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Scientific Name | Cliffortia acockii Weim. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ROSACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2010/09/10 |
Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme, C.M. Whitehouse & L. von Staden |
Justification | A range-restricted (EOO 306 km²) Cape lowlands endemic which has lost more than 90% of its renosterveld habitat to crop cultivation. Between eight and nine remaining severely fragmented subpopulations occur on small remnants of natural vegetation of between 1 and 100 ha in size (AOO less than 4 km²) and continue to decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Malmesbury to Joostenberg. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Swartland Shale Renosterveld, Swartland Granite Renosterveld, Swartland Alluvium Fynbos |
Description | Renosterveld, on low clay hills. |
Threats |
| Crop cultivation has caused more than 90% habitat loss within the known range. All remaining subpopulations occur on small fragments that are surrounded by crop fields. These small subpopulations continue to decline due to dense alien acacia infestations, lack of fire and pollution due to fertilizer and herbicide runoff. Habitat loss to agriculture and urban expansion is also continuing. |
Population |
Six out of nine known subpopulations have been surveyed, and the largest subpopulation recorded has less than 100 mature individuals. Three subpopulations each have less than ten plants. Three subpopulations occur on fragments within close proximity of one another in the vicinity of Joostenberg, but the rest are very isolated.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Cliffortia acockii Weim. | CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); C2a(i,ii); D | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Cliffortia acockii Weim. | EN B1B2c | Victor (2002) | | Cliffortia acockii Weim. | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Cliffortia acockii Weim. | Vulnerable | Hall et al. (1980) | |
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.
Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, 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.
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.
Whitehouse, C.M. 2006. Cliffortia Interactive Key. Bolus Herbarium, University of Cape Town, Cape Town.
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Citation |
| Helme, N.A., Whitehouse, C.M. & von Staden, L. 2010. Cliffortia acockii Weim. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/31 |
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