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Scientific Name | Schoenus inconspicuus T.L.Elliott, Euston-Brown & Muasya |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | CYPERACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered C2a(i); D |
Assessment Date | 2021/07/08 |
Assessor(s) | T.L. Elliott, D.I.W. Euston-Brown & M. Muasya |
Justification | Fewer than 50 plants are known, and this species' habitat continues to decline due alien invasive plant infestations. It occupies a very restricted area, with an area of occupancy (AOO) of 12 km². It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered under criteria C and D. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species has a limited distribution occurring on the Cape Peninsula and western Agulhas Plain region of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Agulhas Limestone Fynbos, Cape Flats Sand Fynbos |
Description | It grows on acid sand flats, within the altitudinal range of 14-250 m. |
Threats |
| A portion of this species' habitat around Constantia, where it was first collected, has been lost to urban development. Although some of the habitat may have been lost to timber plantations in the past, at Tokai, plantations are no longer expanding and are being cleared and the fynbos vegetation restored.
It is also important to note southern African Schoenus species (including S. inconspicuus) do not seem to be tolerant of moderate-heavy grazing by livestock.
Spreading alien invasive plants in parts of its habitat could lead to future decline if not managed. |
Population |
The first collection of this species was made in 1919 (Purcell 592) on Bergvliet Farm, and this area has since become a residential suburb. A second collection was made in 1938 (Levyns 6729) at Rooihoogte, the habitat in this area is still extant, however there are no new records to confirm its occurrence there. Additional new collections of this species were made at Tokai (known from 4 individuals) and Agulhas Plain (10 individuals) between 2012 and 2019. Considering the new collections and additional field observations, Schoenus incospicuus was described as a new species by Elliott et al. in 2019. This species is clearly highly localised and genuinely rare, and has been previously overlooked. The current population trend is unknown for this species, but it is inferred to be declining due to habitat degradation by alien invasive species.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Bibliography |
Elliott, T.L., Euston-Brown, D.I. and Muasya, A.M. 2020. Schoenus inconspicuus (Cyperaceae, tribe Schoeneae): a new species from Southern Africa. Phytotaxa 440(3):239-244.
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Citation |
| Elliott, T.L., Euston-Brown, D.I.W. & Muasya, M. 2021. Schoenus inconspicuus T.L.Elliott, Euston-Brown & Muasya. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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