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Scientific Name | Paranomus candicans (Thunb.) Kuntze |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Synonyms | Nivenia mollissima R.Br. |
Common Names | Powder Sceptre (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2019/06/26 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Paranomus candicans has a restricted distribution range, with an Extent of Occurrence of 1362 km². It has no severe threats, and is therefore not suspected to be in danger of extinction. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Paranomus candicans has a limited distribution range in the mountains on the western border of the Little Karoo, Western Cape. It occurs in isolated subpopulations in the Hex River, Keeromsberg and Langeberg mountains east of Montagu. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | South Hex Sandstone Fynbos, North Hex Sandstone Fynbos, South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos, North Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs on slopes in sandstone fynbos, 500-1450 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 |
| There are no severe threats to this species. |
Population |
An isolated subpopulation of several hundred individuals occur on the north-eastern footslopes of the Hex River Mountains. Two to five subpopulations occur in the Keeromsberg, where there are at least 500 individuals, possibly several thousand. In the Langeberg it occurs in small, scattered subpopulations across a 50 km stretch of continuous habitat. The population is naturally fragmented due to very limited dispersal - ants are known to carry seeds for only a few meters - but not more than 50% of individuals are in small and isolated subpopulations. As there are no severe threats to this species, the population is assumed to be stable.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Paranomus candicans (Thunb.) Kuntze | 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.
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. 2019. Paranomus candicans (Thunb.) Kuntze. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/09 |
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