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Scientific Name | Aloe umfoloziensis Reynolds |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | ASPHODELACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2020/01/23 |
Assessor(s) | H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Aloe umfoloziensis has a restricted distribution range, with an extent of occurrence of 13 139-14 869 km². It is however locally abundant, and not suspected to be declining. Therefore it is not considered to be in danger of extinction. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is endemic KwaZulu-Natal, where it occurs from Pongola and the Lebombo Mountains southwards to Eshowe. It possibly also occurs in southern eSwatini (Swaziland) and Mozambique. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Valley Bushveld, Zululand Coastal Thornveld, Zululand Lowveld, Northern Zululand Sourveld, Western Maputaland Clay Bushveld, Tembe Sandy Bushveld, Southern Lebombo Bushveld, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland, Maputaland Coastal Belt |
Description | It occurs in river valleys with savanna and wooded grassland. |
Threats |
| About 30% of this species' habitat is irreversibly modified, with loss to sugarcane cultivation along the coast, and rural settlements and subsistence agriculture further inland. Comparative land cover data however show no significant ongoing loss, with less than 1% lost between 1990 and 2014. There is likely to be significant ongoing degradation of remaining natural areas due to spreading alien invasive species, overgrazing, and inappropriate fire management. Field observations however indicate that this species is resilient to disturbance, and therefore unlikely to be significantly impacted by land degradation. According to Van Wyk and Smith (2014), A. umfoloziensis is not threatened. |
Population |
This species has a narrow distribution range, but is locally common in suitable habitat. It is resilient to disturbance, occurring in degraded sites such as roadsides and eroded and trampled places. It may have declined due to habitat loss to rural settlements and agriculture in the past, but since there is no significant ongoing habitat loss, no continuing decline is suspected.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aloe umfoloziensis Reynolds | Lower Risk - Least Concern | Scott-Shaw (1999) | |
Bibliography |
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. and Walker, C.C. 2011. Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G.F. 2014. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. (Third ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Aloe umfoloziensis Reynolds. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/19 |
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