|
Scientific Name | Mimetes hirtus (L.) Salisb. ex Knight |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Marsh Pagoda (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/11 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Mimetes hirtus is a locally abundant endemic species, whose population has been fragmented due to extensive past habitat loss to urbanization, and agriculture. It remains at 10 locations within an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 2984 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 200 km². It continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, and wild flower harvesting. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Mimetes hirtus has a restricted range in Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it occurs from the Cape Peninsula to Elim. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, Overberg Sandstone Fynbos, Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos, Hangklip Sand Fynbos |
Description | It is restricted to marshes, seeps and streambanks on black peaty soils in marshes, at 0-650 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 birds. |
Threats |
| About 17% of this species' habitat is already irreversibly modified, predominantly due to historical habitat loss to coastal developments from Pringle Bay to Kleinmond, and agricultural expansion (fruit and pasture fields). There is slow, ongoing habitat loss, but since the majority of this species' habitat remains in protected areas, overall habitat loss is 6% in 24 years.
Currently, it is threatened by competition from alien invasive plants, including species from the genera Pinus, Hakea, Acacia and Eucalyptus, that are spreading and increasing in density in parts of its range, as well as groundwater extraction in the Hottentots Holland and Kogelberg mountains. Increasing prolonged droughts in the Western Cape are increasing pressure on groundwater resources, on which this seep-preferring species is dependent. Additional threats include intensive commercial harvesting for the cut-flower industry in some parts of its range and too frequent fires.
A potential threat to this species is invasive ants 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 |
Three subpopulations of Mimetes hirtus are extinct from the northern parts of the Cape Peninsula, but it is still locally abundant occurring in dense stands on the south Peninsula and at Betty's Bay. Subpopulation sizes varies between 1 and 35 000 mature individuals. Forty-one subpopulations remain at fewer than 10 locations, and continuing decline is inferred from ongoing habitat loss and degradation.
|
Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is well conserved in the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park. The large subpopulation in the Kleinmond Nature Reserve should be monitored for the effects of eutrophication. Three smaller stands occur in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. As it has a lifehistory that makes it sensitive to harvesting, it has been banned from harvesting on the Agulhas plain (Privett et al. 2005), other subpopulations should be monitored to ensure they are not being harvested. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Mimetes hirtus (L.) Salisb. ex Knight | VU A4c | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Mimetes hirtus (L.) Salisb. ex Knight | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
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.
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.
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.
|
Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Mimetes hirtus (L.) Salisb. ex Knight. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/16 |
Comment on this assessment
