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: 2023-01-28

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

Monopsis malvacea has a restricted distribution, with an estimated extent of occurrence of 4921.024 km², and an area of occupancy of 44 km². There are ongoing threats to this species from overgrazing by livestock, expansion of forestry plantations, and habitat degradation due to invasive alien plants. Based on this, it has been assessed as Vulnerable, under Criteria B1 and B2.
Date last seen: 2023

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 Eswatini highveld, from the Hlatikhulu area in the south, extending to the Nkhaba area in the north. It has also been recorded from the Wakkerstroom area in South Africa.

Area of Occupancy (AOO)

Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) - in km2	Justification
44	The estimated area of occupancy is based on 15 records, some of which are from the same localities, 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	-	There is currently no information with regard to a decline in area of occupancy.

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO)	Justification
Unknown	There are no known 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
4921.024	true	The estimated extent of occurrence is based on 15 records, some of which are from the same localities, calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011).

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	There is currently no information on decline in extent of occurrence.

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

Locations Information

Number of Locations	Justification
10	The number of locations has been estimated as ten, based on 16 records, some of which are presumed to be from the same localities.

Continuing decline in number of locations	Qualifier	Justification
Unknown	-	There is currently no information on decline in number of locations.

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations	Justification
Unknown	There is currently no information on extreme fluctuations in the number of locations.

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

Very restricted in area of occupancy (AOO) and/or # of locations	Justification
No	The area of occupancy for this species is estimated at about 44 km2.

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 1040

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 1575

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

No detailed population surveys have been conducted, but the plant's continued existence has been confirmed in 2022. It appears to have a very specific habitat requirement of east facing rocky areas within grassland, but where it is found, it can be locally abundant. For the purposes of this assessment, it has been assumed that the species still occurs at localities from older records, as the habitat still exists.

Population Information

Current Population Trend: (Not specified)

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 appears to have a very specific habitat requirement of east facing rocky areas within grassland, but more fieldwork is required to confirm this. The vegetation type where it has been recorded is primarily KaNgwane Montane Grassland (Gm16), with one record from Ithala Quartzite Sourveld (Gs2) and the South African record from Wakkerstroom Montane Grassland (Gm14) (Mucina et. al. 2018).

IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme

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

Continuing Decline in Habitat

Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat?	Qualifier	Justification
Yes	Inferred	Although most of the Eswatini highveld grassland areas are subjected to heavy grazing and burning, the specific habitat requirements for this species, amongst rocky areas, provides some protection from both grazing and burning. There is a risk of habitat degradation due to spread of wattle (Acacia spp.) as well as forestry plantation expansion resulting in habitat loss.

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

The potential threats to this species are the ongoing heavy grazing and burning of the grassland areas, as well as encroachment of wattle (Acacia spp.). Currently however, there is no information on the extent of decline in available habitats. As this species has been recorded from within forestry plantation areas, planting up of grassland areas currently maintained as firebreaks could result in rapid habitat loss for this species.

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
2.2.2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> Wood & pulp plantations -> Agro-industry plantations	Ongoing	Minority (<50%)	Rapid Declines
2.3.2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> Livestock farming & ranching -> Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing	Majority (50-90%)	Negligible declines
8.4.2. Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases -> Problematic species/disease of unknown origin -> Named species	Ongoing	Majority (50-90%)	Negligible declines
8.4.2. Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases -> Problematic species/disease of unknown origin -> Named species	Ongoing	Majority (50-90%)	Negligible declines

Conservation

This species is currently not known from within any protected 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: (Not specified)

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
1.2. Land/water protection -> Resource & habitat protection	Conservation of Eswatini highveld grassland areas would contribute to the ongoing survival of 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.
4.3. Education & awareness -> Awareness & communications	Providing information on this species to forestry plantation management could help ensure the survival of this plant.

Research Needed

Research	Note
1.2. Research -> Population size, distribution & trends	More fieldwork is required to determine the population size, distribution and trends.
1.3. Research -> Life history & ecology	There is a need to investigate the detailed habitat information for this species, as it appears to have very specific requirements. This information would contribute to conservation planning for this plant.

Monopsis malvacea - E.Wimm.