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Scientific Name | Erica caterviflora Salisb. var. caterviflora |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ERICACEAE |
Common Names | Heuningboom (a), Tree Heath (e), Tree Heather (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(ii) |
Assessment Date | 2012/08/22 |
Assessor(s) | R.C. Turner, A.N. Hitchcock & L. von Staden |
Justification | A single subpopulation of 255 plants occur within an area of 1 km² (1-2 locations) and continues to decline due to ongoing habitat degradation. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | Damp, peaty rock ledges and cliff faces, 600-1000 m. |
Threats |
| The reasons for the decline of this taxon is not well understood, as plants have disappeared from well-known localities without any apparent reason. It is thought that the plants on Fountain Ledge died due to trampling as a result of extremely high volumes of visitors to the summit of Table Mountain. Some alien invasive pines are present within its habitat, but these are being systematically cleared. Plants are entirely confined to shady fire refuge habitats and may be sensitive to too frequent/intense fires, and appears to be intolerant of strong sunlight. |
Population |
This extremely rare taxon is endemic to the summit of Table Mountain, where it historically occurred from Fountain Ledge on the Western Table to Constantia Nek. It was occasionally recorded in the 1800s, rarely in the 1900s, and then, by 1995, it was known from about five plants remaining on Fountain Ledge. When these plants disappeared (presumably due to trampling), this taxon was thought to be extinct. It was however rediscovered in 2006 from an area somewhat further south, where after extensive atlasing, it is now known that there are 255 plants surviving in six small clumps over an area of about 1 km².
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Erica caterviflora Salisb. var. caterviflora | EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); C2a(i); D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Erica caterviflora Salisb. var. caterviflora | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Helme, N.A. and Trinder-Smith, T.H. 2006. The endemic flora of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 72(2):205-210.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Schumann, D., Kirsten, G. and Oliver, E.G.H. 1992. Ericas of South Africa. Fernwood Press, Cape Town.
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Citation |
| Turner, R.C., Hitchcock, A.N. & von Staden, L. 2012. Erica caterviflora Salisb. var. caterviflora. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/06 |
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