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Scientific Name | Mimetes palustris Salisb. ex Knight |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Cryptic Pagoda (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2020/06/02 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | Mimetes palustris is a narrow endemic restricted to a single mountain range in the Fynbos Biome, South Africa. This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 41 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 40 km². Known from four locations, it is experiencing ongoing decline in habitat quality as a result of alien plant invasions. It therefore qualifies as Endangered under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is known from Kleinrivier Mountains, in the Western Cape, South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Overberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in swampy, moist slopes in sandstone fynbos, 600-900 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 by rodents and germinate following fire. This species has underground seedbanks and all seeds do not germinate in one fire, seedbanks are long lived providing insurance for different fire events. It is pollinated by birds. |
Threats |
| The eastern portion of this species range where the majority of the population is concentrated is badly infested with woody invasive alien plants including hakeas and pines. This area is privately owned and most landowners do not have the financial resources needed to clear and control the spread of these invasive. Invasive species are causing ongoing declines to habitat quality. |
Population |
It is known from an 11 km-long range on the Kleinrivier Mountains. There were five subpopulations recorded between 1992-2003 from four locations. The largest occurs on private land on the uppers slopes west of Maanschynkop, where there were several thousand plants over 5 km kilometre stretch prior to 2003, there has been no recent monitoring of this subpopulations. It is however at high risk from Hakea gibbosa and pines infestations. Four other small subpopulations of between 10 and 100 plants occur at Maanskynkop Nature Reserve, Fernkloof Nature Reserve on Aasvoelkop and two at Vogelgat Nature Reserve none of these are threatened. The population is suspected to be declining due to the high concentration of invasive plants impacting the eastern portion of the range.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| One subpopulation is on the Fernkloof-Vogelgat Nature Reserve border, and another on the Vogelgat-Maanskynkop Nature Reserve border. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Mimetes palustris Salisb. ex Knight | CR B1b(iii)c(iv) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Mimetes palustris Salisb. ex Knight | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Mimetes palustris Salisb. ex Knight | 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.
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., Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2020. Mimetes palustris Salisb. ex Knight. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/06/29 |
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