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Scientific Name | Oxalis hygrophila Dreyer |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | OXALIDACEAE |
Synonyms | Oxalis minuta Thunb. var. callosa T.M.Salter |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
Assessment Date | 2020/11/27 |
Assessor(s) | L.L. Dreyer, K.C. Oberlander & D. Raimondo |
Justification | Oxalis hygrophila is a highly restricted habitat specialist and is only known from one location. A small flowering population was discovered in 2001 at the type locality after a fire and good rainfall. Visits to the site during the next five years failed to relocate the population, even in 2006, when similar conditions - a fire followed by good rains - occurred. The ecology of this species is at present still poorly understood, but it appears that the population may have gone extinct for unknown reasons. It is listed as Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to South Africa, and is found on the Pakhuis Pass. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Northern Inland Shale Band Vegetation |
Description | It occurs in seepage areas on shale band. |
Threats |
| Climate change is a severe threat to Oxalis hygrophila, the only known subpopulation has likely been lost due to unfavourable climate. Erosion due to heavy rains after fire is a possible threat. |
Population |
There is no information available on the population of this species.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Oxalis hygrophila Dreyer | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Kumwenda, M., Dreyer, L.L., Marais, E.M. and Manning, J.C. 2004. A taxonomic reassessment of the varieties of Oxalis minuta (Oxalidaceae) and the change of O. minuta var. callosa to specific rank as O. hygrophila. South African Journal of Botany 70(2):259-264.
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 |
| Dreyer, L.L., Oberlander, K.C. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Oxalis hygrophila Dreyer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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