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Scientific Name | Rhynchosia vendae C.H.Stirt. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | FABACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2008/04/06 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | EOO 900-1400 km², known from five to eight locations. About 38% of the habitat in the western part of the range is already transformed, mainly by human settlements and subsistence agriculture. Ongoing habitat loss due to expanding human settlements is causing a continuing decline. This species is also potentially threatened by harvesting of rootstocks for medicinal purposes. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Limpopo |
Range | Eastern Soutpansberg Mountains, Tengwe to Punda Maria-Pafuri area in the Kruger National Park. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Nwambyia-Pumbe Sandy Bushveld, Makuleke Sandy Bushveld |
Description | Variety of habitats within Makuleke Sandy Bushveld, including wooded watercourses, open grassy sandveld and rocky outcrops. |
Threats |
| The vegetation type in which this species occurs is ± 38% transformed, mainly by subsistence agriculture in the western part of the range. There is also likely to be ongoing habitat loss due to expansion of human settlements in the Venda area. Three to four subpopulations are protected within the Kruger National Park, and these may ultimately be the only ones to persist if habitat loss outside the park continues.
The rootstocks are used as a cough remedy by the local population (Hahn 2002), but this species is not known to be traded in large volumes on commercial muthi markets, and medicinal harvesting is, therefore, not likely to be a serious threat.
Removal of woody vegetation for building materials and firewood could also potentially lead to declines as a result of habitat loss as this climbing species may depend on woody vegetation. However, according to Stirton (1982) it can also occur in open grassy areas and, therefore, it is not certain whether this species is entirely dependent on woody hosts or not. |
Population |
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Rhynchosia vendae C.H.Stirt. | VU B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Rhynchosia vendae C.H.Stirt. | Insufficiently Known | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Hahn, N. 2002. Endemic flora of the Soutpansberg. Unpublished MSc, Univeristy of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.
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.
Stirton, C.H. 1982. A new species of Rhynchosia from Venda. Bothalia 14:76-77.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2008. Rhynchosia vendae C.H.Stirt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/09/15 |
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