| Scientific Name | Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.Tryon | Higher Classification | Ferns | Family | CYATHEACEAE | Synonyms | Alsophila baronii Baker, Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.Tryon var. polyphlebia (Baker) Benl, Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.Tryon var. segregata (Baker) Benl, Cyathea angolensis Welw., Cyathea burkei Hook., Cyathea dregei Kunze, Cyathea dregei Kunze var. polyphlebia (Baker) C.Chr., Cyathea dregei Kunze var. segregata (Baker) C.Chr., Cyathea flavovirens Kuhn ex Diels, Cyathea polyphlebia Baker, Cyathea segregata Baker | Common Names | Common Tree Fern (e), Grassland Tree Fern (e), inKhomankhoma (sw), Seremodi (ns), Tshidima (v) |
National Status | Status and Criteria | Least Concern | Assessment Date | 2020/01/30 | Assessor(s) | L. von Staden | Justification | Alsophila dregei is widespread, common and not in danger of extinction. |
Distribution | Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa | Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape | Range | This species is widespread across eastern South Africa from the Soutpansberg in Limpopo Province to the Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape, with scattered records from the southern and western Cape. It also occurs in Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi and northwards throughout most of tropical Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology | Major system | Terrestrial | Major habitats | Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Wolkberg Dolomite Grassland, Woodbush Granite Grassland, Northern Escarpment Afromontane Fynbos, Northern Escarpment Quartzite Sourveld, Northern Escarpment Dolomite Grassland, Barberton Montane Grassland, KaNgwane Montane Grassland, Paulpietersburg Moist Grassland, Wakkerstroom Montane Grassland, Eastern Highveld Grassland, Rand Highveld Grassland, Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland, Drakensberg-Amathole Afromontane Fynbos, Steenkampsberg Montane Grassland, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Amathole Mistbelt Grassland, Drakensberg Afroalpine Heathland, Amathole Montane Grassland, Northern Coastal Forest, Scarp Forest, Northern Mistbelt Forest, Southern Mistbelt Forest, Northern Afrotemperate Forest, Southern Afrotemperate Forest, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Thornveld, Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld, uKhahlamba Basalt Grassland, Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Ngongoni Veld, KwaZulu-Natal Hinterland Thornveld, Legogote Sour Bushveld, Tzaneen Sour Bushveld, Swaziland Sour Bushveld, Gold Reef Mountain Bushveld, Ohrigstad Mountain Bushveld, Poung Dolomite Mountain Bushveld, Soutpansberg Mountain Bushveld, Waterberg Mountain Bushveld, Loskop Mountain Bushveld, Midlands Mistbelt Grassland, Soutpansberg Summit Sourveld, KwaZulu-Natal Highland Thornveld, Waterberg-Magaliesberg Summit Sourveld, Low Escarpment Moist Grassland, Moist Coast Hinterland Grassland, Ithala Quartzite Sourveld, Dry Coast Hinterland Grassland, Tsomo Grassland, Mthatha Moist Grassland, East Griqualand Grassland, Southern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Drakensberg Foothill Moist Grassland, Northern Zululand Mistbelt Grassland, Soweto Highveld Grassland, Long Tom Pass Montane Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld, Mooi River Highland Grassland | Description | It mainly occurs on moist streambanks and along drainage lines in montane grassland, and occasionally in forest margins, and among boulders and at the base of cliffs. |
Threats | | About 30% of this species' habitat is already irreversibly modified, mainly due to loss to timber plantations and agriculture in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. It is somewhat resilient to disturbance, and regenerates easily in eroded areas and around old mining sites (M. Lötter pers. comm. 2006). |
Population | Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Cyathea dregei Kunze | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Cyathea dregei Kunze | Lower Risk - Least Concern | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Cyathea dregei Kunze | Not Threatened | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography | Burrows, J.E. 1990. Southern African ferns and fern allies. Frandsen Publishers, Sandton.
Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. and Burrows, S.M. 2011. Ferns of southern Africa: A comprehensive guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town.
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.
Roux, J.P. 2001. Conspectus of southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Network Report 13:1-223. SABONET, Pretoria.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
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Citation | | von Staden, L. 2020. Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.Tryon. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/15 |
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