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Scientific Name | Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | LOBELIACEAE |
Synonyms | Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. ciliata E.Wimm., Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. grandidentata E.Wimm., Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. phyteuma, Lobelia phyteuma L. |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B2b(ii,iii) |
Assessment Date | 2023/10/04 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali |
Justification | Although this species has a wide distribution in the Western Cape Province, it has a small area of occupancy (AOO) of 356 km² and is known from at least 30 subpopulations that are suspected to be declining due to ongoing habitat degradation by the spread of alien invasive plants and inappropriate management of the remaining patches. Therefore, it is listed as Near Threatened under criterion B, as it nearly meets the threshold for Vulnerable. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species occurs from the Bokkeveld Mountains to Riversdale. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Swartland Shale Renosterveld, Western Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Swartland Granite Renosterveld, Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos, Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos, Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos, Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Boland Granite Fynbos |
Description | Plants grow in sandy and stony flats and slopes. |
Threats |
| About 70% of this species' habitat has been irreversibly modified into croplands and urban developments. Plants remain in small patches of renosterveld and fynbos that continue to decline due to agriculture, the spread of invasive alien plants, and inappropriate fire management. Additionally, there is a slight but persistent threat to this species' habitat from pollution in Wellington. |
Population |
There is no quantitative population data available for this species. It is known from historic collections dating back to 1876-2013 and recent observation records on iNaturalist. Despite the ongoing decline of its habitat, this species still occurs in many remnant patches across a wide range. The population size and trend of this species are unknown; however, it is inferred to be declining due to habitat loss and degradation
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. phyteuma | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. ciliata E.Wimm. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. var. grandidentata E.Wimm. | 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.
Govaerts, R. 1996. World Checklist of Seed Plants 1, 2:1-492, MIM, Deurne.
Manning, J.C. and Goldblatt, P. 2012. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape Flora. Strelitzia 29. 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 |
| Mtshali, H. 2023. Cyphia phyteuma (L.) Willd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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