Plants possibly extinct in Gauteng
Calling all Gauteng iNatters to assist in searching for these 4 plant species across the province:
APOCYNACEAE Ceropegia discoideum (CRPE)
(was Brachystelma discoideum)
This species is possibly extinct at the type locality (Shoshanguve, north of Pretoria) where it has not been seen since 1968, despite many repeated searches. There are some indications that it possibly has a wider distribution in similar sandy bushveld habitat in North West and Mpumalanga provinces, but there has been no other collections or confirmed records. It is possibly extinct, but more field surveys in suitable habitat is needed.
(full red list account)
Ralf Peckover describes the flower colour variation here:
http://www.flora-africa.com/Flower%20colour%20variation%20in%20Brachystelma%20discoideum.pdf
APOCYNACEAE Miraglossum laeve (CRPE)
A rare and very poorly known species, last collected in 1960. Dedicated searches on the hills south of Pretoria and the Vredefort Dome north-east of Parys have thus far failed to relocate it and is possibly already extinct due to habitat loss and degradation.
(full red list account)
ASTERACEAE Macledium pretoriense Pretoria Karmedik (EX)
(was Dicoma pretoriense)
The only known locality for this species - hillsides in Pretoria - has been transformed by urban development. It was last collected in 1925.
(full red list account)
ORCHIDACEAE Holothrix micrantha Egoli Hair Orchid (CRPE)
A rare, range-restricted species last recorded in 1925. Several searches within its habitat - Gold Reef Mountain Bushveld, Egoli Granite Grassland - have thus far failed to relocate this species in the wild. It is possibly extinct, but also cryptic and easily overlooked, and a small chance remains that it may still be relocated.
(full red list account)
Comments
@richardgill @andrew_hankey @arista_botha @kyle_campbell1 @carelf @caspervanzyl @tjeerddw @jason_van_den_berg @mattprinsloo @juddkirkel @georgfritz @peterlupton @marikav @sp_bester @ernestporter @jandutoit @dhoare
As the top 15 observers in Gauteng for South Africa's Red List Plants and Animals project, here's a quest for you...
@nigel_barker @ashton_welcome @vdbank @kevinbalkwill @cdzerefos @miwalters
Representing the Higher Education Institutes within Gauteng, here's a challenge for your respective Institute and students...
Habenaria bicolor is also possibly extinct in the province, I have been looking for it and Holothrix micrantha, but no luck so far!
Thank you for your feedback, @carelf
We continue to hold thumbs :-)
As for the Macledium pretoriense Pretoria Karmedik, this was last seen in 1925 on this koppie https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=-25.725634899849595&nelng=28.242563489239593&place_id=any&subview=map&swlat=-25.727084704762966&swlng=28.239044431012054 according to https://plants.jstor.org/stable/history/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.pre0232644-0
Finding it still there would be 0,0000001% or something like that. But whoever has access to this fenced area above the previous ARC proefplaas grounds (now Public Works), imagine you find it there!
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