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Scientific Name | Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | AGAVACEAE |
Synonyms | Anthericum radula Baker |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2008/03/14 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden & P.J.D. Winter |
Justification | First described in the 1880s from a collection from an unspecified location in the Woodbush area. It was not seen again for almost 100 years until a small population of only 20-30 mature individuals was found in 1999 in the same area, on a rock outcrop in grassland between a road and timber plantations. Three other small subpopulations have since been found within an area of ± 170 km². Since the 1800s over 90% of the grasslands in the Woodbush-Tzaneen area have been transformed to forestry plantations. The four subpopulations occur on tiny grassland fragments (AOO estimated <1 km²) that are extremely fragmented and are threatened by alien plant invasion, poor fire management and ongoing expansion of plantations. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Limpopo |
Range | Tzaneen, Woodbush. Collected once in 1880 and rediscovered in 1999. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Woodbush Granite Grassland |
Description | Mistbelt grassland. Grows in crevices on sheetrock of a granite-gneiss outcrop, 1900 m. |
Threats |
| Since the collection of the type specimen in the late 1800's, mistbelt grasslands in the Woodbush area have been >90% transformed to exotic timber plantations. Tiny remaining grassland fragments along roads and in fire breaks like the one in which the few known subpopulations of C. radula occur are severely degraded by invasive alien encroachment and poor fire management (D. McMurtry pers. comm., PJD Winter pers. obs.) - fragments are either burnt too frequently when they serve as fire breaks or not at all due to their isolation and risk to the plantations. C. radula is probably somewhat protected because it grows on exposed rock sheets that are unsuitable for plantations, and protected from too frequent fires but are also a refuge for fire sensitive alien invasive species. One site, where a subpopulation of this species occurs, has had new plantations established on it recently that has further reduced its grassland habitat. |
Population |
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal | CR B2ab(iii) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Obermeyer, A.A. 1962. A revision of the South African species of Anthericum, Chlorophytum and Trachyandra. Bothalia 7:669-767.
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. & Winter, P.J.D. 2008. Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/01/18 |
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