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Scientific Name | Leucospermum heterophyllum (Thunb.) Rourke |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Trident Pincushion (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable A2c |
Assessment Date | 2020/06/18 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Leucospermum heterophyllum's population has experienced a reduction of at least 30% due to the severe loss of its Ferricrete Fynbos habitat to agriculture, gravel mining, urban expansion, overgrazing, and alien plant invasion in the past 100 years (generation length 50-100 years). It therefore qualifies for listing as Vulnerable under criterion A. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species has a restricted distribution in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, occurring from Elim to De Hoop. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | De Hoop Limestone Fynbos, Agulhas Limestone Fynbos, Elim Ferricrete Fynbos, Albertinia Sand Fynbos, Agulhas Sand Fynbos |
Description | It grows on sandstone or shale conglomerates, 20-300 m. It is a long-lived species, with a generation length of 50-100 years, and survives fires by resprouting from underground boles or rootstocks. 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 |
| This species is endemic to Elim Ferricrete Fynbos that has an ecosystem threat status of Endangered. Its habitat is severely transformed due to agriculture expansion, gravel mining and urban development. The most significant current threats to this species are competition from alien invasive plants (acacia and hackeas), inappropriate fire management, either too frequent fires to stimulate vegetation growth for grazing or too infrequent fire in isolated remnants between crop fields. Furthermore as this species tends to favour ferricrete soils remnant subpopulations are under high pressure and being lost to quarry mining for road maintenance and building. |
Population |
The remaining population is largely confined to road verges and fragments adjacent to crop fields. The majority of subpopulations are small, with less than 250 mature individuals. This species is only protected in Agulhas National Park and Heuningberg Nature Reserve, and a large proportion of its habitat occurs outside of reserves. There is ongoing population decline due to habitat loss and degradation. The overall population has declined by over 30% in the past three generations.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Present in TFDC Armscor,Heuningberg, Renosterkop and Brandfontein-Rietfontein Private Nature Reserves. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Leucospermum heterophyllum (Thunb.) Rourke | EN A2c | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Leucospermum heterophyllum (Thunb.) Rourke | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
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.
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.
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Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Leucospermum heterophyllum (Thunb.) Rourke. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/07 |
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