Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
ASTERACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Near Threatened B1ab(iii)
Assessment Date
2017/01/26
Assessor(s)
L. von Staden & P.J.D. Winter
Justification
EOO 6746 km², an estimated 10-15 locations continue to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Limpopo, Mpumalanga
Range
Strydpoort and Wolkberg mountains to the Blyde River Canyon near Graskop.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Poung Dolomite Mountain Bushveld, Long Tom Pass Montane Grassland, Strydpoort Summit Sourveld, Wolkberg Dolomite Grassland, Northern Escarpment Dolomite Grassland
Description
Dolomite ridges in grassland, 1450-2080 m.
Threats
This species has lost habitat to timber plantations on the Mpumalanga Escarpment between Pilgrim's Rest, Graskop and Ohrigstad. Timber plantations are however no longer expanding, and remaining grasslands are now mostly protected. Near the northern end of the Blyde River Canyon, it is however likely to be losing habitat to expanding rural settlements outside of protected areas. In parts of the Wolkberg it has also lost habitat to timber plantations. It remains threatened on the Strydpoort and Wolkberg mountains due to habitat degradation due to overgrazing, and spreading, unmanaged alien invasive plants.
Population

This species is known from 10 locations, but large sections of suitable habitat remains intact and unexplored, and it is likely that it is more common than records suggest. The population size is not known, but notes on herbarium specimens indicate that it is rare and localized. It continues to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation.


Population trend
Decreasing
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Phymaspermum argenteum BrusseNT B1ab(iii)2017.1
Phymaspermum argenteum BrusseLeast Concern Raimondo et al. (2009)
Phymaspermum argenteum BrusseVU D2Victor (2002)
Phymaspermum argenteum BrusseInsufficiently Known Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Bibliography

Brusse, F. 1989. ASTERACEAE: A new Phymaspermum (Anthemideae) species from dolomite areas of the Wolkberg. Bothalia 19(1):29-31.


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.


Ruiters, A.K., Tilney, P.M., Van Wyk, B.E. and Magee, A.R. 2016. Taxonomy of the Genus Phymaspermum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae). Systematic Botany 41(2):430-456.


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.


Citation
von Staden, L. & Winter, P.J.D. 2017. Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14

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Distribution map


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