| Scientific Name | Aristea abyssinica Pax | Higher Classification | Monocotyledons | Family | IRIDACEAE | Synonyms | Aristea cognata N.E.Br. ex Weim. | Common Names | Blue-eyed Grass (e), Icebethwane (z), Lethepu-le-lenyenyane (ss) |
National Status | Status and Criteria | Least Concern | Assessment Date | 2020/12/10 | Assessor(s) | L. von Staden | Justification | Aristea abyssinica is widespread, common and not in danger of extinction. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern. |
Distribution | Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa | Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga | Range | This species is widespread across eastern South Africa, extending to Ethiopia and Nigeria. |
Habitat and Ecology | Major system | Terrestrial | Major habitats | Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld, Amathole Montane Grassland, Drakensberg Foothill Moist Grassland, Eastern Free State Sandy Grassland, Lesotho Highland Basalt Grassland, Basotho Montane Shrubland, Moist Coast Hinterland Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld, Midlands Mistbelt Grassland, Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Tarkastad Montane Shrubland, uKhahlamba Basalt Grassland, East Griqualand Grassland, Steenkampsberg Montane Grassland, Stormberg Plateau Grassland, Amathole Mistbelt Grassland, Mooi River Highland Grassland, Dry Coast Hinterland Grassland, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Maputaland Coastal Belt, Queenstown Thornveld, Maputaland Wooded Grassland, Drakensberg-Amathole Afromontane Fynbos, Drakensberg Afroalpine Heathland, Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos, Tsitsikamma Sandstone Fynbos, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Thornveld, Wolkberg Dolomite Grassland, Transkei Coastal Belt, Hamburg Dune Thicket, Sundays Valley Thicket, Grass Ridge Bontveld, Grahamstown Grassland Thicket, Suurberg Quartzite Fynbos, Mabela Sandy Grassland, KwaZulu-Natal Hinterland Thornveld, Muzi Palm Veld and Wooded Grassland, Zululand Coastal Thornveld, Zululand Lowveld, Northern Zululand Sourveld, KwaZulu-Natal Highland Thornveld, Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Low Escarpment Moist Grassland, Ithala Quartzite Sourveld, Northern Escarpment Quartzite Sourveld, Mthatha Moist Grassland, Karoo Escarpment Grassland, Southern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Northern Zululand Mistbelt Grassland, Eastern Free State Clay Grassland, South Eastern Coastal Thornveld, Woodbush Granite Grassland, Escarpment Mesic Thicket, KaNgwane Montane Grassland, Paulpietersburg Moist Grassland, Zastron Moist Grassland, Tsomo Grassland | Description | It occurs in short plateau and submontane grassland, especially on thin rocky soils, from the coast to montane areas above 1500 m. |
Threats | | There are no major threats to this species. |
Population | Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aristea abyssinica Pax | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography | Goldblatt, P. 1993. Iridaceae. In: G.V. Pope (ed). Flora Zambesiaca 12 (Part 4):1-102. Flora Zambesiaca Managing Committee, London.
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.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Pooley, E. 2003. Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.
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.
Vincent, L.P.D. 1985. A partial revision of the genus Aristea (Iridaceae) in South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Transkei and Ciskei. South African Journal of Botany 51(4):209-252.
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Citation | | von Staden, L. 2020. Aristea abyssinica Pax. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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