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Scientific Name | Albizia suluensis Gerstner |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | FABACEAE |
Common Names | Ingwebu-enkulu (z), Ungwebo-omkulu (z), Unyazangoma (z), Zulu Albizia (e), Zulu False-thorn (e), Zulu-valsdoring (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v); C2a(ii) |
Assessment Date | 2021/03/19 |
Assessor(s) | C.R. Scott-Shaw, J.E. Victor, L. von Staden & A.E. van Wyk |
Justification | Trees occur as one large continuous population, this species has a limited extent of occurrence (EOO) of 330-400 km², but there are two locations: the portion of the subpopulation that is protected inside the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, and the trees in forest patches outside the reserve, that are all impacted on by harvesting for firewood, building materials and medicine. The population is estimated to be 1000-2500 mature individuals and with all mature individuals occurring in one subpopulation this species qualifies for listing as Endangered under criteria B and C. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is endemic to the KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa, where it occurs from Hlabisa to Hluhluwe. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Zululand Lowveld, Scarp Forest |
Description | Plants grow in scarp forest, riverine thicket and open woodland, often along streams, usually along the upper altitudinal perimeter and on steep slopes. |
Threats |
| This species occurs in a densely populated rural area, where dependence on natural resources is high. Trees are harvested outside the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve for firewood and building materials, and the forests are also being cleared for subsistence farming (C.R. Scott-Shaw pers. comm.). According to Gerstner (1947), the bark is harvested for medicinal use. Much of the area is also heavily infested with Chromolaena, an alien invasive plant, which spreads most rapidly in response to disturbance. |
Population |
All the trees in the various forest patches are considered to be a single subpopulation, as these areas are interconnected and gene flow by means of pollination and seed dispersal is possible. There are two locations: the portion of the population that is protected inside the reserve, and the trees in forest patches outside the reserve, that are all impacted on by harvesting for firewood, building materials and medicine. (C.R. Scott-Shaw pers. comm. 2007). The remaining population is estimated to number between 1000 and 2500 mature individuals, and severe declines have been observed through monitoring. Recent observations from iNaturalist collected in 2019 and 2020 indicate that stands of individuals can be small, fewer than 10 plants and threats of timber harvesting and competition are severe.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved within the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Albizia suluensis Gerstner | EN B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v); C2a(ii) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Albizia suluensis Gerstner | VU A1c, B1B2abcde, C1C2a, D1D2 | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Albizia suluensis Gerstner | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Albizia suluensis Gerstner | Rare | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Boon, R. 2010. Pooley's Trees of eastern South Africa. Flora and Fauna Publications Trust, Durban.
Gerstner, J. 1947. Albizia suluensis. Journal of South African Botany 13:62-64.
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.
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Citation |
| Scott-Shaw, C.R., Victor, J.E., von Staden, L. & van Wyk, A.E. 2021. Albizia suluensis Gerstner. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/12 |
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