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Scientific Name | Elegia fucata Esterh. |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | RESTIONACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable D2 |
Assessment Date | 2017/04/13 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | Elegia fucata is a highly localized species, known from one location. It is potentially threatened by competition from alien invasive plants and too frequent fire. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the upper northern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains at Jonaskop in the Western Cape. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | North Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in seeps and along streams, often in deeper soil, 1500-1600 m. |
Threats |
| This species is a reseeder, which means that it is killed by veld fires and regenerates from soil-stored seeds. Too frequent fires could quickly lead to a depletion of soil seedbank, and failure of post-fire recruitment. The southern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountain just below the summit of Jonaskop is densely infested with uncontrolled alien invasive pines. Recently the pines have started spreading onto the northern slopes, and could potentially outcompete the small, localized population of this species in future. |
Population |
This species is a highly localized habitat specialist, and is locally common in seeps and along drainage lines, but absent from dry ridges. It possibly also occurs in similar habitat elsewhere on the Riviersonderend Mountains, and its potential distribution range has not yet been fully explored (Linder 2011). The population is not currently declining, but this species could rapidly become Critically Endangered or even extinct if potential threats were to materialize.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Elegia fucata Esterh. | VU D2 | 2020.1 | | Elegia fucata Esterh. | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Linder, H.P. 1985. Conspectus of the African species of Restionaceae. Bothalia 15(3&4):387-503.
Linder, H.P. 2011. The African Restionaceae: an Interactive Key identification and description system. Version 6. http://www.systbot.uzh.ch/Bestimmungsschluessel/Restionaceae_en.html. Downloaded.
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.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2017. Elegia fucata Esterh. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/09/14 |
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