Red List Status
VU - Vulnerable, B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) (IUCN version 3.1)

Red List Assessment

Red List Status

Is the reassessment subject to the 5-year rule? (Not specified)

Assessment Information

Date of Assessment: 2023-01-08

Reviewed? (Not specified)

Assessor(s): Braun, K.

Reviewer(s): (Not specified)

Contributor(s): (Not specified)

Facilitators/Compilers: (Not specified)

Institution(s): (Not specified)

Acknowledgements: (Not specified)

Regions: Global

Regional Expert Questions: (Not specified)

Assessment Rationale

Afroaster pseudobakerianus has a limited distribution range, having only been recorded from within Eswatini. The estimated extent of occurrence is 2831 km², and the area of occupancy of 24 km². Although the species has not been recorded in recent years, at the time of assessment, there was no evidence to indicate that they no longer occur in these areas. However, as it is found in the grassland areas of the Eswatini highveld, these areas are under threat from overgrazing by livestock, as well as urban expansion and other forms of land use change. Based on this, it has been assessed as Vulnerable under Criteria B1 and B2.Date last seen: 2002

Reasons for Change

Reason(s) for Change in Red List Category from the Previous Assessment: (Not specified)

Red List Index

Red List Index: (Not specified)

Distribution

Geographic Range

This plant has been recorded from the Eswatini highveld, from north of Mbabane, south to the Nhlangano area.

Area of Occupancy (AOO)

Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) - in km2	Justification
24	The area of occupancy is based on six known records for this species. The estimated area of occupancy was calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011), with the standard 2x2 km grid cell being applied.

Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO)	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	This species was recorded in the 1950's and 60's, with one more recent record from 2002. Fieldwork is required to determine whether the plant is still present in these localities.

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO)	Justification
Unknown	There is currently no information on extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy.

Extent of Occurrence (EOO)

Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO)- in km2	EOO estimate calculated from Minimum Convex Polygon	Justification
2831.742	true	The extent of occurrence is based on six known records for this species, calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011).

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	This species was recorded in the 1950's and 60's, with one more recent record from 2002. Fieldwork is required to determine whether the plant is still present in these localities.

Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Justification
Unknown	There is currently no information on extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence.

Locations Information

Number of Locations	Justification
6	There are currently six known localities, estimated to form 5 locations for this species, but most of these were from the 1950's or 60's, the more recent record being from 2002.

Continuing decline in number of locations	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	Fieldwork is required to determine whether this plant is still found in the previously recorded localities.

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations: (Not specified)

Very restricted AOO or number of locations (triggers VU D2)

Very restricted in area of occupancy (AOO) and/or # of locations	Justification
Unknown	The current information for this species includes six localities, but there has been no confirmation of the continued existence of this plant in these areas within recent years.

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 660

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 1360

Depth Lower Limit (in metres below sea level): (Not specified)

Depth Upper Limit (in metres below sea level): (Not specified)

Depth Zone: (Not specified)

Map Status

Map Status: (Not specified)

Biogeographic Realms

Biogeographic Realm: Afrotropical

Country	Presence	Origin	Formerly Bred	Seasonality
Eswatini	Extant	Native	-	Resident

Population

This species was recorded in the 1950's and 60's, with one more recent record from 2002. No recent population data is currently available.

Population Information

Current Population Trend: Unknown

Number of mature individuals (=population size): (Not specified)

Extreme fluctuations? (in # of mature individuals): (Not specified)

Severely fragmented? (Not specified)

Continuing decline in mature individuals? (Not specified)

Continuing decline % in mature individuals within 1 generation or 3 years, whichever is longer (up to max. of 100 years in the future): (Not specified)

Continuing decline % in mature individuals within 2 generations or 5 years, whichever is longer (up to max. of 100 years in the future): (Not specified)

Continuing decline % in mature individuals within 3 generations or 10 years, whichever is longer (up to max. of 100 years in the future): (Not specified)

Extreme fluctuations in the number of subpopulations: (Not specified)

Continuing decline in number of subpopulations: (Not specified)

All individuals in one subpopulation: (Not specified)

Number of mature individuals in largest subpopulation: (Not specified)

Number of Subpopulations: (Not specified)

Population Reduction - Past

Percent Change in past: (Not specified)

Past Population Reduction Basis: (Not specified)

Causes of past reduction reversible? (Not specified)

Causes of past reduction understood? (Not specified)

Causes of past reduction ceased? (Not specified)

Population Reduction - Future

Percent Change in future: (Not specified)

Future Population Reduction Basis: (Not specified)

Population Reduction - Ongoing

Both: Percent Change over any 10 year or 3 generation period, whichever is longer, and must include both past and future, future can't go beyond 100 years: (Not specified)

Both Population Reduction Basis: (Not specified)

Causes of both (past and future) reduction reversible? (Not specified)

Causes of both (past and future) reduction understood? (Not specified)

Causes of both (past and future) reduction ceased? (Not specified)

Quantitative Analysis

Probability of extinction in the wild within 3 generations or 10 years, whichever is longer, maximum 100 years: (Not specified)

Probability of extinction in the wild within 5 generations or 20 years, whichever is longer, maximum 100 years: (Not specified)

Probability of extinction in the wild within 100 years: (Not specified)

Habitats and Ecology

The records for this species are primarily from KaNgwane Montane Grassland (Gm16) vegetation type, with one record from Swaziland Sour Bushveld (SVI14) (Mucina et. al. 2018). The locality information has been based on the written descriptions on herbarium specimens, so it is possible that in spite of the one record apparently being found in savanna, that it was found in grassland nearby.

IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme

Habitat	Season	Suitability	Major Importance?
4.7. Grassland -> Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	-	Suitable	-

Continuing Decline in Habitat

Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat?	Qualifier	Justification
Yes	Inferred	This species appears to be found in the highveld grassland areas in Eswatini. These areas are, in general, subject to heavy grazing, but further fieldwork is required to determine the extent to which this plant has been affected. There is also the possibility of loss of suitable habitat due to the establishment of forestry plantations.

Life History

Generation Length: (Not specified)

Age at maturity: female or unspecified: (Not specified)

Age at Maturity: Male: (Not specified)

Size at Maturity (in cms): Female: (Not specified)

Size at Maturity (in cms): Male: (Not specified)

Longevity: (Not specified)

Average Reproductive Age: (Not specified)

Maximum Size (in cms): (Not specified)

Size at Birth (in cms): (Not specified)

Gestation Time: (Not specified)

Reproductive Periodicity: (Not specified)

Average Annual Fecundity or Litter Size: (Not specified)

Annual Rate of Population Increase: (Not specified)

Natural Mortality: (Not specified)

Does the species lay eggs? (Not specified)

Does the species give birth to live young: (Not specified)

Does the species exhibit parthenogenesis: (Not specified)

Does the species have a free-living larval stage? (Not specified)

Does the species require water for breeding? (Not specified)

Movement Patterns

Movement Patterns: (Not specified)

Congregatory: (Not specified)

Systems

System: Terrestrial

Plant / Fungi Specific

Wild relative of a crop? (Not specified)

Plant and Fungal Growth Forms: (Not specified)

Use and Trade

General Use and Trade Information

Species not utilized: (Not specified)

No use/trade information for this species: true

General notes regarding trade and use of this species: (Not specified)

Local Livelihood: (Not specified)

National Commercial Value: (Not specified)

International Commercial Value: (Not specified)

End Use: (Not specified)

Is there harvest from captive/cultivated sources of this species? (Not specified)

Trend in level of total offtake from wild sources: (Not specified)

Trend in level of total offtake from domesticated sources: (Not specified)

Harvest Trend Comments: (Not specified)

Non- Consumptive Use

Non-consumptive use of the species? (Not specified)

Explanation of non-consumptive use: (Not specified)

Livelihoods

Livelihoods: (Not specified)

Threats

This species appears to be found in the highveld grassland areas in Eswatini. These areas are, in general, subject to heavy grazing, but further fieldwork is required to determine whether this plant has been affected, and to what degree. In addition, two of the localities are within the Mbabane urban area and might have been affected by urban development. Fieldwork is required to confirm whether these species have been affected by land use change as a result of the urban development.

Threats Classification Scheme

No past, ongoing, or future threats exist to this species. (Not specified)

The threats to this species are unknown. (Not specified)

Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity
1.1. Residential & commercial development -> Housing & urban areas	Ongoing	-	-
2.3.2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> Livestock farming & ranching -> Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing	-	-

Conservation

This species has not yet been recorded from any existing conservation areas.

Conservation Actions In- Place

Action Recovery Plan	Note
No	-

Systematic monitoring scheme	Note
No	-

Conservation sites identified	Note
No	-

Occur in at least one PA	Note
No	-

Percentage of population protected by PAs (0-100)	Note
0	-

Area based regional management plan	Note
No	-

Invasive species control or prevention	Note
No	-

Harvest management plan	Note
No	-

Successfully reintroduced or introduced benignly	Note
No	-

Subject to ex-situ conservation	Note
No	-

Subject to recent education and awareness programmes	Note
No	-

Included in international legislation	Note
No	-

Subject to any international management/trade controls	Note
No	-

Important Conservation Actions Needed

Conservation Actions	Note
3.4.2. Species management -> Ex-situ conservation -> Genome resource bank	There is currently no ex-situ conservation for this species. Collection of material for ex-situ conservation would enhance the potential survival of this plant.

Research Needed

Research	Note
1.2. Research -> Population size, distribution & trends	More information is required on population sizes and trends, as well as further fieldwork to determine whether there are any additional localities for this species.
1.3. Research -> Life history & ecology	Very little is currently known about the life history and ecology of this species.

Afroaster pseudobakerianus - (W.Lippert) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt