Notes on the pollinators of Frithia humilis Burgoyne, an endangered highveld succulent: short communications

Abstract

Frithia humilis Burgoyne (Mesembryanthemaceae) is an endangered succulent plant species and grassland endemic restricted to the Rand Highveld Grassland vegetation type. Its distribution is limited to Ecca and Dwyka (Karoo Supergroup) sandstone outcrops, often overlying coal deposits, in the region between Bronkhorstspruit and eMalahleni. In 2009 a F. humilis population was discovered by mining personnel after a coal mining licence had already been granted. As mining activities were swiftly impinging the population, nature conservation agencies proposed that the population be shifted to a safe habitat. The translocation was required to safeguard the population from certain extinction due to mining activities(Burgoyne & Hoffman 2011). Translocation, or assisted colonisation, whereby populations of a species under threat are intentionally relocated to another suitable habitat, is generally regarded as a 'last resort' conservation measure (Gordon 1994; Godefroid et al. 2011) and was applied as such in the case of F. humilis