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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.
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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 Vogel | Least 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.
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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 |