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Scientific Name | Erica vallis-gratiae Guthrie & Bolus |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ERICACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable D2 |
Assessment Date | 2023/05/15 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali & R.C. Turner |
Justification | A range-restricted species that is known from five locations. The spread of invasive alien plants is a significant potential threat to this species. It is thus assessed as Vulnerable under criterion D2. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is restricted to the Riviersonderend Mountains in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | South Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | Plants grow on moist slopes in the mist belt, at 1200-1800 m. |
Threats |
| Escaped pines have been spreading rapidly up the southern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains over the past 15 years. Over large areas of the southern slopes, pines are now impenetrable, and continue to spread across to the northern slopes, which were entirely free of alien invasive plants previously. These could outcompete native species in future if left unmanaged. |
Population |
This species is known from scattered subpopulations at about 20 km range along the summit ridge of the Riviersonderend. The population size and trend of this species is unknown, but it is not suspected to be declining.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Erica vallis-gratiae Guthrie & Bolus | Rare | 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.
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. & Turner, R.C. 2023. Erica vallis-gratiae Guthrie & Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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