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Scientific Name | Geissorhiza pusilla (Andrews) Klatt |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
Synonyms | Geissorhiza pubescens Wolley-Dod |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2023/06/15 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo |
Justification | A poorly known species with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 618 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 24 km². It is known from two to five locations and the population is declining due to habitat degradation. 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 Cape Peninsula and nearby hills in Western Cape province of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in damp, often shady places, mainly in montane environments, at low to middle elevations, usually on shale or granite-derived soils. |
Threats |
| This species has lost 79% of its habitat (calculated using landcover data in GIS) to urban development and crop cultivation. It is also threatened by habitat degradation as a result of the spread of invasive alien plants, particularly annual grasses. |
Population |
Most records for this species are old, collected prior to 1994 and the current statuses of subpopulations on the foothills of Table Mountain, one from the contour path above Kirstenbosch and two others from Lions Head and Signal Hill are uncertain. Only two subpopulations have been recorded in the past 20 years; one of these occurs between Stellenbosch and Somerset West and was recorded to have only a few individuals. No information on subpopulation size exists for the second recently recorded subpopulation. The population is inferred to be declining as a result of ongoing habitat degradation.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Geissorhiza pusilla (Andrews) Klatt | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2000. Cape Plants: A conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.
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.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. 2023. Geissorhiza pusilla (Andrews) Klatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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