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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.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse | NT B1ab(iii) | 2017.1 | Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse | VU D2 | Victor (2002) | Phymaspermum argenteum Brusse | Insufficiently 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.
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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 |