Albertinia Pincushion

Taxonomy

Scientific Name

Leucospermum muirii E.Phillips

Higher Classification

Dicotyledons

Family

PROTEACEAE

Common Names

Albertinia Pincushion (e), Bloukool (a), Bloukoolhout (a), Dooiehout (a), Dooiekoolhout (a), Luisiesbos (a)

National Status

Status and Criteria

Vulnerable A2c

Assessment Date

2020/06/19

Assessor(s)

A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden

Justification

Leucospermum muirii is confined to a small area of the Fynbos Biome in South Africa, it has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 543 kmÂ² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 148-152 kmÂ². Evidence exists that this species may have declined substantially already, as 40% of records are from habitat remnants, road verges or occur adjacent to agricultural land, and that it continues to decline due to dense alien plant invasion and habitat degradation as a result of thatch harvesting, but data on the extent of population reduction is lacking. However, due to severe ongoing habitat loss and degradation, 30-50% of the population is suspected to have declined over the past three generations (generation length 15-20 years). It therefore qualifies for listing as Vulnerable under criterion A.

Distribution

Endemism

South African endemic

Provincial distribution

Western Cape

Range

Leucospermum muirii is endemic to Western Cape Province of South Africa occurring from Albertinia Flats to Melkhoutfontein and Still Bay.

Habitat and Ecology

Major system

Terrestrial

Major habitats

North Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos, Albertinia Sand Fynbos

Description

It occurs on deep sandy flats near the coast, 50-350 m. It is a short-lived species with a generation length of 15-20 years. Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. Seeds are released after ripening and are dispersed by ants to their underground nests, where they are protected from predation and fire. It is pollinated by insects.

Threats

This species has lost 37% of its habitat to urban expansion around Albertina, and to cereal and pasture cultivation. Habitat degradation is ongoing as result of 'vegetation improvement activities' which involve bush cutting that favours the growth of thatching reed, the main economic activity in this region. It is further threatened by spreading alien invasive plants (acacia and pines) and inappropriate fire management. Road verge clearing and increased mole rat activity associated with disturbance are minor threats. Global climate change is predicted to severely impact this taxon. Climate change models (Bomhard et al. 2005) predicted a population reduction of up to 80% by 2025 (generation length 20 years), but these predictions were probably too extreme as no diebacks have yet been observed.

Population

Two main subpopulations exist over a 26 km-long range along with 20-30, peripheral, smaller, isolated stands. The surveys conducted during the Protea Atlas Project (1992-2002) reported 40% of subpopulations occur in road verges or adjacent agricultural land, and more than 80% are infested by alien invasive plants. Since alien plant infestations have just become more severe in the past 18 years, a population reduction of 30-50% is suspected to have taken place over the past three generations (1975-2020) due to the combined impacts of habitat loss and habitat degradation.

Population trend

Decreasing

Conservation

This species is not conserved.

Assessment History

Taxon assessed	Status and Criteria	Citation/Red List version
Leucospermum muirii E.Phillips	EN A3c+4c	Raimondo et al. (2009)
Leucospermum muirii E.Phillips	Rare	Hilton-Taylor (1996)
Leucospermum muirii E.Phillips	Rare	Hall et al. (1980)

Bibliography

Bomhard, B., Richardson, D.M., Donaldson, J.S., Hughes, G.O., Midgley, G.F., Raimondo, D.C., Rebelo, A.G., Rouget, M. and Thuiller, W. 2005. Potential impacts of future land use and climate change on the Red List status of the Proteaceae in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Global Change Biology 11(9):1452-1468.

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.

Manning, J.C. and Goldblatt, P. 2012. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape Flora. Strelitzia 29. South African National Biodiversity 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.

Rebelo, T. 2001. Sasol Proteas: A field guide to the proteas of southern Africa. (2nd ed.). Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.

Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A.L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.

Citation

Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Leucospermum muirii E.Phillips. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13

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