|
Scientific Name | Marasmodes defoliata S.Ortiz |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2012/05/04 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo, I. Ebrahim & R. Koopman |
Justification | Known only from one subpopulation at Riverlands Nature Reserve, which consists of localized stands of individuals scattered across the reserve within a specialized ecological niche. The population consists of between 1000 and 2000 mature individuals. Dense infestations of alien invasive plants that surround the reserve and constantly invade into the reserve are resulting in ongoing degradation of habitat quality. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Malmesbury. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Atlantis Sand Fynbos |
Description | Seasonally moist lowland acid sands on flats. |
Threats |
| This species is likely to have lost habitat to crop cultivation and severe infestations of alien plants in the past. The only extant subpopulation occurs within a reserve which is surrounded by dense infestations of alien plants, and constant alien clearing and management is required to prevent reinvasion and further habitat degradation. |
Population |
Marasmodes defoliata is known from a single, localized subpopulation. There is only one historical record, from an unspecified locality in the area between Darling and Malmesbury, which is within the same area where the only known extant subpopulation occurs. The subpopulation consists of localised stands growing on the edges of seasonally inundated soils. It is being monitored annually by volunteers from the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers programme, and between 2010 and 2012 the subpopulation has not shown any decline and there is recruitment. After a recent fire, there has been extensive regeneration of alien invasive wattles in the reserve, and these are likely to cause further population decline if left unmanaged.
|
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Marasmodes defoliata S.Ortiz | CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) | 2012.1 | |
Bibliography |
Manning, J.C. and Goldblatt, P. 2012. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape Flora. Strelitzia 29. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Ortiz, S. 2009. Eight new species of Marasmodes (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from South Africa. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 159:330-342.
|
Citation |
| Raimondo, D., Ebrahim, I. & Koopman, R. 2012. Marasmodes defoliata S.Ortiz. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/10 |
Comment on this assessment
