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Scientific Name | Euthystachys abbreviata (E.Mey.) A.DC. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | STILBACEAE |
Synonyms | Campylostachys abbreviata E.Mey. |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable D2 |
Assessment Date | 2020/02/17 |
Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme & L. von Staden |
Justification | Euthystachys abbreviata is an extremely rare and localized habitat specialist. It is known from five locations and potentially threatened by competition from alien invasive plants. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the mountains of the Western Cape, where it occurs from the southern end of the Witsenberg Range west of Ceres to the Bains Kloof, Wemmershoek and Franschhoek Mountains. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Winterhoek Sandstone Fynbos, Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos, Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs on upper sandstone slopes in high-altitude mountain fynbos. |
Threats |
| Scattered alien invasive plants have been observed in this species' habitat around Bain's Kloof, Wemmershoek and Franschhoek. These are not being cleared, in spite of the benefit of clearing alien invasive plants for freshwater runoff in the drought-stricken Western Cape. Elsewhere in the mountains of the Western Cape, alien invasive species have rapidly increased in density over the past 15 years, and are now outcompeting native species. This species is also likely to rapidly decline across its range if alien invasive plants are not urgently cleared. |
Population |
This species is an extremely rare and localized habitat specialist. Recent (2019) field observations indicate that subpopulations are small, typically consisting of fewer than 10 plants. The population is not suspected to be declining, but it could rapidly increase its risk of extinction should alien invasive plants currently within its habitat increase in density.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Euthystachys abbreviata (E.Mey.) A.DC. | VU D2 | 2020.1 | | Euthystachys abbreviata (E.Mey.) A.DC. | Data Deficient (Taxonomically Problematic) | 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.
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.
Rourke, J.P. 2000. A review of generic concepts in the Stilbaceae. Bothalia 30(1):9-15.
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Citation |
| Helme, N.A. & von Staden, L. 2020. Euthystachys abbreviata (E.Mey.) A.DC. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/18 |
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