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Scientific Name | Ectadium virgatum E.Mey. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | APOCYNACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2015/06/10 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | A localized (EOO 1381 km²), but fairly common species, occurring at between 10 and 15 locations and declining due to ongoing habitat degradation. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | Orange River Valley in southern Namibia and the Richtersveld between Oranjemund and the Fish River. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Western Gariep Hills Desert, Western Gariep Lowland Desert, Lower Gariep Alluvial Vegetation |
Description | Dry river beds and alluvial banks. |
Threats |
| The most severe threat to this species is habitat loss to mining, which is affecting subpopulations along the Orange River between Grootderm and Sendelingsdrif. It has lost some habitat to crop fields on the banks of the Orange River east of Alexander Bay in the past, but there is no current expansion of crop fields. Most of this species' range in South Africa is subjected to severe overgrazing by livestock, but it is still fairly common even in heavily grazed areas. Of concern is the impact of severe reduction of shrub cover on slopes surrounding watercourses (as a result of overgrazing), which leads to more frequent and more severe flash floods in the area, often completely clearing riverine vegetation. |
Population |
Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved in the Richtersveld National Park. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Ectadium virgatum E.Mey. | NT D2 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Ectadium virgatum E.Mey. | VU D2 | Victor (2002) | |
Bibliography |
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.
Snijman, D.A. 2013. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Venter, H.J.T., Kotze, J.D.S. and Verhoeven, R.L. 1990. A taxonomic revision of Ectadium (Periplocaceae). South African Journal of Botany 56(1):113-124.
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 |
| von Staden, L. 2015. Ectadium virgatum E.Mey. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/08/20 |
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