Eastern Quillwort

Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Isoetes transvaalensis Jermy & Schelpe
Higher Classification
Ferns
Family
ISOETACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2011/04/13
Assessor(s)
J.E. Burrows & L. von Staden
Justification
A very widespread species (EOO 186 817 km²) that is restricted to a very specialized habitat, and very easily overlooked. Subpopulations in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces are declining, but there are also a large number of subpopulations that are well-protected in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, and this species is unlikely to decline to extinction.
Distribution
Endemism
Not endemic to South Africa
Provincial distribution
Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga
Range
Eastern Escarpment, from Maclear district in the Eastern Cape to the Blouberg in Limpopo Province.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Freshwater
Major habitats
Waterberg Mountain Bushveld, Eastern Free State Sandy Grassland, Northern Escarpment Afromontane Fynbos, Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Southern Drakensberg Highland Grassland
Description
High altitude seasonal pools, on sandstones in montane grassland, 1 600-2 000 m.
Threats
Subpopulations in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg are well protected and not threatened. This species is however declining in Mpumalanga and parts of Limpopo. Three subpopulations in Mpumalanga and Limpopo have recently been destroyed by housing developments and the construction of cellphone transmitter towers, while a further three subpopulations are in decline due to invasive alien species, the expansion of a quarry and ongoing housing developments (J. Burrows, pers. comm. 2006) The status of this species in the Free State is unknown, localities are in areas that are untransformed, but the populations will require surveys.
Population

Subpopulations are generally large in suitable habitat, although a number of collections note that subpopulations are small and localized. I. transvaalensis is a small herb that may be easily overlooked and under-collected, especially in remote areas such as in the Drakensberg. John Burrows, a local fern expert, has done extensive surveys of suitable habitat (seasonal pools) in Mpumalanga, but could not find any more localities in that province (J. Burrows pers. comm. 2006).


Population trend
Decreasing
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Isoetes transvaalensis Jermy & SchelpeNT B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)Raimondo et al. (2009)
Bibliography

Anthony, N.C. and Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. 1982. New species and new combinations in African Pteridophyta and Orchidaceae. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 10:143-164.


Burrows, J.E. 1990. Southern African ferns and fern allies. Frandsen Publishers, Sandton.


Cook, C.D.K. 2004. Aquatic and wetland plants of southern Africa. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands.


Klopper, R.R., Bester, S.P. and Smith, G.F. 2010. Pteridophyta: Range extension records from the southern Drakensberg, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Bothalia 40(1):82-83.


Pooley, E. 2003. Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.


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.


Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. and Anthony, N.C. 1986. Pteridophyta. In: O.A. Leistner (ed). Flora of southern Africa:1-292. National Botanical 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.


Citation
Burrows, J.E. & von Staden, L. 2011. Isoetes transvaalensis Jermy & Schelpe. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14

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Distribution map

© J.P. Roux

© J.E. Burrows


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