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Scientific Name | Muraltia ferox Levyns |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | POLYGALACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); C2a(ii) |
Assessment Date | 2011/10/19 |
Assessor(s) | I. Ebrahim, L. von Staden & V. Zikishe |
Justification | Muraltia ferox was known until recently only from the type collection, made in 1951. At the time, Levyns noted that plants were heavily grazed. The area on the lower northern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains near Worcester is also extensively transformed to vineyards, and the species was thought extinct. A small population of less than 100 mature individuals, which is also heavily grazed and threatened by vineyard expansion, was discovered by volunteers of the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) in September 2011. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | Worcester. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Breede Quartzite Fynbos |
Description | Lower rocky slopes, 300 m. |
Threats |
| The lower northern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains to the south of Worcester are extensively transformed to vineyards and remaining fragments that are generally too stony to cultivate are heavily grazed. The recently discovered subpopulation is also heavily grazed, but plants appear to be somewhat tolerant of grazing (I. Ebrahim pers. comm.). The subpopulation is across the road from a newly established vineyard, and is threatened by ongoing expansion of vineyards. |
Population |
Currently known from a single, small subpopulation of less than 100 mature individuals. Other remaining suitable habitat in the area still needs to be surveyed, and more plants could still be found (I. Ebrahim pers. comm.).
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Notes |
| The form of this species is modified considerably by excessive grazing. The flowers and leaves around the periphery of the bush are invariably eaten away and only those mature that arise within the protective framework formed by the hardened interlacing twigs. (Levyns 1954). |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Muraltia ferox Levyns | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | 2011.1 | | Muraltia ferox Levyns | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Muraltia ferox Levyns | Indeterminate | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Muraltia ferox Levyns | Indeterminate | 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.
Levyns, M.R. 1954. The genus Muraltia. Journal of South African Botany Supplement 2:1-247.
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.
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Citation |
| Ebrahim, I., von Staden, L. & Zikishe, V. 2011. Muraltia ferox Levyns. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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