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Scientific Name | Conophytum uviforme (Haw.) N.E.Br. subsp. rauhii (Tischer) S.A.Hammer |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Conophytum rauhii Tischer |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A4d |
Assessment Date | 2021/12/10 |
Assessor(s) | A.J. Young, P.G. Desmet, I. Ebrahim, D. Guo, A. Harrower, L. Jabar, L. Knoetze, C. Rodgerson, P.C.V. Van Wyk & N.N. Mhlongo |
Justification | This succulent is endemic to the Northern Cape province of South Africa with an with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 11 km2 and area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km2. The population is in severe decline due to illegal collection for the international trade in ornamental succulents since 2019. Illegal collection is likely to increase as there has been a dramatic increase in the number of species and volume of plants targeted since 2019 including many from the immediate area. The continued threat of illegal collection is therefore regarded as very high for this particular taxon. The combination of a restricted geographic distribution, small number of locations and small population size makes it very susceptible to very rapid declines. A complete decline of up to 100% of the population is very likely within the next ten years. It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered under criterion A4. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This succulent is endemic to the Northern Cape province of South Africa where it is only found in three locations with a restricted geographic range. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland |
Description | This succulent is endemic to the Namaqualand Hardeveld bioregion of the Succulent Karoo biome. The plants typically inhabit shallow depressions filled with fine quartzite grit.
This taxon has a generation length of 30 years. It is expected to be sensitive to the impacts of climate change as it does not disperse and while adapted to arid conditions, is dependent on limited seasonal rainfall. Species in the genus are sensitive to long periods of drought. Drought related mortality has been observed for other closely related taxa within the genus. |
Threats |
| Plants have been subject to illegal collection of mature individuals for the international trade in ornamental succulents with at least 50% of the population being removed from habitat since 2019. This taxon has been highly sought after by collectors and is highly likely to remain so in future. This particular taxon can be challenging to grow in cultivation, increasing the demand for plants. A complete decline of up to 100% of the population is therefore very likely within a single generation.
There is no decline in habitat quality for this succulent as inferred by changes in vegetation cover determined from changes in Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) between 1984 and 2018 using Landsat data (Venter et al. 2020), however anthropogenic climate change is a long-term threat to this taxon. Climate models for the likely emission scenarios where emissions stay at present day levels (RCP 2.6) (Hausfather and Peters 2020) and worst case scenarios where emissions continue to increase during the 21st century (RCP 8.5) indicate that there will be a loss of suitable bioclimatic envelope of between 29% and 76% by 2080 for this taxon. Species in this genus have limited dispersal ability and migration to suitable habitats elsewhere is regarded as highly unlikely. |
Population |
It is only known from a few subpopulations comprising several hundred individuals in each. There are no formal estimates of population size for this taxon but the number of mature individuals is likely to be no more than 5,000. The population is in severe decline due to illegal collection for the ornamental succulent plant trade. Almost 3,000 mature individuals have been removed from habitat between 2019 and the end of 2021 based on confiscation records, with many more having likely been removed but not intercepted by law enforcers.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Conophytum uviforme (Haw.) N.E.Br. subsp. rauhii (Tischer) S.A.Hammer | Rare | 2017.1 | | Conophytum uviforme (Haw.) N.E.Br. subsp. rauhii (Tischer) S.A.Hammer | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Hammer, S. 2002. Dumpling and his wife: New view of the genus Conophytum. EAE Creative Colour, Norwich.
Hammer, S.A. 1993. The genus Conophytum: A conograph. Succulent Plant Publications, Pretoria.
Hausfather, Z. and Peters, G.P. 2020. Emissions - the 'business as usual' story is misleading. Nature 577(618-620).
Opel, M.R. 2004. The rediscovery of Crassula alcicornis. Haseltonia 10:38-40.
Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Young, A.J., Desmet, P.G., Ebrahim, I., Guo, D., Harrower, A., Jabar, L., Knoetze, L., Rodgerson, C., Van Wyk, P.C.V. & Mhlongo, N.N. 2021. Conophytum uviforme (Haw.) N.E.Br. subsp. rauhii (Tischer) S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/06 |
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