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Scientific Name | Polhillia pallens C.H.Stirt. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | FABACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable A2c |
Assessment Date | 2018/09/28 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo & I. Ebrahim |
Justification | This species has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of <3 600 km². A population reduction of at least 30% is estimated based on habitat loss to crop cultivation during the 1950s and 1960s, which is within the last three generations for this long-lived species (generation length at least 50 years). It is therefore listed as Vulnerable under criterion A. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to South Africa, and is found from Bredasdorp to Potberg. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Central Ruens Shale Renosterveld, Ruens Silcrete Renosterveld, Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos, Swellendam Silcrete Fynbos |
Description | It occurs in renosterveld in deep clay soils on southwest-facing slopes, 30 m. |
Threats |
| Wheat cultivation was a severe past threat to Polhillia pallens, resulting in all remaining populations being restricted to small fragments in the lower Breede River Valley. Grazing is a minor current threat, and aliens (black wattle and acacias) are a moderate threat.
There is no doubt that this species has lost more than 30% of its habitat in the past three generations - ploughing in the area took place during the 1950s and 1960s and this is a resprouting species that has a generation time of a minimum of 50 years (D.Raimondo 2006). |
Population |
There is no information available on the population of this species.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| This species is conserved in Potberg Nature Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Polhillia pallens C.H.Stirt. | VU A2c | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Polhillia pallens C.H.Stirt. | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
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.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Stirton, C.H. 1986. Polhillia, a new genus of papilionoid legumes endemic to South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 52(2):167-179.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. & Ebrahim, I. 2018. Polhillia pallens C.H.Stirt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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