Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Phylica brachycephala Sond.
Higher Classification
Dicotyledons
Family
RHAMNACEAE
National Status
Status and Criteria
Vulnerable D2
Assessment Date
2014/09/26
Assessor(s)
D. van der Colff & D. Turner
Justification
A rare, range-restricted habitat specialist, known from one location where it is potentially threatened by competition from alien invasive plants.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Provincial distribution
Western Cape
Range
Langeberg Mountains near Riversdale.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Major habitats
Central Coastal Shale Band Vegetation
Description
Shale bands on moist, steep upper slopes.
Threats
Scattered alien invasive plants are present in the habitat (D. Turner pers. obs.), and could potentially outcompete native species if it is allowed to spread.
Population

This species was recently rediscovered in the Langeberg Mountains near Swellendam, where it was last recorded more than 100 years ago. The population is small and localized to suitable habitat.


Population trend
Stable
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Phylica brachycephala Sond.VU D22015.1
Phylica brachycephala Sond.Data Deficient Raimondo et al. (2009)
Phylica brachycephala Sond.Insufficiently Known Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Phylica brachycephala Sond.Uncertain 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.


Pillans, N.S. 1942. The genus Phylica, Linn. Journal of South African Botany 8(1):1-164.


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.


Sonder, W. 1859. Rhamneae. In: W.H. Harvey and O.W. Sonder (eds). Flora Capensis I (Ranunculaceae-Connaraceae):475-502. Hodges, Smith and Co., Dublin.


Citation
van der Colff, D. & Turner, D. 2014. Phylica brachycephala Sond. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14

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Distribution map

© A.G. Rebelo

© D. Turner


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