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Scientific Name | Euryops microphyllus (Compton) B.Nord. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
Synonyms | Thodaya microphylla Compton |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Data Deficient - Insufficient Information |
Assessment Date | 2017/01/16 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | A rare, range-restricted and very poorly known species, last recorded in 1953. It is currently known from two disjunct locations, but is possibly overlooked. It is likely threatened by overgrazing, but based on currently available data, its risk of extinction cannot be assessed. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | Klein Roggeveld and Witteberg Mountains near Matjiesfontein. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Fynbos |
Description | Rocky slopes in renosterveld and dry fynbos. |
Threats |
| Field observations made in the 1950s on the Komsberg Escarpment in the Klein Roggeveld indicate that plants are highly palatable and grazed down to small stumps (Nordenstam 1968). Plants are possibly long-lived (like many other similar karoo species) and could survive heavy grazing, but is likely to be overlooked as heavily grazed plants seldom flower. Prolonged heavy grazing is likely to severely impact reproduction and recruitment, but field observations elsewhere in the Little Karoo indicate that palatable shrubs can recover if left ungrazed for at least 10 years (J.H. Vlok pers. comm.). |
Population |
This species is known from only two, somewhat disjunct locations (±85 km apart), and was last recorded in the wild in 1953. It is possibly overlooked, but the population may also have been severely reduced by overgrazing. Field surveys are needed to relocate it in the wild, and to determine the extent of grazing threat to the population.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Euryops microphyllus (Compton) B.Nord. | DDD | 2017.1 | | Euryops microphyllus (Compton) B.Nord. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Nordenstam, B. 1968. The genus Euryops. Part I. Taxonomy. Opera Botanica 20:7-409.
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.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2017. Euryops microphyllus (Compton) B.Nord. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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