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Scientific Name | Romulea pilosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2016/11/09 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | Two small, isolated subpopulations are known (AOO estimated to be <10 km²), and the population is considered severely fragmented. It continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Overberg between Greyton and Riviersonderend. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Central Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Greyton Shale Fynbos |
Description | Shale renosterveld. |
Threats |
| This species' renosterveld habitat is already more than 95% transformed to crop fields. Only small fragments remain, typically sites that are unsuitable to ploughing. These small fragments however continue to be degraded due to overgrazing, a lack of fire, and herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer runoff from surrounding crop fields, which promote the spread of alien invasive grasses. |
Population |
This species was first collected in the early 1930s, from an unspecified locality near Riviersonderend. It remained known only from a single, poor specimen made from cultivated material. It was recently rediscovered at two locations. In 2009 a small subpopulation of fewer than 50 plants was counted in a small fragment surrounded by still expanding crop fields. In 2014 a second subpopulation of around 500-1000 plants were found near Greyton. This species may have been more widespread in the past, but it is not possible to determine its former distribution range as its habitat is now more than 95% transformed. The population continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Romulea pilosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt | CR B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(i,ii); D | 2013.1 | |
Bibliography |
Manning, J.C., Goldblatt, P. and Harrower, A.D. 2011. Romulea pilosa and R. quartzicola (Iridaceae: Crocoideae), two new species from the southern African winter rainfall region, with nomenclatural corrections including new names for R. amoena, R. neglecta and R. rosea var. reflexa. Bothalia 41(2):269-276.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2016. Romulea pilosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/19 |
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