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Scientific Name | Aloe dominella Reynolds |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | ASPHODELACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(ii,iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2018/11/08 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Aloe dominella has a restricted distribution range (extent of occurrence 13 359 km²), and is known from 15-26 locations. It is declining due to overgrazing across its range. Therefore it nearly meets the thresholds for the category Vulnerable under the criteria B1ab. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Free State, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is endemic to the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa, occurring from Mooi River to Bergville, and north-eastwards to Vryheid, and the eastern Free State near the Sterkfontein Dam. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Thukela Thornveld, Mooi River Highland Grassland, Income Sandy Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Highland Thornveld, Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Low Escarpment Moist Grassland, Northern Zululand Mistbelt Grassland, Basotho Montane Shrubland, Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland |
Description | It occurs in hilly or gently undulating areas in grassland or thornveld, often in rocky outcrops. It has also been recorded in open grasslands and along road reserves. |
Threats |
| The area where this species is found is mainly used as grazing lands, mostly for cattle but other livestock such as goats are also farmed. A small proportion (16%) of grassland habitat has been lost to crops and development (calculated using GIS, based on land cover data). In some areas, especially communally owned land, such as between Bergville and Colenso and around Rourke's Drift, heavy overgrazing appears to be impacting on subpopulations of A. dominella (Craib 2005). In the Bergville district subpopulations are very small and restricted to sites among large boulders where they are protected from grazing and trampling, but is not found in other areas of suitable habitat at the edges of large rocky sheets or in open rocky grasslands (Craib 2005).
Around Rourke's drift and Estcourt A. dominella is quite frequent in road reserves where rangelands are fenced, and appear to have declined within the grazing areas (Craib 2005).
A. dominella is dependent on fires to flower, but since grassland fires are also used to manage grazing quality, it is unlikely that fire exclusion is a threat. Craib's observations found some subpopulations to be lacking juveniles and seedlings. This may be either due to the poor seed set or to too frequent annual fires preventing the establishment of young seedlings (Craib 2005).
Invasion by exotic black wattle, especially in the Estcourt district, is potentially threatening the habitat of some subpopulations of A. dominella (Craib 2005). Furthermore, poor veld and fire management in some rangelands is leading to dense Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum) invasions, which poses a further threat to some subpopulations in the Free State (A.B. Walton pers. obs. 2018 and 2019). |
Population |
Aloe dominella is known from several scattered subpopulations. A continuing population decline is inferred from ongoing grazing pressure, and field observations recording the disappearance of this species in heavily grazed rangelands.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aloe dominella Reynolds | NT B1ab(ii,iii,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Aloe dominella Reynolds | Lower Risk - Least Concern | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Aloe dominella Reynolds | Not Threatened | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Craib, C. 2005. Grass Aloes in the South African Veld. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
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.
Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
Smith, G.F., Steyn, E.M.A., Victor, J.E., Crouch, N.R., Golding, J.S. and Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. Aloaceae: The conservation status of Aloe in South Africa: an updated synopsis. Bothalia 30(2):206-211.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 1996. Guide to the aloes of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2018. Aloe dominella Reynolds. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/05 |
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