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Scientific Name | Pseudosalacia streyi Codd |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | CELASTRACEAE |
Common Names | Bastard Lemon (e), Klip-lemoen (a), Pondo Rock Lemon (e), Pondo-kliplemoen (a), Rock Lemon (e), Uvongo-saffraan (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(i) |
Assessment Date | 2007/10/26 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden & A.T.D. Abbott |
Justification | A rare tree found in only a small area within Pondoland (EOO 500 km²), where it occurs in isolated clumps within a highly specialized habitat. Known from nine subpopulations, but a few more may exist in unexplored river gorges. Subpopulations are small, consisting of no more than 60 mature individuals, and are severely fragmented. The total population is estimated to be 540-1000 mature individuals. There is a continuing decline in at least two subpopulations as a result of harvesting of wood for fuel and building materials and a deleterious fire regime. It is likely that other subpopulations are also declining especially those that extend to forest margins. A lack of recruitment is of concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | Pondoland, Izotsha River to Mtentu River. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Northern Coastal Forest, Scarp Forest |
Description | Scarp forest on sandstone along rocky stream banks in river gorges, sometimes extending to forest margins, 50-200 m. |
Threats |
| Two sub-populations at Izotsha Falls and the Uvongo River occur in small forest fragments (5-10 ha each) amidst densely populated rural areas. Already in the 1980s, Van Wyk (1984) reported that these forests were being severely degraded by the indiscriminate harvesting of wood for fuel and building materials. These sub-populations may already be locally extinct, but surveys are needed to determine this for certain.
From the Umtamvuna River to the Mtentu River, sub-populations are fairly secure as they grow in steep ravines and below inaccessible cliffs. However, within the narrower kloof forests, dense clumps do extend to forest margins, where individuals are vulnerable to the impacts of too frequent and intense grassland fires, as well as the indiscriminate harvesting of wood for fuel and building materials.
Parts of the Mtentu River is invaded by Chromolaena odorata (K. van der Walt pers. obs.) - this may become a severe threat in future if the present scattered individuals are not cleared.
An apparent lack of recruitment is also concerning - no juveniles or seedlings are present at known sub-populations although viable seed is produced (Scott-Shaw 1999). |
Population |
According to Scott-Shaw (1999), there are eight subpopulations. Herbarium records indicate that there is one subpopulation on the Izotsha River (one location); one subpopulation on the Uvongo River (one location); at least four subpopulations in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve (one location); one on the Mzamba River (one location) and two on the north and south banks of the Mtentu River (two locations, one protected in the Mkambati Reserve, the other on communal land on the north bank). There could be a few other subpopulations (not more than five) in unexplored tributaries of the Mpahlane and Mnyameni Rivers between the Umtamvuna and Mkambati.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| This species is protected in the Umtamvuna and Mkambati Nature Reserves. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Pseudosalacia streyi Codd | EN B1ab(iii,v); C2a(i) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Pseudosalacia streyi Codd | EN | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Pseudosalacia streyi Codd | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Pseudosalacia streyi Codd | Rare | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Boon, R. 2010. Pooley's Trees of eastern South Africa. Flora and Fauna Publications Trust, Durban.
Feely, J. 1993. Changes in Transkein legislation relating to the protection of indigenous flora. Plantlife 8:15-18.
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.
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.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
Van Wyk, A.E. 1984. A new species of Maytenus (Celastraceae) from southern Natal. South African Journal of Botany 3(2):115-119.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. & Abbott, A.T.D. 2007. Pseudosalacia streyi Codd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/15 |
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