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Scientific Name | Serruria zeyheri Meisn. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Matchstick Spiderhead (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v); C2a(i) |
Assessment Date | 2020/07/09 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Serruria zeyheri is a rarely encountered species, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 742 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 40 km². It known from two locations, and it has a small population of fewer than 2500 plants. More than 50% of the population is found in small and isolated subpopulations, all of which have fewer than 200 plants. It continues to decline due to ongoing habitat degradation as a result of the spread of woody invasive species. It therefore qualifies as Endangered under criteria B and C. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species has a limited distribution on mountains of the Western Cape Province in South Africa, where it occurs from Du Toit's Kloof to Riviersonderend Mountains. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos, Greyton Shale Fynbos, Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation |
Description | It is found on moist, peaty sandstone slopes, 280-1000 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 |
| A very small proportion (11%) of this species' habitat was lost to fruit orchards in the past. On the southern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains and west slopes of Aasvoelberg alien invasive pines and hakeas have spread and significantly increased in density over the past 15 years, putting many native local endemic species at risk. |
Population |
Many subpopulations recorded from herbarium records could not be relocated during Protea Atlas Project Surveys that took place between 1992 and 2002, but the habitat is still intact and they may potentially have been overlooked. Subpopulations in Riviersonderend are all small and isolated, with no subpopulations consisting of more than 200 mature individuals. The overall population consists of fewer than 2500 plants. As most individuals are in are in small, isolated subpopulations, the population is considered severely fragmented. A continuing population decline is inferred from increasing impact of alien invasive plants in its habitat, particularly on the Riviersonderend Mountains.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Notes |
| Taxonomy: Closely related to S. fasciflora, but distinctive with the black, hairless tips to the perianth segments and the much longer, lax leaves. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Serruria zeyheri Meisn. | EN A2c; B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i); D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Serruria zeyheri Meisn. | Not Threatened | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Serruria zeyheri Meisn. | 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., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Serruria zeyheri Meisn. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/15 |
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