Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Geissorhiza karooica Goldblatt
Higher Classification
Monocotyledons
Family
IRIDACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Near Threatened D2
Assessment Date
2023/06/01
Assessor(s)
P. Goldblatt, D. Raimondo & N.A. Helme
Justification
This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 574 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 36 km². It is known from seven locations where it is potentially threatened by habitat loss and degradation as a result of overgrazing and the development of windfarms. It is listed as Near Threatened, almost meeting criteria D to be listed as Vulnerable.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Northern Cape, Western Cape
Range
It is endemic to South Africa, and is found on the margins of the western Karoo between Matjiesfontein and Whitehill in Western Cape and in the Klein Roggeveld Mountains in Northern Cape.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo, Central Mountain Shale Renosterveld
Description
It occurs in succulent karoo shrubland, on coarse, broken shale flats and slopes.
Threats
This species is potentially threatened by habitat loss and degradation as a result of overgrazing and erosion. With a lot of wind farm development for renewable energy across its range it is potentially threatened by habitat loss to windfarm infrastructure development.
Population

Most of the records collected since 2010 indicate that the plants are localised with fewer than 20 plants observed from each stand of plants posted on iNaturalist. However one subpopulation at Ghaap Kop near Matjiesfontein was noted to be abundant at the time of collection in 1981, a resurvey of this subpopulation is required to check if the subpopulation has declined since then. However, at this stage the population is inferred to have a stable trend.


Population trend
Stable
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Geissorhiza karooica GoldblattVU D22012.1
Geissorhiza karooica GoldblattVU D2Raimondo et al. (2009)
Geissorhiza karooica GoldblattRare Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Bibliography

Goldblatt, P. 1985. Systematics of the southern African genus Geissorhiza (Iridaceae-Ixioideae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 72(2):277-447.


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.


Snijman, D.A. 2013. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.


Citation
Goldblatt, P., Raimondo, D. & Helme, N.A. 2023. Geissorhiza karooica Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/18

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Distribution map


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