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Scientific Name | Sorocephalus lanatus (Thunb.) R.Br. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Synonyms | Sorocephalus phylicoides Meisn., Sorocephalus schlechteri E.Phillips |
Common Names | Common Clusterhead (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2020/08/13 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Sorocephalus lanatus occurs at high altitudes in montane areas and its habitat is formally protected. It has an extent of occurrence (EOO) between 4496 km² and 4504 km². It is threatened by inappropriate fire management and alien invasive plants. However, these threats are not severe and it is not yet in danger of extinction. Therefore it is assessed as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the mountains of Western Cape, South Africa, where it occurs from the Cedarberg to the Hex River Mountains. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | South Hex Sandstone Fynbos, North Hex Sandstone Fynbos, Winterhoek Sandstone Fynbos, Cederberg Sandstone Fynbos, Western Altimontane Sandstone Fynbos, Olifants Sandstone Fynbos, Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos, South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos, North Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos, Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos, Swartruggens Quartzite Fynbos |
Description | It grows on sandstone slopes at high altitude (900-2000 m). Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. Seeds are released after ripening, and dispersed by ants to their underground nests, where they are protected from predation and fire. It is pollinated by insects. |
Threats |
| A small proportion (4%) of this species' habitat has been transformed, mainly due to agriculture. Future potential threats are habitat degradation due to alien invasive plants and inappropriate fire management. |
Population |
This species is found in small colonies of a few dozen plants on most higher peaks (Rebelo, 2001). It is known from 190 subpopulations, and the majority of these are small with less than 250 plants. The population is stable, but is likely to decline in future due to degradation of habitat by alien invasive plants.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Sorocephalus lanatus (Thunb.) R.Br. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2000. Cape Plants: A conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.
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.
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.
Rebelo, T. 2001. Sasol Proteas: A field guide to the proteas of southern Africa. (2nd ed.). Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.
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Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Sorocephalus lanatus (Thunb.) R.Br. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/19 |
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