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Scientific Name | Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2011/04/02 |
Assessor(s) | C.R. Scott-Shaw, L. von Staden & J.E. Victor |
Justification | A highly range-restricted species (EOO 36 km²) known from one location. Part of the population was destroyed as a result of a road being widened. It was thought that the entire population had been lost, but some individuals were discovered away from the road. Unfortunately this subpopulation is in the midst of a recently established, illegal informal settlement. The population is thus expected to decline further due to ongoing development and degradation of the site. There are fewer than 200 individuals of this species remaining. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, around Ixopo. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Midlands Mistbelt Grassland, Southern Mistbelt Forest |
Description | Mistbelt grassland, coarse herbage in deeper soils on steep, shady banks in forest-grassland ecotones, 1 200-1 300 m. |
Threats |
| Mistbelt grasslands have been extensively transformed in the past for forestry plantations and agriculture. The deep soils on cool, moist south-facing slopes where this species grows are particularly favourable to agriculture and forestry (C.R. Scott-Shaw pers. comm.) and only about 1% remains intact (Scott-Shaw 1999).
This species has only been known from the type locality along the road south of Ixopo, and part of the population was destroyed when the road was widened. It was thought that the only known population had been lost, but later, Rob Scott-Shaw discovered some remaining individuals further away from the road amidst a recently established informal settlement. The population is expected to decline further due to ongoing development and degradation of the site. |
Population |
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt | CR B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt | CR B1B2c | Victor (2002) | | Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt | EN | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
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.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African 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.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
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 |
| Scott-Shaw, C.R., von Staden, L. & Victor, J.E. 2011. Helichrysum citricephalum Hilliard & B.L.Burtt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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