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Scientific Name | Erica heleogena T.M.Salter |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ERICACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2012/10/01 |
Assessor(s) | R.C. Turner, E.G.H. Oliver, D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | Occurs at one location (EOO and AOO <1 km²) and is declining due to invasive alien Acacia saligna infestations. It is also potentially threatened by habitat loss in the construction of a hydro-electricity scheme. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Cape Peninsula, Klawer Vlei. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | Wetlands in Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos. |
Threats |
| Threatened by competition from alien invasive plants. The Klawer Vlei wetland was densely infested by alien invasive wattles, but aliens were cleared. However, alien plants are regenerating from a dense seedbank, and ongoing clearing and management of alien plants is required. Part of this species' habitat was lost in the past to the construction of a naval base, and testing of explosive devices has caused some habitat degradation (R.C. Turner, pers. obs.).
This site has been proposed for an Eskom pumped-storage hydro-electricity scheme. |
Population |
This extremely localized species is endemic to a single wetland on the Cape Peninsula, where it is locally abundant. The population is estimated to consist of many thousands of individuals.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Erica heleogena T.M.Salter | CR B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Erica heleogena T.M.Salter | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Erica heleogena T.M.Salter | Endangered | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Baker, H.A. and Oliver, E.G.H. 1967. Ericas in southern Africa. Purnell, Cape Town & Johannesburg.
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.
Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.
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., Oliver, E.G.H., Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2012. Erica heleogena T.M.Salter. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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