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Scientific Name | Helichrysum intricatum DC. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Data Deficient - Insufficient Information |
Assessment Date | 2018/05/29 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | Helichrysum intricatum is a widespread, but very poorly known species. Its historical range stretches over an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 35 168 km², but all recent records are from a small area of 513 km². It is likely overlooked in the southern Cape, but field surveys are needed to confirm this. It is possibly threatened by competition from alien invasive plants and habitat degradation, but its resilience to disturbance is not known. It appears to be a localized habitat specialist, and its area of occupancy (AOO) is therefore likely to be small. It is listed as Data Deficient. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to South Africa, and has a disjunct distribution in the Western and Eastern Cape, where it occurs in the Outeniqua, Tsitsikamma and Kouga Mountains, and in the mountains around Hogsback and Stutterheim. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Amathole Mistbelt Grassland, Amathole Montane Grassland, Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos, Kouga Sandstone Fynbos, Tsitsikamma Sandstone Fynbos, South Outeniqua Sandstone Fynbos, South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in marshy areas on mountain slopes, such as muddy streambanks and seeps. |
Threats |
| Helichrysum intricatum has lost habitat to timber plantations over most of its range, but expansion of plantations has largely ceased. It is likely to be threatened by competition from escaped pine seedlings and other invasive weeds, which tend to spread along drainage lines. |
Population |
This species is known in the western part of its range only from a few, scattered records, all more than 100 years old. Its presence in the mountains of the southern Cape needs to be confirmed. It may be overlooked as it flowers during the hot summer months, outside of the peak flowering season for Cape fynbos. Recent observations are from a small area in the Amathole Mountains near Hogsback and Keiskammahoek.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Helichrysum intricatum DC. | DDD | 2020.1 | | Helichrysum intricatum DC. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2000. Cape Plants: A conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.
Hilliard, O.M. 1983. Gnaphaliinae (First Part). In: O.A. Leistner (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 33 Asteraceae, Part 7 Inuleae, Fascicle 2:1-325. National Botanical 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.
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Citation |
| von Staden, L. 2018. Helichrysum intricatum DC. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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