| Scientific Name | Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. microphylla (Burch. ex DC.) J.C.Manning & Boatwr. | Higher Classification | Dicotyledons | Family | FABACEAE | Synonyms | Sutherlandia microphylla Burch. ex DC. | Common Names | Bitterblaar (a), Gansbossie (a), Grootgansies (a), Grootgansiesbos (a), Grootkankerbos (a), Hoenderkloek (a), Jantjie-bêrend (a), Kalkoentjiebos (a), Kankerbos (a) |
National Status | Status and Criteria | Least Concern | Assessment Date | 2024/02/13 | Assessor(s) | N.N. Mhlongo, W. Foden & L. Potter | Justification | This widespread species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 955 108 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 1048 km². It does not have any severe threats and is still locally common. It is therefore listed as Least Concern. |
Distribution | Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa | Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape | Range | This taxon is widely distributed in the dry interior of South Africa, as far north as Gauteng and the Northwest province. |
Habitat and Ecology | Major system | Terrestrial | Major habitats | Xhariep Karroid Grassland, Namaqualand Blomveld, Namaqualand Shale Shrubland, Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland, Eastern Upper Karoo, Northern Upper Karoo, Upper Karoo Hardeveld, Western Upper Karoo, Gamka Karoo, Bushmanland Basin Shrubland, Kalahari Karroid Shrubland, Namaqualand Riviere, Besemkaree Koppies Shrubland, Hantam Karoo, Karoo Escarpment Grassland, Matjiesfontein Shale Renosterveld, Roggeveld Shale Renosterveld, Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Uniondale Shale Renosterveld, Swartberg Shale Renosterveld, Vanrhynsdorp Shale Renosterveld, Muscadel Riviere, Southern Karoo Riviere, Bushmanland Vloere, Southern Kalahari Mekgacha, Bushmanland Arid Grassland, Makhado Sweet Bushveld, Kimberley Thornveld, Koranna-Langeberg Mountain Bushveld, Olifantshoek Plains Thornveld, Kuruman Mountain Bushveld, Gold Reef Mountain Bushveld, Marikana Thornveld, Pilanesberg Mountain Bushveld, Dwarsberg-Swartruggens Mountain Bushveld, Zeerust Thornveld, Sekhukhune Mountain Bushveld, Ohrigstad Mountain Bushveld, Namaqualand Heuweltjieveld, Mamabolo Mountain Bushveld, Namaqualand Inland Duneveld, Springbokvlakte Thornveld, Andesite Mountain Bushveld, Gauteng Shale Mountain Bushveld, Dwaalboom Thornveld, Western Little Karoo, Tanqua Karoo, Tanqua Escarpment Shrubland, Agter-Sederberg Shrubland, Prince Albert Succulent Karoo, Eastern Little Karoo, Kuruman Thornveld, Poung Dolomite Mountain Bushveld | Description | This taxon occupies a variety of different habitats, often disturbed areas, and can occur in mountain fynbos, karroid scrub, sandstone and shale flats and slopes. |
Threats | | The leaves of this taxon are used in the treatment of flu, stomach ailments and it is believed to be a cure for cancer. It is mostly harvested in the wild but may also be grown in community gardens and commercially on a small number of farms. It is also highly palatable to stock and game. |
Population | No quantitative population data are available for this taxon, but it is known to exist in at least 70 subpopulations. There are 129 herbaria collections of this taxon with the date range from 1886 to 2013, along with 57 recent observation records on iNaturalist. The population is inferred to be stable.
| Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. microphylla (Burch. ex DC.) J.C.Manning & Boatwr. | Least Concern | 2014.1 | | Sutherlandia microphylla Burch. ex DC. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography | Aboyade, O.M., Syger, G., Gibson, D. and Hughes, G. 2014. Sutherlandia frutescens: The Meeting of Science and Traditional Knowledge. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine 20:71-76.
Diniz, M.A. 2003. Galegeae. In: G.V. Pope, R.M. Polhill and E.S. Martins (eds). Flora Zambesiaca 3 (Part 7):10-21. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Manning, J.C. and Goldblatt, P. 2012. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape Flora. Strelitzia 29. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A.L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
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Citation | | Mhlongo, N.N., Foden, W. & Potter, L. 2024. Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. microphylla (Burch. ex DC.) J.C.Manning & Boatwr. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/08/20 |
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