Dune Aloe

Taxonomy

Scientific Name

Aloe thraskii Baker

Higher Classification

Monocotyledons

Family

ASPHODELACEAE

Common Names

Dune Aloe (e), Ikhala (x), Strand Aloe (e), Strand-aalwyn (a), Umhlaba (z)

National Status

Status and Criteria

Near Threatened B1ab(iii,iv)+2ab(iii,iv)

Assessment Date

2019/05/30

Assessor(s)

H. Mtshali, C.R. Scott-Shaw, B. Church & L. von Staden

Justification

This species is a localized habitat specialist with a narrow distribution range. It has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 2687 kmÂ² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 152 kmÂ². It is declining due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation across most of its range, but is still fairly common, with recent field observations indicating that it persists at more than 10 locations. Therefore it nearly meets the threshold for Vulnerable under criterion B.

Distribution

Endemism

South African endemic

Provincial distribution

Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal

Range

This species has a limited distribution along the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape coast, where it occurs from Mtunzini to Port St Johns.

Habitat and Ecology

Major system

Terrestrial

Major habitats

Northern Coastal Forest, Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland, Subtropical Seashore Vegetation

Description

It occurs in dense coastal bush on dunes from the beach margin to a few hundred metres inland, but no further than the top of the first sea-facing slope.

Threats

The main threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation due to coastal development, which is ongoing across this species' range in KwaZulu-Natal. Due to the degradation and transformation of the coast many dune systems have become very fragile, and subsequently they are more easily damaged by severe storms as experienced during 2007, when a number of subpopulations were impacted (B. Church pers. comm.). Severe storms are also likely to become more frequent with climate change, and may impact more severely on dune systems in the future. More recent field observations (2013-2018) noted increasing number of plants disturbed, uprooted and damaged by storm surges. Additional threats include removal of plants for horticultural purposes â�� this species grows in highly accessible, densely populated areas, and it is quite likely that many plants are removed (B. Church pers. comm.).

Population

In spite of extensive habitat loss, recent observations indicate that A. thraskii is still common along the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. The population is however fragmented by habitat loss and degradation, and subpopulations tend to be small, usually consisting of less than 50 mature individuals. There are fewer records from the Eastern Cape coast south of the Umtamvuna River, but it is likely to be under-sampled, as this area is much less accessible than further north. A continuing decline is inferred from ongoing habitat loss and degradation.

Population trend

Decreasing

Assessment History

Taxon assessed	Status and Criteria	Citation/Red List version
Aloe thraskii Baker	NT A2c	Raimondo et al. (2009)
Aloe thraskii Baker	Lower Risk - Near Threatened	Scott-Shaw (1999)

Bibliography

Boon, R. 2010. Pooley's Trees of eastern South Africa. Flora and Fauna Publications Trust, Durban.

Germishuizen, G., Meyer, N.L., Steenkamp, Y. and Keith, M. (eds). 2006. A checklist of South African plants. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 41 SABONET, Pretoria.

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.

Mucina, L. and Rutherford, M.C. (eds). 2006. The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity 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.

Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.

Rouget, M., Reyers, B., Jonas, Z., Desmet, P., Driver, A., Maze, K., Egoh, B. and Cowling, R.M. 2004. South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report. Volume 1: Terrestrial component. 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, B.-E. and Smith, G.F. 2014. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. (Third ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.

Citation

Mtshali, H., Scott-Shaw, C.R., Church, B. & von Staden, L. 2019. Aloe thraskii Baker. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/14

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