Red List Status
EN - Endangered, B1ab(iii,iv)+2ab(iii,iv) (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: 2023-01-20

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

Lobelia corniculata has a very restricted distribution, with an estimated extent of occurrence of 830.496 km², with an area of occupancy of 20 km². Its habitat preference for moist areas along seasonal rivers and drainage lines puts it at risk from alien plant encroachment by Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara, these species being a major problem in the areas where Lobelia corniculata has been found. This species is threatened not only by habitat loss due to the alien plant species, but also by physical damage to the habitat caused by alien plant control activities. In addition, there is a threat of loss due to flooding of streams and rivers. Based on this, it has been assessed as Endangered under Criteria B1 and B2.
Date last seen: 2022

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 north eastern Eswatini and from Hluhluwe in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The precise location information is not available for some of the older records, so it is likely that the upper elevation information included here is incorrect.

Area of Occupancy (AOO)

Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) - in km2	Justification
20	The estimated area of occupancy is based on six records which have locality information, calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011), with the standard 2x2 km grid cell being applied. One record has been excluded, based on habitat degradation at that locality.

Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO)	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	Further fieldwork is required to determine whether there is any decline in area of occupancy.

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO)	Justification
Unknown	There is currently no information on any 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
830.496	true	The estimated extent of occurrence is based on seven records which have locality information, calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011).

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	Further fieldwork is required to determine whether there is any decline in area of occupancy.

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

Locations Information

Number of Locations	Justification
5	The number of locations is a rough estimate based on locality descriptions on older herbarium specimens.

Continuing decline in number of locations	Qualifier	Justification
Yes	Inferred	Further fieldwork is required to determine whether there is any decline in number of locations, but this species might have been affected by spread of invasive species within Mlawula Nature Reserve, followed by the control measures to remove the alien species (Chromolaena and Lantana).

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations	Justification
Unknown	There is no information on extreme fluctuations in 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
Yes	Based on currently available information, this species has an area of occupancy of 20 km2. Its habitat requirement for moist areas means that this area of occupancy might be an over-estimate.

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 155

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 640

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
South Africa -> KwaZulu-Natal	Extant	Native	-	Resident

Population

This species is known from the north east of Eswatini and from one record in Hluhluwe Game Reserve in South Africa. No detailed population surveys have been conducted. The presence in South Africa requires confirmation, having last been recorded in 1955. Its continued presence in Eswatini has been confirmed by a record from 2022, but more fieldwork is required for the Eswatini localities, as some of the localities are in an area where there might have been habitat degradation due to alien invasive plants followed by clearing activities to remove these plants.

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 has been recorded from moist places, along seasonal rivers and drainage lines in grassveld and bushveld, vegetation types Tshokwane-Hlane Basalt Lowveld (SVI5), Zululand Lowveld (SVI23) and possibly Southern Lebombo Bushveld (SVI16) (Mucina et. al. 2018). The locality information for some of the older records is not accurate, so the records from Southern Lebombo Bushveld might well be from more lower lying areas nearby.

IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme

Habitat	Season	Suitability	Major Importance?
2.2. Savanna -> Savanna - Moist	-	Suitable	Yes
5.2. Wetlands (inland) -> Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks	-	Suitable	Yes

Continuing Decline in Habitat

Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat?	Qualifier	Justification
Yes	Inferred	There has been an ongoing problem with regard to alien plant species spreading along the drainage lines, particularly within the Siphiso Valley in Mlawula Nature Reserve.

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

In at least part of the range of this species, the requirement for moist habitat within savanna/woodland has meant that there has been habitat degradation due to invasive alien plant species (Chromolaena and Lantana). In Mlawula Nature Reserve, activities have been carried out to clear affected drainage lines, but it is not yet known whether this species still occurs in areas which were affected. In spite of control measures, it is likely that the invasive species will continue to affect the area. In addition to this, it is at risk from flooding of streams and rivers.

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
8.1.2. Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases -> Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases -> Named species	Ongoing	Unknown	Slow, Significant Declines
8.1.2. Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases -> Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases -> Named species	Ongoing	Unknown	Slow, Significant Declines
11.4. Climate change & severe weather -> Storms & flooding	Past, Likely to Return	Majority (50-90%)	Very Rapid Declines

Conservation

This species has been recorded from within Mlawula Nature Reserve and Mbuluzi Game Reserve in Eswatini, and from Hluhluwe Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. The Hluhluwe record requires confirmation as it was last recorded in 1955.

Conservation Actions In- Place

Action Recovery Plan	Note
No	-

Systematic monitoring scheme	Note
No	-

Conservation sites identified	Note
Yes, over part of range	This species has been recorded from within Mlawula Nature Reserve, Mbuluzi Game Reserve and Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

Occur in at least one PA	Note
Yes	This species has been recorded from within Mlawula Nature Reserve, Mbuluzi Game Reserve and Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

Percentage of population protected by PAs (0-100)	Note
61-70	There are two records from the Siteki area in Eswatini without precise locality information, but are presumed to be from nearby, not falling within a protected area.

Area based regional management plan	Note
No	-

Invasive species control or prevention	Note
Yes	There have been intensive alien plant control activities conducted in Mlawula Nature Reserve in an attempt to control the Chromolaena and Lantana spreading along drainage lines within the reserve.

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
2.2. Land/water management -> Invasive/problematic species control	Ongoing invasive plant control measures are required to prevent habitat degradation for this species.
3.4.2. Species management -> Ex-situ conservation -> Genome resource bank	No material has yet been collected 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 occurrence of this species and population trends.

Lobelia corniculata - Thulin