Red List Status
EN - Endangered, 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: 2023-01-26

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

Asparagus radiatus has a restricted distribution, with an estimated extent of occurrence of 40.543 km² and an area of occupancy of 24 km². Although part of its range falls within a protected area, there are ongoing threats to its habitat from timber harvesting. Based on this, it has been assessed as Vulnerable, under Criteria B1 and B2.
Date last seen: 2020

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 species is known from the Lubombo mountains in north eastern Eswatini, and the neighbouring Goba area in Mozambique.

Area of Occupancy (AOO)

Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) - in km2	Justification
24	The estimated area of occupancy has been based on 8 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
No	Inferred	There currently is no confirmed decline in the habitat for this species.

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO)	Justification
No	No extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy are known.

Extent of Occurrence (EOO)

Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO)- in km2	EOO estimate calculated from Minimum Convex Polygon	Justification
40.543	true	The estimated extent of occurrence has been based on 8 records for this species and was calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011). This is likely to be an overestimate, due to the habitat requirement of forested ravines; the extent of occurrence includes areas unsuited to this species.

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Qualifier	Justification
No	Inferred	At this stage, there is no known decline in extent of occurrence for this species.

Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Justification
No	No extreme fluctuations in extent of occurence are known at this point in time.

Locations Information

Number of Locations	Justification
4	Eight localities have been recorded for this species to date. Based on the distribution of these localities, it is estimated that this forms 4 locations.

Continuing decline in number of locations	Qualifier	Justification
No	Inferred	There is no known decline in number of locations for this species.

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations	Justification
No	There is no known fluctuation in the number of locations for this species.

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

Very restricted in area of occupancy (AOO) and/or # of locations	Justification
No	This species has been recorded from 8 localities, and the estimated area of occupancy is 24 km2. This might be an over-estimation due to the specific habitat requirements for this species.

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 95

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 455

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
Mozambique	Extant	Native	-	Resident

Population

This species has been recorded from eight localites within the Lubombo Mountains in Eswatini and in the adjacent Goba area in Mozambique. It is uncommon at these localities. No detailed population surveys have been conducted.

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

This species is found on dry rocky slopes on rhyolite, in Androstachys johnsonii dry forest. This area falls within the vegetation type Southern Lebombo Bushveld (SVI16) (Mucina et. al. 2018).

IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme

Habitat	Season	Suitability	Major Importance?
1.5. Forest -> Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Dry	-	Suitable	Yes

Continuing Decline in Habitat

Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat?	Qualifier	Justification
Yes	Inferred	There is ongoing pressure on the habitat for this species due to cutting of timber.

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)

Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity
5.3.1. Biological resource use -> Logging & wood harvesting -> Intentional use: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Ongoing	Minority (<50%)	Slow, Significant Declines

Conservation

The range of the population of this species is included both in Mlawula Nature Reserve, and Shewula and Mhlumeni community conservation areas. The community conservation areas at this stage do not provide protection against timber harvesting which could result in habitat degradation.

Conservation Actions In- Place

Action Recovery Plan	Note
No	-

Systematic monitoring scheme	Note
No	-

Conservation sites identified	Note
Yes, over part of range	The range of the population is included in Mlawula Nature Reserve, as well as Shewula and Mhlumeni community conservation areas.

Occur in at least one PA	Note
Yes	Recorded from Mlawula Nature Reserve, as well as Shewula and Mhlumeni community conservation areas.

Percentage of population protected by PAs (0-100)	Note
51-60	-

Area based regional management plan	Note
No	-

Invasive species control or prevention: (Not specified)

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
1.2. Land/water protection -> Resource & habitat protection	The protection of the Androstachys johnsonii forests would be essential for the long term survival of this species.
3.4.2. Species management -> Ex-situ conservation -> Genome resource bank	No material has been collected yet for ex-situ conservation of this species.

Research Needed

Research	Note
1.2. Research -> Population size, distribution & trends	More fieldwork is required to determine the extent of the population of this species as well as any population trends.
1.3. Research -> Life history & ecology	There is a need for more information on the life history and ecology of this species for conservation planning purposes.

Asparagus radiatus - Sebsebe