Red List Status
LC - Least Concern, (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: 2023-01-25

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

Selago swaziensis has a restricted distribution, with an estimated extent of occurrence of 130.585 km² and an area of occupancy of 32 km². This plant's habitat preference for rocky hilltops appears to provide it with protection from the threats of livestock grazing and other forms of land transformation, so, in spite of the very restricted distribution, this species has been assessed as Least Concern.
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 found in the Eswatini highveld in the Mbabane area, the distribution ranging from Mhlambanyatsi north east to the Maphalaleni area.

Area of Occupancy (AOO)

Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) - in km2	Justification
32	The estimated area of occupancy is based on 16 observations of this species, 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	This plant has recently been observed in suitable habitat on hilltops. This habitat type has been less affected by urban development due to topography.

Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO)	Justification
No	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
130.585	true	The estimated extent of occurrence is based on 16 observations of this species, calculated using GeoCAT (Bachman et al. 2011).

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO)	Qualifier	Justification
No	Inferred	There is no known decline of this species. Part of the range falls within the Usuthu Forest plantation area, but many of the hilltops are not planted due to their rocky nature, so potentially, the habitat for this species still exists.

Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO): (Not specified)

Locations Information

Number of Locations	Justification
9	The 17 records for this species appear to be from about 9 locations.

Continuing decline in number of locations	Qualifier	Justification
No	-	No decline in extent of occupancy has been recorded.

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations	Justification
No	There is no evidence of extreme fluctuations 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 an estimated area of occupancy of 32 km2, and might be found in more localities.

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 1155

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 1355

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

No population surveys have been conducted for this species. For the purposes of this assessment, it has been assumed that this species still occurs at localities from older records, as the habitat is still present.

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 is found in the Eswatini highveld in rocky hilltop habitats, vegetation type KaNgwane Montane Grassland (Gm16) (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
No	Inferred	There is no known decline in the extent and quality of this habitat type. Many areas including this habitat type are heavily grazed and frequently burnt, but the plant grows amongst rocks which provide some protection. In spite of the distribution extending into forestry plantation areas, the topography and rocky nature of this species' habitat mean that it is unsuitable for planting.

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

Although this species has a restricted distribution, its habitat, growing in amongst rocks on hilltops, appears to provide protection for this plant from grazing. There is no known decline in the extent and quality of this habitat type. In spite of the distribution extending into forestry plantation areas, the topography and rocky nature of this species' habitat mean that it is probably unsuitable for planting, and loss of habitat for this plant is probably limited.

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%)	Negligible declines
2.3.2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> Livestock farming & ranching -> Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing	Majority (50-90%)	Negligible declines

Conservation

None of the known distribution for this species falls within any formal protected area. As the species has been recorded from Ukuthula, the establishment of a flora reserve in this area would contribute to the potential survival of this species.

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 Ukuthula, so the potential establishment of a flora reserve in this area would provide protection for this species.

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: (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	Although this species does not currently appear to be at risk, it does not fall within any conservation areas, so the establishment of a formal protected area for at least part of its range would help ensure this plant's survival.
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	There is currently only limited information on the population size, distribution and trends for this species.
1.3. Research -> Life history & ecology	There is currently very little information on the life history and ecology of this species.

Selago swaziensis - Rolfe ex Bolus