Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Aristida recta Franch.
Higher Classification
Monocotyledons
Family
POACEAE
Synonyms
Aristida atroviolacea Hack.
National Status
Status and Criteria
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2018/07/30
Assessor(s)
L. von Staden
Justification
Aristida recta is a widespread (EOO 51 272 km²), but rarely recorded species. It is known from between 10 and 20 locations, but may be overlooked and more common than records suggest.
Distribution
Endemism
Not endemic to South Africa
Provincial distribution
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga
Range
This species is widespread across north-eastern South Africa, where it occurs from the Soutpansberg in northern Limpopo to northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is also widespread across tropical Africa.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Northern Escarpment Quartzite Sourveld, Northern Escarpment Dolomite Grassland, Long Tom Pass Montane Grassland, Rand Highveld Grassland, Soutpansberg Mountain Bushveld, KwaZulu-Natal Highland Thornveld, Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Steenkampsberg Montane Grassland, Wolkberg Dolomite Grassland, KaNgwane Montane Grassland, Wakkerstroom Montane Grassland, Eastern Highveld Grassland
Description
It occurs in damp ground around vleis and seepage areas, usually on slopes of sour mountain grassland.
Threats
Aristida recta is an unpalatable grass species, and increases under grazing pressure (Kirkman 2002). Natural grasslands within this species' known range are utilised extensively for grazing, which may have a positive impact on the population. It has lost habitat to timber plantations in the Soutpansberg and along the Mpumalanga Escarpment in the past. It continues to be threatened by urban expansion in Gauteng, mining expansion in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, as well crop cultivation across its range.
Population

This species is a localized habitat specialist, that can be infrequent to locally common (Fish et al. 2015). This tropical grass species reaches its southernmost distribution limit in South Africa, and is known from only a few, scattered collections in the country. At most known localities, it was last recorded more than 20 years ago. The population trend is not known, and monitoring and field surveys are required.


Population trend
Unknown
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Aristida recta Franch.Least Concern Raimondo et al. (2009)
Aristida recta Franch.Least Concern Pfab and Victor (2002)
Aristida recta Franch.Insufficiently Known Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Bibliography

Fish, L., Mashau, A.C., Moeaha, M.J. and Nembudani, M.T. 2015. Identification guide to southern African grasses. Strelitzia 36. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.


Gibbs Russell, G.E., Watson, L., Koekemoer, M., Smook, L., Barker, N.P., Anderson, H.M. and Dallwitz, M.J. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 58:1-437. Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria.


Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.


Kirkman, K.P. 2002. The influence of various types and frequencies of rest on the production and condition of sourveld grazed by sheep or cattle. 2. Vigour. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 19(2):93-105.


Launert, E. 1971. Gramineae. In: A. Fernandes, E. Launert and H. Wild (eds). Flora Zambesiaca 10 (Part 1):11-152. Flora Zambesiaca Managing Committee, London.


Pfab, M.F. and Victor, J.E. 2002. Threatened plants of Gauteng, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 68:370-375.


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.


Citation
von Staden, L. 2018. Aristida recta Franch. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/18

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