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Scientific Name | Leucadendron sheilae I.Williams |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Lokenberg Conebush (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1b(ii,iii,v)+2b(ii,iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/07/05 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Leucadendron sheilae has a very restricted distribution range with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 287 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 156 km². It is declining due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation over most of its range. Recent field observations however confirm that it is still fairly common, and therefore it nearly meets the thresholds for Vulnerable under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | This species has a limited distribution in the Bokkeveld Mountains, in the Northern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Nardouw Sandstone Fynbos, Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in hard sandstone sands on flat summits, 600-900 m. Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. Seeds are released after ripening, and collected by rodents and stored in underground caches, where they are protected from fires. It is dioecious, with insect-pollinated male and female flowers occurring on separate plants. |
Threats |
| At least 12% of this species' habitat is irreversibly modified due to agriculture, predominantly rooibos tea and wheat cultivation, and loss continues (2% habitat loss recorded between 1990 and 2014). It is further threatened by too-infrequent fire due to fire exclusion management.
Modelling of habitat loss in combination with climate change predicted that this species could decline by more than 30% by 2025 (Bomhard et al. 2005), but no such decline has yet occurred. |
Population |
This species occurs over a 37 km range, and it is locally common within its habitat. The population is declining due to habitat loss and degradation.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved in the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Leucadendron sheilae I.Williams | VU A3c+4c | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Bomhard, B., Richardson, D.M., Donaldson, J.S., Hughes, G.O., Midgley, G.F., Raimondo, D.C., Rebelo, A.G., Rouget, M. and Thuiller, W. 2005. Potential impacts of future land use and climate change on the Red List status of the Proteaceae in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Global Change Biology 11(9):1452-1468.
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. Leucadendron sheilae I.Williams. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/21 |
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