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Scientific Name | Eucomis humilis Baker |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | HYACINTHACEAE |
Common Names | Dwarf Pineapple Lily (e), Pineapple Flower (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2020/02/18 |
Assessor(s) | V.L. Williams, D. Raimondo, N.R. Crouch, A.B. Cunningham, C.R. Scott-Shaw, M. Lötter & A.M. Ngwenya |
Justification | Eucomis humilis is a widespread, but rare and localized species. It is possibly threatened by over-exploitation for traditional medicine, but the impact of harvesting on the population is not suspected to be severe at present. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is restricted to the KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho Drakensberg, from Mont-aux-Sources to Ngele Mountain near Kokstad. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Drakensberg Foothill Moist Grassland, Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland, uKhahlamba Basalt Grassland, Drakensberg-Amathole Afromontane Fynbos, Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Drakensberg Afroalpine Heathland, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Midlands Mistbelt Grassland, Mooi River Highland Grassland, East Griqualand Grassland |
Description | It is localized to rocky stream gullies, wet rock overhangs and seeps below cliffs in high-altitude montane grassland, 1800-2800 m. |
Threats |
| All Eucomis species are popular in traditional medicine. This species is however not commonly encountered in muthi markets. It is potentially vulnerable to over-exploitation due to its relative rarity and more restricted range, but also occurs in less accessible, remote montane areas than other Eucomis species. The impact of harvesting on the population is not currently known. |
Population |
Subpopulations of this species tend to be small and localized. The population trend is not known, but it is possibly declining due to harvesting for medicinal purposes. It requires monitoring.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Eucomis humilis Baker | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Eucomis humilis Baker | Not Threatened | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Eucomis humilis Baker | Rare | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
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.
Pooley, E. 2003. Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.
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.
Reyneke, W.F. 1972. 'n Monografiese studie van die genus Eucomis L'Herit. in Suid-Afrika. Unpublished M.Sc., University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Williams, V.L., Raimondo, D., Crouch, N.R., Cunningham, A.B., Scott-Shaw, C.R., Lötter, M. & Ngwenya, A.M. 2020. Eucomis humilis Baker. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/12 |
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