Blepharis spiculifolia
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Blepharis spiculifolia faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and overgrazing in its native range across eastern Africa. The species' specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to land conversion for crop cultivation and livestock grazing, which fragments and degrades the dry grassland and scrubland ecosystems it depends upon. Climate variability and prolonged drought periods further stress remaining populations by reducing suitable habitat and affecting reproductive success.
Habitat
Blepharis spiculifolia inhabits dry grasslands, open scrublands, and semi-arid savannas across eastern Africa, typically growing in sandy or rocky soils at elevations between 500-1,800 meters. The species thrives in areas with seasonal rainfall patterns and is often found along roadsides, field margins, and disturbed ground where competition from other vegetation is reduced.