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Scientific Name | Erica recurvata Andrews |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ERICACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(ii) |
Assessment Date | 2021/06/23 |
Assessor(s) | R.C. Turner |
Justification | This species was thought to be a European garden hybrid only known from a drawing published in the early 1800s. It had not been seen or collected in the wild until rediscovered by Ross Turner on 30 August 2007. This species is now known from one wild population of 87 plants with an extent of occurrence (EOO) and Area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km² and is threatened by invasive alien infestation and too frequent fires. It is therefore assessed as Critically Endangered under criteria B and C. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species has a very limited distribution in Soetmuisberg above Napier, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Overberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in rock crevices on low, rocky outcrops on mountain ridge tops and plateaus. |
Threats |
| The density of invasive alien plants has increased substantially since 2007. Alien pine density in the western portion of the population where the majority of individuals (50 mature individuals) occur is now extremely high, pines are over 10 m tall and their biomass is such that any future fire will be extremely hot and is likely to cause this portion of the population to be lost. There are also scattered alien invasive plants present along the remaining portion of the ridge within the species' immediate habitat. Alien plants throughout this species range require ongoing clearing and management to avoid this species and other native plants being outcompeted. The area was historically frequently burnt as an agricultural management practice, and this may have affected recruitment within the population, and may be the reason why the population is so small and plants can only be found in rocky crevices where they are protected from fire. |
Population |
Currently known from only one population of ± 87 plants (as of counts done in 2013). The population trend is likely declining due to extremely high levels of invasive alien plant infestations. Until 2007, this species was only known from a painting by Andrews and from plants in cultivation in Europe, and was thought to be a garden hybrid. It was only when a small wild subpopulation was discovered near Napier that the origin of the plants was confirmed as South Africa. Seed was presumably collected at the Cape by Niven around 1810 and sent to England where plants were grown, flowered, and then illustrated and published by Andrews.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is protected in the Sunbird Conservancy, Napier. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Erica recurvata Andrews | CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Bolus, H., Guthrie, F. and Brown, N.E. 1909. Ericaceae. In: W.T. Thiselton-Dyer (ed). Flora Capensis IV Section I (Vacciniaceae to Gentianeae):2-418. Lovell Reeve & Co., Ltd., London.
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 |
| Turner, R.C. 2021. Erica recurvata Andrews. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/14 |
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