| Scientific Name | Helictotrichon capense Schweick. | Higher Classification | Monocotyledons | Family | POACEAE | Synonyms | Avenastrum antarcticum Stapf (in part) |
National Status | Status and Criteria | Least Concern | Assessment Date | 2017/11/28 | Assessor(s) | L. von Staden | Justification | Helictotrichon capense is a widespread and common species, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 226 191 km². It continues to lose habitat over most of its range, but is also resilient to disturbance, and therefore no significant continuing decline is suspected. It is not in danger of extinction, and is listed as Least Concern. |
Distribution | Endemism | South African endemic | Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Western Cape | Range | This species is endemic to South Africa, and occurs from the Swartland and Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape eastwards along the southern Cape coast to East London in the Eastern Cape, where it extends inland to Barkly East. |
Habitat and Ecology | Major system | Terrestrial | Major habitats | Eastern Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Bhisho Thornveld, South Eastern Coastal Thornveld, Amathole Montane Grassland, Boland Granite Fynbos, Elim Ferricrete Fynbos, Swellendam Silcrete Fynbos, Ruens Silcrete Renosterveld, Western Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Central Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Mossel Bay Shale Renosterveld, Tsitsikamma Sandstone Fynbos, Kasouga Dune Thicket, Swartland Shale Renosterveld, Grahamstown Grassland Thicket, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Tarkastad Montane Shrubland, Queenstown Thornveld, Sundays Mesic Thicket, Garden Route Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Buffels Mesic Thicket, Agulhas Sand Fynbos, Mons Ruber Fynbos Thicket, St Francis Dune Thicket, Hartenbos Dune Thicket, Gamka Valley Thicket, Nanaga Savanna Thicket, Goukamma Dune Thicket, Suurberg Shale Fynbos, Fish Valley Thicket, Swartland Silcrete Renosterveld, Eastern Little Karoo, Tsomo Grassland, Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland, Stormberg Plateau Grassland, Overberg Dune Strandveld, Humansdorp Shale Renosterveld, Langkloof Shale Renosterveld, De Hoop Limestone Fynbos, Kango Limestone Renosterveld, Peninsula Shale Fynbos, Kango Conglomerate Fynbos, Algoa Sandstone Fynbos, Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos, Albany Mesic Thicket, Garden Route Shale Fynbos, Greyton Shale Fynbos, Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos, Swartberg Shale Fynbos, Uniondale Shale Renosterveld | Description | It occurs on damp lower shale or granite slopes, occasionally in disturbed places. |
Threats | | About 30% of this species' habitat is irreversibly modified, mainly on the coastal lowlands of the Western Cape, where the majority of its habitat has been converted to crop fields. This species is however resilient to disturbance, and able to recolonize crop fields if they are left fallow. A small proportion of its habitat has been lost to urban expansion, and loss continues around Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London. |
Population | There is no information available on the population of this species.
| Population trend | Unknown |
Notes | | This poorly defined species is possibly merely a robust form of H. hirtulum (Fish et al. 2015). The genus Helictotrichon was last revised in 1939 (Schweickerdt 1939). |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Helictotrichon capense Schweick. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
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.
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.
Schweickerdt, H.G. 1939. A revision of the South African species of Helictotrichon, Bess. ex. Schultes. Bothalia 3:185-198.
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Citation | | von Staden, L. 2017. Helictotrichon capense Schweick. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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