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Holothrix micrantha
Holothrix micrantha is an orchid endemic to Gauteng, South Africa which was last seen in 1925. It is listed on the Red List of South African Plants as "Critically Endangered" and is regarded as possibly extinct— a result of the long absence since it was last recorded given searches have been undertaken in suitable habitat.
Rudolf Schlechter located this species in 1893 on grassy cliffs above Heidelberg at an altitude of around 1800m. Two other possible observations were located from Modderfontein and from a marsh in Killarney; although neither of these have been confirmed. Urban expansion is blamed for destroying subpopulations, however, intact habitat remains in the Suikerbosrand nature reserve; other threats include inappropriate fire management as well as alien invasive plants.
Spider Orchid · Club Spider Orchid · Spider orchids · Namaqua Hair Orchid · Holothrix socotrana · Hair Orchids
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Holothrix micrantha by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
