|
Scientific Name | Hesperantha kiaratayloriae Goldblatt & J.C.Manning |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(ii) |
Assessment Date | 2021/06/02 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden, O.E. Curtis & T. Patel |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km², and it is known from a single location. It has a small subpopulation of less than 100 mature individuals, occurring on a fragment of natural vegetation of only a few hectares in size, which continues to decline due to ongoing habitat degradation. It is therefore listed as Critically Endangered under criteria B and C. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is endemic to South Africa, and is known form a single population in the Bredasdorp District of Western Cape. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Ruens Shale Renosterveld |
Description | It occurs on a low, south-facing ridge in silcrete-quartzite stones over a shale substrate among tufts of grasses. |
Threats |
| This species has lost 51.5% of its habitat (calculated using landcover data in GIS) quite likely to agricultural expansion in the past, its only known location is a small fragment surrounded by crop fields. This last remaining subpopulation occurs on a site unsuitable for cultivation, however, it is subjected to ongoing degradation due to overgrazing and inappropriate fire management. |
Population |
This species is currently known from a single subpopulation of about 100 mature individuals, occurring on a small remnant of natural vegetation amidst extensive crop fields (Goldblatt et al. 2013). Surveys of fragments of similar habitat in the area failed to record any further subpopulations (Curtis et al. 2013).
|
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Hesperantha kiaratayloriae Goldblatt & J.C.Manning | CR B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(ii) | 2014.1 | |
Bibliography |
Curtis, O.E., Stirton, C.H. and Muasya, A.M. 2013. A conservation and floristic assessment of poorly known species rich quartz-silcrete outcrops within Rûens Shale Renosterveld (Overberg, Western Cape), with taxonomic descriptions of five new species. South African Journal of Botany 87:99-111.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Goldblatt, P., Manning, J.C. and Curtis, O.E. 2013. IRIDACEAE: A new species of Hesperantha from the Overberg, Western Cape, and observations on a novel mode for pollen transfer in the genus and family by a Hesperid butterfly. Bothalia 43(2):211-214.
|
Citation |
| von Staden, L., Curtis, O.E. & Patel, T. 2021. Hesperantha kiaratayloriae Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
Comment on this assessment
