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Scientific Name | Mimetes saxatilis E.Phillips |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Limestone Pagoda (e), Rooistompie (a), Stompie (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/03/19 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Mimetes saxatilis is a range-restricted species with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 682-695 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 88-92 km². It is known from five locations that continue to decline due to ongoing habitat loss to coastal housing expansion and alien plant invasion. It therefore qualifies for listing as Endangered under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the coastal areas of Western Cape Province of South Africa, where it occurs from Pearly Beach to Struisbaai. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Overberg Dune Strandveld, Agulhas Limestone Fynbos |
Description | It grows in Limestone Fynbos, usually in rocky areas. 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 birds. |
Threats |
| About 4% of the species' habitat has been irreversibly modified, predominantly due to habitat loss to coastal holiday housing and industrial developments between Pearly Beach and Struisbaai. There is ongoing habitat loss for a small proportion of this species range to coastal housing development and quarrying.
More concerning is the fact that at least 20% of still intact limestone fynbos is densely infested with alien invasive plants (mostly acacias, and hackeas) that are outcompeting native species. Efforts are ongoing to clear invasive species in protected areas, but this is proving extremely difficult due to invasive species having persistent seed banks. Outside protected areas invasive plants have in many places completely replaced native species, but the impact of these invasive on the populations of native species is not known due to the lack of long term monitoring data.
Another potential threat is invasive ant species that are displacing native ant species. Invasive ants do not perform the function of indigenous ants, which is to bury this species' seeds in their nests where they are protected from fire. Large scale ant invasions could lead to population collapse if there is no soil-stored seed bank to regenerate from post fire. |
Population |
Mimetes saxatilis is known from five subpopulations from five locations over a 47 km-long range. These are: the subpopulation from Hagelkraal which extends over a 3 km, where there are over 1000 plants; the subpopulation from Rietfontein where there is one patch of a few hundred plants; the Soetanysberg subpopulation where there are several hundred plants over a 4 km-long range on the top of the mountain, most of them concentrated over 1.4 km on the western summit; Brandfontein where the subpopulation consists of a single clump on the coastline of 10-100 plants and last the subpopulation from Agulhas covers a 5 km-long area, amounting to over 1000 plants. Some of the densest populations are adjacent an expanding industrial area in the Struisbaai area of Agulhas. The population is declining due to competition with invasive alien plants and habitat loss to coastal housing and industrial development.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved in the Groot Hagelkraal, Rietfontein Private Nature Reserve. The two eastern subpopulations are not conserved. With a life-history type sensitive to harvesting and due to its restricted distribution range, it has been prohibited for harvesting by the fynbos cut flower industry (Privett et al. 2005). |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Mimetes saxatilis E.Phillips | EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) | 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.
Privett, S., Bailey, R., Raimondo, D., Kirkwood, D. and Euston-Brown, D. 2005. A vulnerability index for rare and harvested plant species on the Agulhas Plain. Flower Valley Conservation Trust.
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. Mimetes saxatilis E.Phillips. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/13 |
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