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Scientific Name | Lachenalia orthopetala Jacq. |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | HYACINTHACEAE |
Synonyms | Lachenalia ustulata Banks ex Schult. & Schult.f. |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2018/09/27 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | Lachenalia orthopetala has a restricted range, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 3655 km². Between six and 10 locations remain after 90% habitat loss to urban and agricultural expansion. It continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, and is therefore listed as Vulnerable under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it occurs on the coastal lowlands between Durbanville and Piketberg. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Swartland Shale Renosterveld, Swartland Granite Renosterveld, Swartland Silcrete Renosterveld, Swartland Alluvium Renosterveld |
Description | It occurs on seasonally inundated clay flats in renosterveld. |
Threats |
| Lachenalia orthopetala has historically lost 90% of its habitat to agricultural expansion, and only very small, isolated fragments remain. Loss to urban expansion continues in the southern parts of its range, while subpopulations in the Swartland are threatened by ongoing habitat degradation due to overgrazing, inappropriate fire management and spreading alien invasive plants. |
Population |
This species is gregarious, occurring in large colonies on seasonally inundated flats (Duncan 2012). The population continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Lachenalia orthopetala Jacq. | VU B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Duncan, G.D. 1988. Lachenalia handbook. Annals of Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden 17:1-71.
Duncan, G.D. 2012. The genus Lachenalia. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2000. Cape Plants: A conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.
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. 2018. Lachenalia orthopetala Jacq. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/16 |
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