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Scientific Name | Selago ramosissima Rolfe |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
Synonyms | Selago ericina Drège |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2016/10/03 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | A range-restricted species (EOO 3722 km²), that has lost more than 90% of its renosterveld habitat to agricultural expansion. Only five severely fragmented locations are known, and it continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Riviersonderend to Groot Brak River. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Breede Shale Renosterveld, Mossel Bay Shale Renosterveld, Eastern Ruens Shale Renosterveld, North Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos, Garden Route Shale Fynbos, Albertinia Sand Fynbos |
Description | Clay flats, and shale-sandstone transitions on lower slopes. |
Threats |
| Less than 10% of lowland renosterveld in the Overberg remains intact after extensive loss to crop cultivation. Only small fragments remain, and these continue to be lost and degraded due to overgrazing, spreading alien invasive plants, inappropriate fire management and development. |
Population |
This species is poorly known and very rarely collected. It was last recorded in 1978, and it is known from only five locations, scattered over a wide area. It is possibly overlooked, but critically little renosterveld remains within the Overberg. If other subpopulations exist, they are likely to be confined to small, isolated remnants. Field surveys are urgently needed to relocate surviving populations, and to gain a better understanding of the size and structure of the remaining population, which is likely to be severely fragmented. Continuing population decline is inferred from ongoing habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Selago ramosissima Rolfe | EN B1ab(iii) | 2017.1 | | Selago ramosissima Rolfe | Threatened | 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.
Hilliard, O.M. 1999. The tribe Selagineae (Scrophulariaceae). Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh/Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh/Kew.
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.
Rolfe, R.A. 1901. Selagineae. In: W.T. Thiselton-Dyer (ed). Flora Capensis V Section I (Acanthaceae-Proteaceae):95-180. Lovell Reeve & Co., Ltd., London.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2016. Selago ramosissima Rolfe. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/31 |
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