Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Wilde petunia, Wild bush petunia

Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus)

Distribution: KwaZulu-Natal

National red list: Critically Endangered

Comments: This species was formerly well protected in the Weenen Nature Reserve and the Lowlands East Conservancy, where the habitat was only subjected to very light grazing. However, the future prospects of survival for this extremely range restricted endemic has changed drastically within the last few years. The fences in the Weenen Nature Reserve were taken down and an illegal informal settlement was established inside the reserve, impacting directly on one of the populations The pressure of further development of the settlement and increased grazing pressure by livestock brought in by the settlers is likely to continue and will probably eventually impact on the other populations in the reserve as well. The privately owned farms on which the other populations grow have recently been granted to a local community in a land claim (2007). This is likely to bring about a profound change in the management regime of the vegetation.