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Scientific Name | Melhania polygama I.Verd. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | MALVACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Rare |
Assessment Date | 2018/05/14 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | A very rare and poorly known species, last recorded in 1964. It is known from a single location, but it is possibly overlooked in other similar habitat. The only known subpopulation is in a protected area and is not threatened. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | Umfolozi Game Reserve. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Northern Zululand Sourveld |
Description | Grassy hill slopes. |
Threats |
| There are no known threats to the only known subpopulation as it occurs within a protected area. Similar habitat extends outside the reserve, and if the species occurs in these areas, it could potentially be threatened. |
Population |
A rare and very poorly known species. It has been recorded once, from a single hill in the Umfolozi Game Reserve in 1964. Similar suitable habitat needs to be surveyed, as more subpopulations are likely to exist.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Melhania polygama I.Verd. | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Melhania polygama I.Verd. | Indeterminate | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
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.
Verdoorn, I.C. 1981. Revision of Melhania in southern Africa. Bothalia 13(3&4):263-273.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2018. Melhania polygama I.Verd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2023/12/04 |
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