Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Aloe chlorantha Lavranos
Higher Classification
Monocotyledons
Family
ASPHODELACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Near Threatened D2
Assessment Date
2019/03/05
Assessor(s)
L. von Staden
Justification
Aloe chlorantha is a range-restricted species (EOO 7891 km²), known from a few, scattered locations. It is not currently threatened, but its risk of extinction would rapidly increase if planned shale gas extraction in the Karoo is to go ahead.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Northern Cape
Range
Aloe chlorantha is endemic to the Fraserburg and Williston districts in the Northern Cape.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Upper Karoo Hardeveld, Eastern Upper Karoo
Description
It occurs on summits of dry rocky dolerite ridges in Nama Karoo vegetation.
Threats
In the 1970s it was reported that the flowers of Aloe chlorantha are eaten by rock hyraxes (Lavranos 1973). Glen and Hardy (2000) suspected that predation of flowers are to blame for the lack of recruitment in this species. Part of the distribution range of Aloe chlorantha falls within an area earmarked for shale gas extraction. Shale gas extraction is severely destructive and could lead to a loss of some subpopulations, but recent geological surveys indicate that the shale gas reserve within the Karoo is significantly lower than previously estimated, and may not be worth extracting. No active exploration for shale gas has yet commenced.
Population

Aloe chlorantha is a rare species, occurring in small, scattered subpopulations. Field observations in the 1980s of a subpopulation near Fraserburg recorded around 25 plants (H.F. Glen pers. comm. 1986), but no recent field data on the population size is available. The species is currently known from seven locations, but it is likely more common as its habitat is botanically very poorly explored (Van Wyk and Smith 2003). The current population trend is not known, and this species requires more field monitoring.


Population trend
Unknown
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Aloe chlorantha LavranosVU D2Raimondo et al. (2009)
Aloe chlorantha LavranosEN B1B2eVictor (2002)
Aloe chlorantha LavranosEndangered Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Bibliography

Glen, H.F. and Hardy, D.S. 2000. Aloaceae (First part): Aloe. In: G. Germishuizen (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 5 Part 1, Fascicle 1:1-159. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.


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


Lavranos, J.J. 1973. Aloe chlorantha: a new species from the south western Karoo (South Africa). Journal of South African Botany 39(1):85-90.


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.


Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.


Smith, G.F., Steyn, E.M.A., Victor, J.E., Crouch, N.R., Golding, J.S. and Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. Aloaceae: The conservation status of Aloe in South Africa: an updated synopsis. Bothalia 30(2):206-211.


Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 1996. Guide to the aloes of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.


Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 2003. Guide to aloes of South Africa. (2nd ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.


Victor, J.E. 2002. South Africa. In: J.S. Golding (ed), Southern African plant Red Data Lists. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 14 (pp. 93-120), SABONET, Pretoria.


Citation
von Staden, L. 2019. Aloe chlorantha Lavranos. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2023/12/03

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Distribution map

© E.J. van Jaarsveld

© E.J. van Jaarsveld

© E.J. van Jaarsveld


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