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Scientific Name | Paranomus capitatus (R.Br.) Kuntze |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Synonyms | Nivenia capitata R.Br., Serruria brevifolia E.Phillips & Hutch. |
Common Names | Fine-leaf 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 capitatus has a very limited distribution range, with an Extent of Occurrence of 963 km², and an Area of Occupancy of 184 km². It is potentially threatened by competition from alien invasive plants across most of its range, but is not rare or localized enough so that it is likely to rapidly become Critically Endangered. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Paranomus capitatus is endemic to a small area in the mountains of the Western Cape, where it occurs from the Du Toit's Mountains south of Du Toit's Kloof Pass to the northern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | South Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos, North Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos, Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in montane sandstone fynbos, 400-1500 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 |
| The southern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains, which has timber plantations on the lower slopes, are densely invaded by escaped pines. Invasive pines have been spreading rapidly over the past 15 years, and are now present in low densities on the northern slopes. If these are not urgently controlled, they are likely to rapidly increase in density and outcompete native species.
The Kaaimansgat Valley in the Stettyns Mountains is also under plantations, and a potential source of alien invasive plants. Spreading alien invasive plants have been noted in the Du Toit's Kloof area (N.A. Helme pers. comm.). |
Population |
This species was previously thought to be rare, but Protea Atlas Project surveys found many previously unrecorded subpopulations. It is never really abundant at any locality, but several subpopulations of several hundred plants exist. It is not suspected to be declining at present, but could decline in future if density of alien invasive plants were to increase to such an extent as to outcompete native species.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Paranomus capitatus (R.Br.) Kuntze | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Paranomus capitatus (R.Br.) Kuntze | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Paranomus capitatus (R.Br.) Kuntze | Rare | Hall et al. (1980) | |
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.
Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical 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. 2019. Paranomus capitatus (R.Br.) Kuntze. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/13 |
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