Honeybush-tea

Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Cyclopia subternata Vogel
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
FABACEAE
Synonyms
Cyclopia grandiflora A.DC., Cyclopia grandifolia Benth., Cyclopia latifolia Eckl. & Zeyh., Cyclopia latifolia Walp. (in part), Cyclopia subternata Vogel var. subternata, Cyclopia vogelii Harv. (in part), Cyclopia vogelii Harv. var. subternata (Vogel) Harv. (in part)
Common Names
Heuningbostee (a), Honeybush-tea (e), Vleitee (a)
National Status
Status and Criteria
Near Threatened B1b(iii,v)+2b(iii,v)
Assessment Date
2022/08/22
Assessor(s)
N.N. Mhlongo, A.L. Schutte-Vlok & D. Raimondo
Justification
This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 8 394 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 364 km². It occurs in more than 30 locations. It is declining due to habitat loss, encroachment by invasive alien species and harvesting of wild plants for the honey bush tea industry. Overharvesting has been noted to be causing declines to subpopulations particularly in the Langkloof, Tsitsikamma and Kouga mountain ranges. Despite harvesting it is still widespread and it occurs at many locations. Therefore it nearly meets the thresholds for Vulnerable under criterion B and it is listed as Near Threatened.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Western Cape
Range
This species is widely distributed over coastal mountain ranges from Langeberg in the Western Cape to Tsitsikamma in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Fynbos
Description
It occurs in mountain fynbos on sandstone seeps. Plants are single stemmed shrubs which are up to 3.2 m tall which do not resprout after fires. As a reseeder, the plant depends on efficient seedling regeneration from seeds in the soil seed bank.
Threats
This species is declining due to the unsustainable harvesting for the honey bush tea industry. It constitutes approximately 10% of commercial wild harvested honeybush crop (Ackhurst et al., 2022; McGregor, 2017). The illegal harvesting (poaching) of leaves and branches for tea has been reported in many areas and populations have been reported to be declining particularly in the Langkloof, Tsitsikamma and Kouga mountain ranges. As this species does not resprout, it is particularly vulnerable to overharvesting. There has been a long term trade in honeybush but the honeybush tea industry has slowly declined since 2012 and the volumes exported have dropped drastically from 300 tons to only 100 tons exported in 2021 (Gerrie Ferreira, pers. comm 2022). Invasive alien species such as black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and pine (Pinus sp.) outcompete this species, leading to reduced population sizes (Ackhurst et al., 2022). Land transformation due to agricultural activities and infrastructure development has infiltrated this species range and is causing additional declines to the population. About 19% of this species' range has been transformed (calculated using landcover GIS).
Population

The population is declining due to overharvesting, but the rate of decline is unknown. This species is still widespread and has over 250 observations on iNaturalist.


Population trend
Decreasing
Notes
A reseeder not capable of resprouting after fire.
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Cyclopia subternata VogelLeast Concern Raimondo et al. (2009)
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.


McGregor, G.K. 2017. Guidelines for the sustainable harvesting of wild honeybush. Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, 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.


Schutte, A.L. 1997. Systematics of the genus Cyclopia Vent. (Fabaceae, Podalyrieae). Edinburgh Journal of Botany 54(2):125-170.


Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A.L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.


Citation
Mhlongo, N.N., Schutte-Vlok, A.L. & Raimondo, D. 2022. Cyclopia subternata Vogel. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/02/11

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Distribution map

© D. Turner

© D. Turner

© D. Turner

© J.H. Vlok/A.L. Schutte-Vlok


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