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Scientific Name | Serruria reflexa Rourke |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Milky Spiderhead (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Rare |
Assessment Date | 2020/08/09 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Serruria reflexa has a restricted distribution range, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 313 km². With all known subpopulations confined to nature reserves, the population is not currently declining. It is therefore listed as a restricted-range species under the national category of Rare. It qualifies under the IUCN criteria as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where it occurs from Porterville, to the Olifants River Mountains and the Skurweberg. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Winterhoek Sandstone Fynbos, Olifants Sandstone Fynbos, Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos |
Description | It grows in sandstone fynbos soils, at an altitude of 400-1200. Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. Seeds are released after ripening, and dispersed by ants to their underground nests, where they are protected from predation and fire. It is pollinated by insects. |
Threats |
| There are no known severe threats affecting this species, but it is likely to be impacted in the future by inappropriate fire management, competition from spreading alien invasive plants and climate change linked drought-related mortality. |
Population |
It occurs as scattered subpopulations, each consisting of stands of a few hundred plants. All known subpopulations are confined to nature reserves. Although there is presence of alien invasive plants at low densities, the population is not suspected to be declining.
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Serruria reflexa Rourke | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
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.
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.
Rourke, J.P. 1990. Four new species of Serruria (Proteaceae) from the south-western Cape. South African Journal of Botany 56(4):497-505.
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Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Serruria reflexa Rourke. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/14 |
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