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Scientific Name | Isoetes schweinfurthii A.Braun ex Baker |
Higher Classification | Ferns |
Family | ISOETACEAE |
Synonyms | Calamaria schweinfurthii (A.Braun ex Baker) Kuntze, Isoetes kersii Wanntorp, Isoetes rhodesiana Alston |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2020/02/24 |
Assessor(s) | J.P. Roux, D. Raimondo, L. von Staden & H. Mtshali |
Justification | Isoetes schweinfurthii is rare and poorly known in South Africa, but is widespread outside South Africa. The South African population has no severe threats, and therefore it is not suspected to be in danger of extinction. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Limpopo |
Range | This species is rare in South Africa, where it is only known from the Limpopo Lowveld. It is widespread north of South Africa as far as central and tropical Africa. It also occurs in Madagascar. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Freshwater |
Major habitats | Savanna |
Description | It occurs in shallow, seasonally inundated pans in dry, deciduous woodland, or more rarely, in sandy soils over rock sheets along the edge of rivers. Plants die back when pools and streams dry up during the dry season, with only the underground pseudo-corms persisting. |
Threats |
| This species has no severe threats in South Africa. |
Population |
This species is known from very few records in South Africa, where it was last recorded in the 1950s. It is easily overlooked, as it resembles sedges amongst which it grows. As its habitat in South Africa is well-protected, it is suspected to be overlooked, rather than rare or threatened.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Isoetes schweinfurthii A.Braun ex Baker | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Cook, C.D.K. 2004. Aquatic and wetland plants of southern Africa. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. and Burrows, S.M. 2011. Ferns of southern Africa: A comprehensive guide. Struik Nature, 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.
Sieben, E.J.J. 2009. The status and distribution of vascular plants (Magnoliophyta, Lycophyta, Pteridophyta). In: W.R.T. Darwall, K.G. Smith, D. Tweddle and P. Skelton (eds.), The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in southern Africa (pp. 83-98), IUCN and SAIAB, Gland, Switzerland and Grahamstown, South Africa.
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Citation |
| Roux, J.P., Raimondo, D., von Staden, L. & Mtshali, H. 2020. Isoetes schweinfurthii A.Braun ex Baker. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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