Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Moraea exiliflora Goldblatt
Higher Classification
Monocotyledons
Family
IRIDACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2017/05/20
Assessor(s)
L. von Staden
Justification
This species is widespread across the Little Karoo, but rarely recorded. This species is likely to be overlooked, rather than rare or threatened. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Western Cape
Range
This species is found in the Little Karoo, Touwsberg, Klein Swartberg and eastwards to the Langkloof west of Uniondale.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Fynbos
Description
Plants grow in weathered, seasonally wet rock faces, in pockets of soil on narrow ledges, 1000-1500 m.
Threats
This species occurs in montane areas where there are no severe threats.
Population

This species was previously known only from a small area in the Klein Swartberg near Ladismith. Recent collections have greatly extended the known range (Goldblatt and Manning 2013). This species has small flowers that open only briefly in the late afternoon, and therefore it is easily overlooked. It is therefore suspected to be much more common than collection records suggest.


Population trend
Stable
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Moraea exiliflora GoldblattLC 2020.1
Moraea exiliflora GoldblattCritically Rare Raimondo et al. (2009)
Bibliography

Goldblatt, P. 1986. The Moraeas of Southern Africa: a systematic monograph of the genus in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Transkei, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Annals of Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens 14:1-224. National Botanic Gardens in association with the Missouri Botanical Garden, USA, Cape Town.


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. Eight new species of Moraea (Iridaceae) from southern Africa with range extensions and morphological notes on the genus. Bothalia 43(2):153-165.


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.


Citation
von Staden, L. 2017. Moraea exiliflora Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/10/08

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Distribution map

© J.H. Vlok/A.L. Schutte-Vlok


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