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Scientific Name | Eriospermum calcareum P.L.Perry |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | RUSCACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2010/11/22 |
Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme |
Justification | EOO 160 km², AOO <10 km², plants at between three and five locations continue to decline due to habitat loss to limestone prospecting and mining. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | Knersvlakte and Bokkeveld Escarpment. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Hantam Karoo, Namaqualand Spinescent Grassland, Knersvlakte Dolomite Vygieveld, Knersvlakte Quartz Vygieveld |
Description | Loamy soils associated with sandstone or dolerite or limestone outcrops. |
Threats |
| Limestone quarrying has caused habitat destruction at the type locality about 10 years ago. There are currently applications for prospecting rights at two confirmed locations. Prospecting alone is likely to cause significant damage to the habitat and population of this extremely range-restricted species, and since the two farms are rich in surface limestone, the likelihood that this species habitat will be mined in future is high (N.A. Helme pers. comm. 2010). Plants growing in deeper sand off limestone outcrops are likely to be affected by sporadic habitat loss to cash crop cultivation on both the Knersvlakte and on the Bokkeveld Escarpment. |
Population |
Subpopulation sizes are unknown but may be small — one subpopulation from the Bokkeveld consisted of only 30 plants.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Eriospermum calcareum P.L.Perry | EN B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Eriospermum calcareum P.L.Perry | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Perry, P.L. 1994. A revision of the genus Eriospermum (Eriospermaceae) Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 17:1-320.
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 |
| Helme, N.A. 2010. Eriospermum calcareum P.L.Perry. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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