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Scientific Name | Lachenalia flava Andrews |
Higher Classification | Monocotyledons |
Family | HYACINTHACEAE |
Synonyms | Lachenalia aloides (L.f.) Engl. var. aurea (Lindl.) Engl., Lachenalia aurea Lindl., Lachenalia macrophylla Lem., Lachenalia quadricolor Jacq. var. lutea Sims, Lachenalia tricolor Thunb. var. luteola Ker Gawl. |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable D2 |
Assessment Date | 2020/03/02 |
Assessor(s) | G.D. Duncan, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Lachenalia flava is a rare and range-restricted species with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 104-243 km², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 20-24 km². It has declined in the past due to habitat loss to urban and agricultural expansion. The two remaining subpopulations are potentially threatened by habitat loss to agricultural expansion and competition from alien invasive plants. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to a small area in the Western Cape, where it historically occurred from Paarl Mountain and Wellington to the upper Breede River Valley near Tulbagh. It is now locally extinct on Paarl Mountain and around Wellington, and only remains in the Bain's Kloof area in the Hawequas Mountains, and between Tulbagh and Wolseley. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Breede Shale Renosterveld, Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos, Breede Alluvium Fynbos |
Description | This species occurs on rocky sandstone and shale slopes, in fynbos as well as renosterveld vegetation. Mass flowering is stimulated by fire, but is not dependent on fire for flowering to occur. The scape remains attached until the capsule splits open, and large seeds are shaken to the ground close to the ground and dispersed by wind. It is pollinated by sunbirds. |
Threats |
| This species is suspected to have declined in the past around Paarl, Wellington and in the upper Breede River Valley due to habitat loss to urban expansion and agriculture. The remaining known subpopulation in the Breede River Valley is potentially threatened by habitat loss to further agricultural expansion. The subpopulation in Bain's Kloof has no current threats (N.A. Helme pers. obs. 2016), but it is potentially vulnerable to competition from alien invasive plants, that are spreading uncontrolled in parts of the Slanghoek Mountains and Limietberge. The reasons for its local extinction on Paarl Mountain are unknown. |
Population |
L. flava is an uncommon and localized species, known from few subpopulations. It was historically recorded from Paarl Mountain and Wellington, where it is now locally extinct. There are currently two known remaining subpopulations. In Bain's Kloof, plants occur singly or in small groups on south-facing rocky sandstone slopes. In the Breede River Valley between Tulbagh and Wolseley, a subpopulation of several thousand plants occur on a low-lying hillside in renosterveld. The population has declined in the past, but it is not possible to quantify the population reduction, as historical records have vague locality descriptions, and it is likely that the reduction occurred more than three generations ago. Neither of the two remaining subpopulations are currently facing any threats, and therefore it is not suspected to be declining, but both are vulnerable to potential threats, which could rapidly lead to the species becoming Critically Endangered or possibly extinct.
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Population trend | Stable |
Notes |
| This taxon is geographically isolated from all other taxa previously grouped under L. aloides. Lachenalia flava is similar to L. luteola, but the latter is confined to the southern Cape Peninsula and a disjunct population east of Bredasdorp (Duncan 2012). L. luteola has similar tubular, hanging flowers with included, straight stamens, and similar globose seed with inflated strophioles, but differs in its usually plain greenish-tepals and much shorter inner tepals. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Lachenalia aloides (L.f.) Engl. var. aurea (Lindl.) Engl. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Duncan, G.D. 2012. The genus Lachenalia. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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 |
| Duncan, G.D., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Lachenalia flava Andrews. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/15 |
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