| Scientific Name | Muraltia thunbergii Eckl. & Zeyh. | Higher Classification | Dicotyledons | Family | POLYGALACEAE | Synonyms | Muraltia phylicoides Harv. (later homonym), not of DC. (1824) |
National Status | Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) | Assessment Date | 2007/09/15 | Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme & D. Raimondo | Justification | EOO and AOO <1400 km², 16 locations remain after most of this species' habitat has been transformed by agriculture and urban expansion. At least 36% of known subpopulations are now locally extinct and this species continues to decline due to expanding vineyard and olive cultivation and alien plant invasion. |
Distribution | Endemism | South African endemic | Provincial distribution | Western Cape | Range | Darling to Franschhoek and Cape Peninsula. |
Habitat and Ecology | Major system | Terrestrial | Major habitats | Swartland Shale Renosterveld, Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Boland Granite Fynbos, Hangklip Sand Fynbos, Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, Swartland Alluvium Fynbos | Description | Low sandy or clay slopes in fynbos or renosterveld. |
Threats | | Threatened by ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation due to urban expansion, particularly on the Cape Flats where more than 36% of known subpopulations are now locally extinct, as well as crop cultivation, which is responsible for most past habitat loss, but is still ongoing around Joostenberg and Franschhoek. Many remaining subpopulations are also declining due to competition from alien invasive plants. |
Population | Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Muraltia thunbergii Eckl. & Zeyh. | NT B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) | 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.
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.
|
Citation | | Helme, N.A. & Raimondo, D. 2007. Muraltia thunbergii Eckl. & Zeyh. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/18 |
 Comment on this assessment
|
Search for images of Muraltia thunbergii on iNaturalist
|
