Aloe pillansii

– Critically Endangered

Taxonomy

Kingdom:

PLANTAE

Phylum:

TRACHEOPHYTA

Class:

LILIOPSIDA

Order:

LILIALES

Family:

ALOACEAE

Scientific Name:

Aloe pillansii

Species Authority:

L.Guthrie

Common Name/s:

English

—

BASTARD QUIVER TREE

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A2b, B1+2e ver 2.3 (1994)

Year Assessed:

1998

Assessor/s:

Hilton-Taylor, C.

History:

1997

Endangered (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range

Range Description:	Largely restricted to an area in the Richtersveld in the Cape Province. There are records suggesting the species extends as far north as Brandberg in Namibia, but these need confirmation.
Countries:	Native: Namibia; South Africa (Northern Cape Province)

Population

Population:	A serious decline in the population has reduced the numbers to less than 200 individuals. There is no recruitment and the older plants are dying.
Population Trend:

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology:

Growing up to 10 m, this aloe is largely confined to an intensely hot and arid area. It has been suggested that this species, along with A. dichotoma and Pachypodium namaquanum, represents a keystone in the ecosystem, being one of the few perennial plants able to tolerate the conditions. It is an important source of shelter, nectar, food and moisture, especially to the avifauna.

System:

Terrestrial

List of Habitats:

3.5	Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry

Threats

Threats:

There is evidence of baboons and porcupines gnawing the stems in up to a third of the population. The impact of goats, donkeys and plant collectors may also be detrimental.

List of Threats:

1.3.3.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Selective logging (ongoing)
2.2	Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Predators (ongoing)
9.2	Intrinsic factors - Poor recruitment/reproduction/regeneration (ongoing)

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions:

The species is listed in CITES Appendix I.

List of Conservation Actions:

1.2.1.1	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - International level (in place)
1.2.1.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (in place)
1.2.2.1	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - International level (in place)
1.2.2.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - National level (in place)
4.4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (in place)

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Hilton-Taylor, C. (compiler) 1998. Assessment of Southern African Trees for WCMC.

Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red Data List of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.

Loots, S. and Mannheimer, C. 2003. The status of Aloe pillansii L. Guthrie (Asphodelaceae) in Namibia. Bradleya 21: 57-62.

Midgeley, J. 1997. The decline of Aloe pillansii at Cornell's Kop in the Richtersveld. Aloe 34(1&2): 39.

Midgley, J.J., Cowling, R.M., Hendricks, H., Desmet, P.G., Esler, K. and Rundel, P. 1997. Population ecology of tree succulents (Aloe and Pachypodium) in the arid western Cape: decline of keystone species. Biodiversity and Conservation 6: 869-876.

Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 1996. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. Briza Publications Arcadia.

Williamson, G. 1998. The ecological status of Aloe pillansii (Aloaceae) in the Richtersveld with particular reference to Cornellskop. Bradleya 16(1998): 1-8.

Citation:	Hilton-Taylor, C. 1998. Aloe pillansii. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 29 August 2008.
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