This species is known from a single, extensive subpopulation of several thousand mature individuals around the foot of Vanrhyns Pass (P. Goldblatt pers. comm. 2006). It is likely that more subpopulations exist in similar, suitable habitat to the north and south of this locality that still remains unexplored (N.A. Helme pers. comm. 2013). Flowers open only in the late afternoon, increasing the likelihood that subpopulations of this species may be overlooked (Goldblatt and Manning 2014). There are no severe threats to this species and therefore the population is not suspected to be declining.

Goldblatt, P. 1976. The genus Moraea in the winter rainfall region of southern Africa. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 63(4):657-786.

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. 2014. Taxonomy of the Moraea saxicola complex (Iridaceae: Iridoideae) of arid, western southern Africa, with the new species, M. acocksii, M. geminifolia, M. quartzicola and M. teretifolia. South African Journal of Botany 91:75-83.

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.