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Scientific Name | Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
Synonyms | Sparaxis cuprea (Sweet) Klatt, Streptanthera cuprea Sweet, Streptanthera cuprea Sweet var. non-picta L.Bolus, Streptanthera elegans Sweet |
Common Names | Elegant Satinflower (e), Showy Satinflower (e), Spogfluweeltjie (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2021/09/14 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo, L. von Staden & T. Patel |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 546 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 92 km². It is locally still a fairly common species, in spite of extensive habitat loss to crop cultivation. The population continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, as well as competition from alien invasive plants. It nearly meets the criteria to be listed as Vulnerable under criterion B, and is therefore listed as Near Threatened. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | It is endemic to South Africa, and is restricted to the western Bokkeveld Plateau and the Bokkeveld Mountains of the Northern Cape and in the Klein Koebee in Western Cape to the south. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Vanrhynsdorp Shale Renosterveld, Nieuwoudtville-Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld |
Description | It occurs on stony, tillite-derived soils in the north and on clays in the south but always in renosterveld. |
Threats |
| Around Nieuwoudtville, this species' shale renosterveld habitat has been extensively lost to crop cultivation, and less than 50% remains intact. In this area, Sparaxis elegans occurs in small fragments, and continue to decline due to ongoing, sporadic expansion of crop cultivation (D. Raimondo pers. obs.). Field observations also noted competition from alien invasive grasses as an ongoing threat. Recent collections expanded the known range of this species to Vanrhynsdorp Shale Renosterveld around Oorlogskloof and the Koebee Valley. In this area, this species' habitat is still largely intact, and most subpopulations are not currently threatened. Overall, it has lost 28.4% of its habitat (calculated using landcover data in GIS). |
Population |
It is locally abundant in suitable habitat, with subpopulations consisting of several thousand individuals. The subpopulation around Nieuwoudtville, once extensive, has however been fragmented by habitat loss. The population has a decreasing trend. More than 250 plants were observed in a single subpopulation in 2021. The following numbers have been stated for subpopulations in Hantam National Botanical Garden in the past few years: More than 10 plants (2020), More than 50 plants (2020), More than 100 plants (2020), More than 1000 plants (2020), More than 10 plants (2013). In Niewoudtville, these subpopulation sizes have been provided in recent years: More than 1000 plants in 2020, More than 50 plants (2020), More than 500 plants (2014), More than 1000 plants (2013), More than 500 plants (2013), More than 250 plants (2013). Fifty plants were observed in a subpopulation provided as just NC, ZA on iNaturalist in 2020 and over 250 plants were observed in Clenlyon Farm in 1980.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved in Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt | NT B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) | 2015.1 | | Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt | VU D2 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt | Indeterminate | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
De Vos, M.P. 1999. Duthiastrum. In: O.A. Leistner (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 7 Iridaceae Part 2: Ixioideae, Fascicle 1: Ixieae:139-141. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2013. Systematics and biology of the Cape genus Sparaxis (Iridaceae). Strelitzia 32. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
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.
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.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D., von Staden, L. & Patel, T. 2021. Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/17 |
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