder of the subpopulations on the De Rust commonage are threatened by uncontrolled grazing by domestic stock. |
Population |
The overall population size is unknown however the population is known to be declining based on the following observations. In 2002, less than 1000 plants were recorded in the Little Karoo west of De Rust. In 2006, also less than 1000 plants were recorded just west of Schoemanshoek village. Only two were observed in 2014 in the same area on the road verges between De Rust and Oudtshoorn. This decline is due to habitat degradation due to livestock overgrazing and loss to informal housing developments.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Babiana karooica Goldblatt & J.C.Manning | VU B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2007. A revision of the southern African genus Babiana, Iridaceae, Crocoideae. Strelitzia 18:1-97. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A.L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
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Citation |
| Vlok, J.H. & Patel, T. 2021. Babiana karooica Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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