Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Erica turgida Salisb.
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
ERICACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Extinct in the Wild
Assessment Date
2007/02/11
Assessor(s)
E.G.H. Oliver, R.C. Turner & D. Pillay
Justification
This species formerly occurred on the Cape Flats around Rondebosch, Kenilworth and on the Royal Cape Golf Course in the Wynberg area. It has gone extinct at all sites as a result of urban development. It survives as a cultivated species at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. It is therefore listed as Extinct in the Wild.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Western Cape
Range
This species formerly occurred in the Cape Flats.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Fynbos
Description
Plants grow in seasonally wet depressions and stream banks in fynbos.
Threats
This species is extinct in the wild due to habitat loss to urban expansion of the city of Cape Town. The last known wild population was lost to urban development in the 1980s.
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Erica turgida Salisb.Extinct in the Wild Raimondo et al. (2009)
Erica turgida Salisb.Extinct Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Erica turgida Salisb.Extinct Hall et al. (1980)
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.


Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.


Helme, N.A. and Trinder-Smith, T.H. 2006. The endemic flora of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 72(2):205-210.


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.


Schumann, D., Kirsten, G. and Oliver, E.G.H. 1992. Ericas of South Africa. Fernwood Press, Cape Town.


Citation
Oliver, E.G.H., Turner, R.C. & Pillay, D. 2007. Erica turgida Salisb. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/06/29

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Distribution map

© C. Merry

© C. Merry

© R.C. Turner


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