Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Thesium virens E.Mey. ex A.DC.
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
SANTALACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Data Deficient - Taxonomically Problematic
Assessment Date
2017/10/05
Assessor(s)
L. von Staden
Justification
Thesium is taxonomically problematic and most species are poorly understood. The distribution range and habitat requirements of this species is very uncertain, and therefore its risk of extinction cannot be assessed at present.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal
Range
Uncertain. The species was described from two vague records from KwaZulu-Natal and the former Transkei (Hill 1915). Records in the national herbarium range from Zululand and the Maputaland coast to the Eastern Cape Drakensberg near Matatiele. Scott-Shaw (1999) suggests that it may be a narrow endemic to northern KwaZulu-Natal around Ngome and Itala.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Mooi River Highland Grassland, Moist Coast Hinterland Grassland, Ithala Quartzite Sourveld, East Griqualand Grassland, Northern Zululand Mistbelt Grassland, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Drakensberg Afroalpine Heathland, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland, Maputaland Wooded Grassland, Maputaland Coastal Belt
Description
Uncertain, possibly open grassland.
Population
Population trend
Unknown
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Thesium virens E.Mey. ex A.DC.Least Concern Raimondo et al. (2009)
Thesium virens E.Mey. ex A.DC.Data Deficient Scott-Shaw (1999)
Bibliography

Hill, A.W. 1915. Santalaceae. In: W.T. Thiselton-Dyer (ed). Flora Capensis V Section II (Thymeleaceae-Ceratophylleae):135-212. L. Reeve & Co., Ltd., Ashford.


Hill, A.W. 1915. The Genus Thesium in South Africa, with a key and descriptions of new species. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Gardens, Kew) 1915(1):1-43.


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.


Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.


Citation
von Staden, L. 2017. Thesium virens E.Mey. ex A.DC. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2023/12/08

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