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Scientific Name | Marasmodes reflexa S.Ortiz |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
Assessment Date | 2012/05/08 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | This species was last recorded in 1946, and since then, most of its renosterveld habitat has been converted to crop fields. Surveys to relocate surviving subpopulations are ongoing, but have thus far been unsuccessful. This species is possibly extinct. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Napier. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Central Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Ruens Silcrete Renosterveld, Elim Ferricrete Fynbos |
Description | Shale renosterveld. |
Threats |
| Land transformation for crop cultivation and to a lesser extent, urban expansion, has caused extensive loss of this species' renosterveld habitat, and currently only small fragments remain. Remaining natural vegetation is being continually degraded due to overgrazing and invasive alien plant infestations. |
Population |
Marasmodes reflexa was first collected in 1946, from an unspecified locality in renosterveld near Napier. It has not been recorded since. In 2011 and 2016, volunteers of the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) programme surveyed remaining renosterveld fragments for this species, but failed to locate any surviving subpopulations. It is however possible that it may be overlooked, as Marasmodes species are cryptic and localized to specialised, often transitional habitats. The species is possibly extinct, as very little renosterveld remains intact in the area where it was last recorded, but more surveys are needed to confirm this.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Marasmodes reflexa S.Ortiz | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | 2012.1 | |
Bibliography |
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.
Ortiz, S. 2009. Eight new species of Marasmodes (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from South Africa. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 159:330-342.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2012. Marasmodes reflexa S.Ortiz. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/31 |
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