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Scientific Name | Aloe myriacantha (Haw.) Schult. & J.H.Schult. |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | ASPHODELACEAE |
Synonyms | Bowiea myriacantha Haw., Leptaloe johnstonii Christian, Leptaloe myriacantha (Haw.) Stapf |
Common Names | Umakhuphulwane (z) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2018/10/31 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Aloe myriacantha is widespread and not in danger of extinction. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is widespread along the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape coast in South Africa, as far south as East London and Grahamstown. It is widespread northwards through Mozambique and Zimbabwe to tropical Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna |
Description | It occurs among rocks in short grassland, from near sea level up to 1600 m. |
Threats |
| Subpopulations in the Grahamstown area are threatened by alien invasive encroachment, and like most grass aloe species, A. myriacantha is also probably sensitive to overgrazing (Craib 2005). However, more collections indicate that it is much more widespread and probably much more common in South Africa than previously thought, and that it was merely overlooked in the past. Van Wyk and Smith (204) and Scott-Shaw (1999) do not consider this species to be threatened. |
Population |
This species is known from only a few, scattered records, but it is inconspicuous and easily overlooked. Recent records have expanded the known range, indicating that it is likely to be more common than records suggest.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aloe myriacantha (Haw.) Schult. & J.H.Schult. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Craib, C. 2005. Grass Aloes in the South African Veld. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
Glen, H.F. and Hardy, D.S. 2000. Aloaceae (First part): Aloe. In: G. Germishuizen (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 5 Part 1, Fascicle 1:1-159. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Kativu, S. 2001. Asphodelaceae. In: G.V. Pope (ed). Flora Zambesiaca 12 (Part 3):25-48. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G.F. 2014. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. (Third ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2018. Aloe myriacantha (Haw.) Schult. & J.H.Schult. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/25 |
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