About Disa arida Vlok
Disa arida Vlok is a perennial geophyte in the genus Disa, growing within fynbos vegetation. This species is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it is found in the Outeniqua Mountains, Rooiberg, and Gamkaberg. Its total area of occurrence is 574 square kilometers, split across seven separate sub-populations. Disa arida Vlok faces threats from invasive Hakea species, which have completely overrun one of its seven known sub-populations. A comprehensive survey conducted between 2008 and 2012 found that no sub-population contains more than 250 individual plants, and the total global population of the species is estimated to be fewer than 2000 plants. Too frequent fires also threaten the species, as it only blooms in fynbos that is between 20 and 25 years old.
