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Scientific Name | Mimetes stokoei E.Phillips & Hutch. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Mace Pagoda (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered D |
Assessment Date | 2020/06/16 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, D. Raimondo & N.A. Helme |
Justification | Mimetes stokoei is a highly restricted mountain fynbos endemic occurring only on the Palmiet River Mountains in South Africa. It has an extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km². It is known from two subpopulations at one location and has been monitored for 87 years. Between 1933 and 1967 fewer than 10 mature individuals were recorded during different fire cycles and the species was thought to have gone extinct in 1969. It was not observed for 30 years, and did not set seeds for 50 years, however following a hot fire in 1999, 34 plants recruited and between 15 and 25 mature individuals set seed. The population is still extant with seven mature individuals currently extant following a fire in 2011. This species has an unusual ecology requiring extremely hot mid-summer fires to recruit. It has a long lived seedbank allowing it to skip fire cycles and only emerge following favourable hot fire events. It would appear to be naturally able to persist at low population numbers. It remains vulnerable to phytophthora infection, aseasonal fires and small population size. It is therefore listed as Critically Endangered under criterion D. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is known from Palmiet River Mountains, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It is found in moist sandstone soils on gentle slopes, occurring at altitudes of 560-600 m.a.s.l. 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 are stimulated to germinate after hot fires. It is a fire ephemeral growing rapidly producing seed and dying. Seed banks survive for at least 50 years and can survive for between two and four fire cycles. It appears that hot summer fires are essential for the germination of this large-seeded species. It is pollinated by birds, observed visitors include Cape Sugarbird, Malachite Sugarbird and Orange-breasted Sugarbird. |
Threats |
| Historically this species was threatened by wild flower harvesting and the development of protea orchards. It is however now protected within the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. It remains potentially threatened by intrinsic factors including small subpopulation size and is susceptible to Phytophthora infection. Being a highly charismatic plant potential visitor pressure could increase Phytophthora infection. It requires hot fires in mid-summer to stimulate germination and therefore aseasonal cool fires are also a threat to the population, however its long-lived seedbank means it is able to persist a number of inappropriate fire cycles. |
Population |
This species was discovered by T. Stokoe in 1922, but he could not relocate the plants. The locality was established from Adderley Street (Cape Town) flower sellers in 1925 as the Paardeberg Mountains. In 1933 there were 5 plants, in 1943 3 plants, 1945 10 plants, 1948 6 plants, in 1950 there was 1 plant which was the last recorded flowering. The clearing of vegetation and a controlled fire 1965 resulted in one plant germinating in 1967 it died without flowering in 1969. Controlled burns in August 1971 and April 1984 resulted in no recruitment and the species was thought to be extinct. Following a wild fire in December 1999, 34 plants emerged in three clumps. Some 23 were in a clump of 20 m², two plants died in 2004 without flowering, and another six died in 2005 (2 just after flowering but before producing mature fruit, and four without flowering at all). In 2006 five plants died (2 just after flowering and three while maturing fruit in April), leaving 9 plants flowering in March 2007. A hot fire in 2011 resulted in this subpopulation recruiting. Seven plants were extant in 2020 with three dead plants observed. A second subpopulation occurs 2 km southeast of the first subpopulation and consists of two stands, separated by 100 m, consisting of six and three plants in 2007, four and one plants in 2008, with all dead in 2009. There has been no further monitoring of this subpopulation following the 2011 fire. No more than 34 plants have ever been observed for this species, it has a long lived seedbank and only recruits following hot summer fires.
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Population trend | Stable |
Conservation |
| It is conserved in Kogelberg Nature Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Mimetes stokoei E.Phillips & Hutch. | CR B1ac(iv)+2ac(iv); D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Mimetes stokoei E.Phillips & Hutch. | Extinct | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Mimetes stokoei E.Phillips & Hutch. | Extinct | 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. & Helme, N.A. 2020. Mimetes stokoei E.Phillips & Hutch. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/12 |
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