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Scientific Name | Hesperantha pallescens Goldblatt |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | IRIDACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2023/05/31 |
Assessor(s) | P. Goldblatt, D. Raimondo, K. Naidoo & T. Patel |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km². It is known from two severely fragmented and isolated subpopulations in the northern Swartland. Over 98% of its habitat has been transformed for wheat cultivation, and the two remaining subpopulations are declining due to livestock overgrazing and the impacts of fragmentation. It is therefore listed as Critically Endangered under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | It is a narrow endemic, known only from the southwestern slopes of the Olifants River Mountains near Piekenierskloof Pass in the Western Cape, South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Swartland Shale Renosterveld |
Description | It occurs in renosterveld, on clay banks and slopes. |
Threats |
| It has lost 67% of its habitat (calculated using landcover data in GIS) mainly for crop cultivation, and only small, isolated fragments of natural vegetation remain. These small fragments continue to be degraded largely due to intense overgrazing and trampling, as small remnants are generally overstocked with livestock. |
Population |
It is known from only two locations, and the population is decreasing. The last time this species was monitored was in 2002, and the subpopulation was noted to be very localised. From this, we infer that the population is severely fragmented.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Hesperantha pallescens Goldblatt | CR B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Hesperantha pallescens Goldblatt | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. 2003. A synoptic review of the African genus Hesperantha (Iridaceae: Crocoideae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 90(3):390-443.
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.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Manning, J., Goldblatt, P. and Snijman, D. 2002. The color encyclopedia of Cape bulbs. Timber Press, Portland/Cambridge.
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.
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Citation |
| Goldblatt, P., Raimondo, D., Naidoo, K. & Patel, T. 2023. Hesperantha pallescens Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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