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Scientific Name | Adenogramma rigida (Bartl.) Sond. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | MOLLUGINACEAE |
Synonyms | Pharnaceum rigidum Bartl., Psammotropha rigida Fenzl |
Common Names | Rigid Muggiegrass (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i) |
Assessment Date | 2015/02/04 |
Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme, D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | A rare, range-restricted species, thought to be extinct until a few small subpopulations were recently discovered on the Cape Flats and Cape Peninsula. Its current Extent of Occurrence is 365 km², and four remaining locations are known. The population of less than 500 mature individuals consists of small subpopulations, numbering fewer than 200 mature individuals, and continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, and competition from alien invasive plants. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Darling to Houwhoek. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Saldanha Flats Strandveld, Swartland Granite Renosterveld, Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, Atlantis Sand Fynbos, Hopefield Sand Fynbos, Swartland Alluvium Fynbos |
Description | Sandy flats. |
Threats |
| Urban expansion and crop cultivation is likely to have caused the loss of all historically known subpopulations of this species. A recently discovered subpopulation is protected within the Table Mountain National Park, however, careful management of tracks around the population is required to prevent habitat loss to erosion. Other remaining subpopulations discovered in the past two years are threatened by ongoing habitat loss and degradation due to urban expansion and competition from dense, unmanaged infestations of alien invasive plants. |
Population |
Recent field surveys confirmed the existence of four subpopulations, the largest consisting of about 200 plants. All known subpopulations are small, and it is estimated that the population numbers fewer than 500 mature individuals, and continues to decline.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Adenogramma rigida (Bartl.) Sond. | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Adamson, R.S. 1955. The South African species of Aizoaceae I. Adenogramma and Polpoda. Journal of South African Botany 21:83-95.
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.
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., Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2015. Adenogramma rigida (Bartl.) Sond. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/01 |
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