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Scientific Name | Aloe pratensis Baker |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | ASPHODELACEAE |
Common Names | Lekhala Qhalana (ss), Meadow Aloe (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2018/10/17 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali, J.E. Victor & A.P. Dold |
Justification | Aloe pratensis is widespread and not in danger of extinction. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is widespread across the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces in South Africa, from the northern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg to Grahamstown and East London in the Eastern Cape. It also occurs in southern and eastern Lesotho. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Albany Thicket, Grassland, Savanna |
Description | It occurs in rocky places in grassland, wedged in shallow pockets of soil among rocks. |
Threats |
| Parts of this species' range is affected by agriculture, grazing and forestry plantations. According to Van Wyk and Smith (2014) plants are also removed from the wild by succulent collectors. These threats are likely to cause small, localized declines but is unlikely to lead to the extinction of this species (A.P. Dold pers. comm.). Aloe pratensis is extremely widespread and no data available at present indicates that it possibly qualifies for a threatened category. |
Population |
The species is common at some localities, but is under increasing pressure due to habitat loss and collecting (Van Wyk and Smith 2014). The population is suspected to be declining.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aloe pratensis Baker | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Aloe pratensis Baker | VU B1B2bce | Victor (2002) | | Aloe pratensis Baker | Insufficiently Known | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Smith, G.F., Steyn, E.M.A., Victor, J.E., Crouch, N.R., Golding, J.S. and Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. Aloaceae: The conservation status of Aloe in South Africa: an updated synopsis. Bothalia 30(2):206-211.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G.F. 2014. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. (Third ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.
Victor, J.E. 2002. South Africa. In: J.S. Golding (ed), Southern African plant Red Data Lists. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 14 (pp. 93-120), SABONET, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Mtshali, H., Victor, J.E. & Dold, A.P. 2018. Aloe pratensis Baker. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/19 |
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