Elgin Honey-bells

Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Freylinia longiflora Benth.
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Synonyms
Capraria longiflora Thunb. (not basionym of F.longiflora Benth.), Freylinia undulata (L.f.) Benth. var. longiflora (Benth.) Hiern
Common Names
Elgin Honey-bells (e)
National Status
Status and Criteria
Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C1
Assessment Date
2021/02/28
Assessor(s)
E.J. van Jaarsveld, D. Raimondo & I. Ebrahim
Justification
This Western Cape endemic has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 617 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 52 km². There are between five and seven locations remaining in fragments and most subpopulations are experiencing an ongoing decline due to an increase in alien invasive plant species and expansion of fruit orchards and cereal crops. Approximately 68% of its original habitat has been transformed for orchards and vineyards, which has resulted in a population loss of at least 25% over the last two generations. The overall population consists of between 1000 and 2000 individuals. It therefore qualifies as Endangered under Criteria B and C.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Western Cape
Range
This species occurs just north of Bot river in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos, Elgin Shale Fynbos, Elim Ferricrete Fynbos
Description
It occurs in the Fynbos biome where the plants grow on steep shale slopes and outcrops of the Bokkeveld Series in the renosterveld.
Threats
This species occurs in Elgin Shale renosterveld where it was once common. This vegetation type has lost 68% of its area to fruit farming in the past 80 years, a time period less than three generations or 100 years for this long-lived, resprouting species. All remaining renosterveld where this species occurs is under threat from vineyard and fruit orchard expansion. The subpopulation in Hemel en Aarde Valley is threatened by alien invasive plant species, although the landowner is actively clearing aliens, there has been large scale recruitment of Hakeas after the last fire on the property. The species occurs in the band of Elim Ferricrete Fynbos that occurs in the Valley. This vegetation type has lost at least 60% of the original extent within the Valley.
Population

It is known from seven locations. The biggest subpopulation is at the Solva/Arieskraal farm in the Elgin valley. This farm has one of the biggest intact fragments of Elgin Shale Fynbos in the Elgin Valley. The subpopulation at Solva is approximately 500 plants. Other subpopulations range between 20 and 50 plants. This species is a long lived resprouter, with a generation length suspected to be between 90 and 100 years. It flowers profusely in the first year after fire thereafter not all individuals in the subpopulation flower making it challenging to count and monitor the number of mature individuals. Two new subpopulations were recently discovered but they are small subpopulations totalling less than 100 mature individuals. The overall population consists of 1000 to 2000 mature individuals. While there has not been a recent observed loss of mature individuals, the population has experienced a loss of more than 20% over the last two generations extrapolated from the overall loss of 68% of its habitat.


Population trend
Decreasing
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Freylinia longiflora Benth.CR A2bcRaimondo et al. (2009)
Freylinia longiflora Benth.Endangered 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., Maluleke, R., Ebrahim, I. and Helme, N.A. 2021. The genus Freylinia Pangella ex Colla (Scrophulariaceae: Teedieae): a re-assessment of the systematics and conservation status. South African Journal of Botany 142:352-369.


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.


Van Jaarsveld, E.J. and Thomas, V. 1995. Freylinia longiflora. Flowering Plants of Africa 54:74-77.


Citation
van Jaarsveld, E.J., Raimondo, D. & Ebrahim, I. 2021. Freylinia longiflora Benth. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/20

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Distribution map


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