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Scientific Name | Geissorhiza exilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2021/10/12 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | This species is currently known from only one location. Due to the inconspicuous nature of the plants and the fact that flowering is fire-dependent, there is a suspicion that a few other locations exist. This species shares a habitat similar to that of Aristea nigrescens (EN). Based on the range of Aristea nigrescens, it is estimated that this species' extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) is less than 100 km², that it has less than five locations, and is declining as a result of ongoing habitat loss to vineyard and orchard expansion. It is therefore listed as Endangered under criteria B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is endemic to South Africa, and is found west of Worcester, on the lower slopes of Waaihoek Mountain in the Western Cape province. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Breede Shale Fynbos |
Description | It occurs on fairly steep, rocky lower sandstone slopes, probably flowering only after fire. |
Threats |
| This species is threatened by ongoing habitat loss to expansion of vineyards and orchards, lack of fire and alien plant invasion. |
Population |
The population is inferred to have a decreasing trend due to habitat loss to vineyards and degradation from invasive species. As a species that only flowers after fire, estimating the population size is challenging. It is known from one subpopulation, but there is suspicion that there are a few as yet undiscovered subpopulations.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Geissorhiza exilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning | EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) | 2011.1 | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Goldblatt, P., Manning, J.C. and Nänni, I. 2009. New species of Geissorhiza (Iridaceae:Crocoideae) from the southern African winter rainfall zone, range extensions, taxonomic changes, and notes on pollen morphology. Bothalia 39(2):123-152.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2021. Geissorhiza exilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/09/08 |
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