Sticky Heath

Taxonomy

Scientific Name

Erica urna-viridis Bolus

Higher Classification

Dicotyledons

Family

ERICACEAE

Common Names

Sticky Green Heath (e), Sticky Heath (e)

National Status

Status and Criteria

Vulnerable D2

Assessment Date

2023/05/15

Assessor(s)

H. Mtshali, R.C. Turner, E.G.H. Oliver & D. Pillay

Justification

A locally common, range-restricted endemic that is known from a single subpopulation. This species is potentially threatened by the spread of invasive alien plants. It is thus assessed as Vulnerable under criterion D2.

Distribution

Endemism

South African endemic

Provincial distribution

Western Cape

Range

This species is resticted to the Silvermine and Muizenberg Mountain of the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Habitat and Ecology

Major system

Terrestrial

Major habitats

Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos

Description

Plants grows on higher rocky fynbos slopes.

Threats

Alien invasive plants have been largely cleared on the Cape Peninsula by the South African National Parks agency (SANParks). However, in some parts like in Silvermine many acacia seedlings have come up after fires from soil-stored seed banks, and the pressure from invasive species remains ever present. There are increased fire intensities fuelled by invasive plants, causing ongoing habitat degradation in this species' range, and as a reseeder, it is likely to decline and disappear in areas that are repeatedly burnt before plants reach reproductive maturity.

Population

A localized, but locally extremely common species. Currently, there is no indication that the species is declining, but habitat degradation caused by alien plants and fires in the near future will likely result in decline.

Population trend

Stable

Conservation

It is conserved in the Silvermine Nature Reserve.

Assessment History

Taxon assessed	Status and Criteria	Citation/Red List version
Erica urna-viridis Bolus	Rare	Raimondo et al. (2009)
Erica urna-viridis Bolus	Rare	Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Erica urna-viridis Bolus	Vulnerable	Hall et al. (1980)

Bibliography

Baker, H.A. and Oliver, E.G.H. 1967. Ericas in southern Africa. Purnell, Cape Town & Johannesburg.

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.

Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.

Helme, N.A. and Trinder-Smith, T.H. 2006. The endemic flora of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 72(2):205-210.

Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical 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.

Schumann, D., Kirsten, G. and Oliver, E.G.H. 1992. Ericas of South Africa. Fernwood Press, Cape Town.

Citation

Mtshali, H., Turner, R.C., Oliver, E.G.H. & Pillay, D. 2023. Erica urna-viridis Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/07

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