sauvatosaset

Sauvatosaset is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The sole species, Sauvatosaset rubrea, is a small, herbaceous perennial native to the highland grasslands of the Ethiopian plateau. The plant grows to a height of 15–25 centimetres and produces bright orange to red capitula that open in late summer. Its leaves are oval, serrated, and arranged in a basal rosette. The stems are simple, with a lightly pubescent indumentum.

The discovery of the genus occurred during a botanical survey in 1984 led by Dr. Linda M. Kola. Since its formal description in 1987, Sauvatosaset rubrea has been recorded in a restricted range extending from northern Ethiopia into the adjacent eastern African highlands. Its preferred habitat is moist, well-drained soils on granite outcrops and ridges, where it often coexists with other endemic Asteraceae such as Helichrysum and Senecio species. The species flowers between July and September and is primarily pollinated by honeybees and other social bees.

Sauvatosaset rubrea is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its limited distribution and threats from habitat loss to agriculture and human settlement. Conservation measures include the protection of its habitat within the Bale Mountains National Park and the establishment of community-based initiatives to control grazing. No known commercial uses have been documented; however, ethnobotanical surveys indicate that local communities occasionally use the leaves as a mild culinary garnish. The genus name, Sauvatosaset, derives from the French word "sauvage" (wild) combined with the Greek suffix "-aset" meaning "seed," reflecting the plant’s wild growth and distinctive seed morphology.