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Scientific Name | Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
Synonyms | Anisanthus caryophyllaceus (Burm.f.) Klatt, Antholyza caryophyllaceae (Burm.f.) Roem. & Schult., Freesia elimensis L.Bolus, Freesia herbertii Klatt ex N.E.Br., Freesia parva N.E.Br., Freesia xanthospila (DC.) Klatt, Gladiolus xanthospilus DC., Ixia caryophyllacea Burm.f., Montbretia xanthospila (DC.) Heynh., Tritonia xanthospila (DC) Ker Gawl. ex Spreng., Waitzia xanthospila (DC.) Heynh. |
Common Names | Kammetjie (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2021/09/27 |
Assessor(s) | P. Goldblatt, L. von Staden & T. Patel |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 19 982 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 260 km². At least 35 locations remain of this formerly widespread and common species. It is now largely confined to small fragments due to over 68% habitat loss to crop cultivation. This decline in habitat continues. It is therefore listed as Near Threatened, almost meeting criteria B to be listed as Vulnerable. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is endemic to South Africa, and is common in the southwestern Cape lowlands. It is found from Wolseley to Heidelberg, Hermanus and the Agulhas Plain in Western Cape. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Breede Shale Renosterveld, Eastern Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Central Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Western Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Ruens Silcrete Renosterveld, Breede Alluvium Renosterveld, De Hoop Limestone Fynbos, Agulhas Limestone Fynbos, Greyton Shale Fynbos, Elgin Shale Fynbos, Breede Shale Fynbos, Elim Ferricrete Fynbos, Agulhas Sand Fynbos, Swellendam Silcrete Fynbos, Cape Lowland Alluvial Vegetation |
Description | It occurs in lowland and alluvial shale and silcrete renosterveld and fynbos, occasionally in limestone fynbos. |
Threats |
| This species' habitat is already 68% transformed (calculated using landcover data in GIS), predominantly for crop cultivation. It has also lost habitat to urban expansion, and on the Agulhas Plain remaining subpopulations are threatened by competition from alien invasive plants. Most subpopulations occur on small fragments among crop fields, where they are subjected to heavy overgrazing as these small fragments are frequently overstocked. |
Population |
It is a widespread, and formerly abundant species that has declined extensively due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Although still fairly common, the decline continues, and subpopulations are increasingly isolated in small fragments of natural vegetation. Between 50-100 plants were observed in a commonage in Napier in 2016 and a subpopulation occurring on the road to Karwyderskraal also had between 50-100 plants in 2015. In 2022, 50 plants and less than 10 plants were observed in two subpopulations near Napier, while less than 10 plants were observed in the Overberg district municipality in the same year.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. | Declining | 2012.1 | | Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. | Declining | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Freesia elimensis L.Bolus | Rare | 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. 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.
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Citation |
| Goldblatt, P., von Staden, L. & Patel, T. 2021. Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/10 |
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