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Scientific Name | Sorocephalus palustris Rourke |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Mat Clusterhead (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
Assessment Date | 2020/08/14 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, D. Raimondo & N.A. Helme |
Justification | Sorocephalus palustris is endemic to the Kogelberg Mountain in South Africa. It is possibly extinct as it has not been found despite searches at the type locality between 1991 and 2002. The last confirmed records are from 1984, there was an unconfirmed sighting of 15 plants in 2005, but despite extensive field surveys taking place within its habitat it has not been seen again for 15 years. It is threatened by too frequent fire and is listed as Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Kogelberg Mountain, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It grows in permanently wet, black peaty soil at high altitudes on south-facing gullies, 1050-1200 m. Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. Seeds are released after ripening, and dispersed by ants to their underground nests, where they are protected from predation and fire. It is pollinated by insects. |
Threats |
| The reasons for the extreme rarity and apparent population decline of this species are not well understood, it may be a combination of small subpopulations, reproductive and geographic isolation and an increase in fire frequency. |
Population |
Despite many searches during the Protea Atlas Project (1991-2001), no plants could be located at the type locality in a gully to the east of Kogelberg Peak, or at another site on the north end of Five Beacon Ridge. At both localities plants were last collected in the 1960s. Colin Paterson-Jones found 20 plants in 1982 on Steenbras Peak (Vogts 1982), and Nick Helme saw one plant in 1997 (pers. comm.). Four plants were seen on Steenbras Ridge in 1995, however their identification has not been confirmed - they are possibly S. clavigerus. Following a fire, about 15 plants in four small groups of two to eight plants were last recorded in an unconfirmed sighting in 2005.
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Population trend | Stable |
Conservation |
| Previously known from the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Sorocephalus palustris Rourke | CR D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Sorocephalus palustris Rourke | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Sorocephalus palustris Rourke | Endangered | Hall et al. (1980) | |
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.
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.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Rebelo, T. 2001. Sasol Proteas: A field guide to the proteas of southern Africa. (2nd ed.). Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.
Vogts, M. 1982. South Africa’s Proteaceae. Know them and grow them. Struik, Cape Town.
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Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Raimondo, D. & Helme, N.A. 2020. Sorocephalus palustris Rourke. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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