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Scientific Name | Freesia speciosa L.Bolus |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
Synonyms | Freesia flava (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br., Freesia sparrmannii (Thunb.) N.E.Br. var. flava N.E.Br. |
Common Names | Showy Freesia (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C1 |
Assessment Date | 2021/09/29 |
Assessor(s) | J.H. Vlok, D. Raimondo & T. Patel |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 4775 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 44 km². It occurs in scattered, small subpopulations. The population size is fewer than 10 000 mature individuals and is declining by at least 10% within one generation (10 years) due to overgrazing. It is therefore listed as Vulnerable under criteria C. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is endemic to South Africa, and is found from Anysberg to Calitzdorp in Western Cape. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Western Little Karoo, Oudshoorn Karroid Thicket |
Description | Plants grow in karroid shrubland, in shale-derived soils on stony flats and dry sandstone outcrops. |
Threats |
| This species is declining due to overgrazing and agricultural expansion. During a survey for the vegetation map of the Little Karoo, many areas where this species were found in small numbers were degraded due to heavy overgrazing (J.H. Vlok pers. obs.). |
Population |
It occurs in small, localized subpopulations (Manning and Goldblatt 2010) with nine known locations. The total population size is estimated as fewer than 10 000 mature individuals and has declined by at least 10% within one generation (J.H. Vlok pers. comm.).
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Freesia speciosa L.Bolus | VU B1ab(iii,v); C1 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Freesia speciosa L.Bolus | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Freesia speciosa L.Bolus | Rare | 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. 2010. Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia. Strelitzia 27:1-114. 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.
Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A.L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
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Citation |
| Vlok, J.H., Raimondo, D. & Patel, T. 2021. Freesia speciosa L.Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/11 |
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