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Scientific Name | Aspalathus psoraleoides (C.Presl) Benth. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | FABACEAE |
Synonyms | Paraspalathus psoraloides C.Presl |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) |
Assessment Date | 2021/04/23 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo & D.A. Kamundi |
Justification | This species is assessed as Endangered under criterion B as it has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 960 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 48 km². Plants at three out of five known locations are threatened by competition from alien invasive plants resulting in an ongoing decline in habitat quality. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Cape Peninsula, Babilonstoring Mountains and Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, Overberg Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | Plants grow in low fynbos in sands weathered from sandstone. |
Threats |
| Two subpopulations on the southern Cape Peninsula are relatively well-protected within the Table Mountain National Park, however, parts of its habitat, especially on Muizenberg and above Simon's Town requires ongoing management and clearing of alien invasive plants. Its habitat on the Babilonstoring Mountains is infested with unmanaged alien invasive plants, and it is threatened by habitat loss to expanding crop cultivation. On the Kleinrivier Mountains, this species occurs within a protected area where there are no current threats. |
Population |
This perennial prostrate shrub is a rare and poorly known species with an unusual disjunct distribution. The current population size is unknown. Only one subpopulation growing on Muizenberg mountain has been monitored in the past 20 years. This subpopulation had fewer than 10 individuals in both 2005 and 2015. The population is suspected to be declining due to severe invasive alien plant infestations.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Aspalathus psoraleoides (C.Presl) Benth. | EN B1ab(iii) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Dahlgren, R. 1960. Revision of the genus Aspalathus. I. The species with flat leaflets. Opera Botanica 4:7-393.
Dahlgren, R. 1988. Crotalarieae (Aspalathus). In: O.A. Leistner (ed). Flora of southern Africa 16 Fabaceae, Part 3 Papilionoideae, Fascicle 6:1-430. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. & Kamundi, D.A. 2021. Aspalathus psoraleoides (C.Presl) Benth. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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