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Scientific Name | Juttadinteria deserticola (Marloth) Schwantes |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Juttadinteria buchubergense Dinter, Juttadinteria decumbens Schick & Tischer, Juttadinteria elizae (Dinter & A.Berger) L.Bolus, Juttadinteria insolita (L.Bolus) L.Bolus, Juttadinteria tetrasepala L.Bolus, Mesembryanthemum deserticola Marloth, Mesembryanthemum elizae Dinter & A.Berger, Mesembryanthemum insolitum L.Bolus |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A3c |
Assessment Date | 2022/12/07 |
Assessor(s) | P.C.V. Van Wyk & D. Raimondo |
Justification | This species is endemic to the Richtersveld and Sperrgebiet regions of South Africa and Namibia, with the South African population limited to a small area along the Orange River. The habitat has been declining due to the impacts of open-cast mining and habitat degradation resulting from overgrazing by livestock between 2002 and 2012.
The majority (>90%) of the South African population falls within the proposed footprint for the development of the infrastructure associated with Boegoebaai Port, including the construction of a green hydrogen plant. If this development proceeds, 98% of the population will be lost by 2035. At the national scale, this species qualifies for listing as Critically Endangered under criterion A.
While the species is more widespread in Namibia, subpopulations there are disjunct and also declining due to the impacts of mining and climate change. Therefore, the regional status of Critically Endangered is not downgraded. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This species is found in the Sperrgebiet region of southern Namibia and the Richtersveld region of northern South Africa, ranging from Karas to Alexander Bay. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Western Gariep Lowland Desert, Western Gariep Plains Desert |
Description | It occurs on flat patches of gravelly sand near the coast, occasionally on rocky dolomite or granitic-gneiss slopes in sandy and stony soil. This species is able to recruit well even from a little rain and maturing happens within five years from germination, it has a generation length of between 15 and 20 years. |
Threats |
| The species faces significant threats from current and anticipated habitat loss and degradation. In South Africa, the population is restricted to the Orange River, existing solely in the area impacted by ongoing open-cast mining. The degradation extends beyond the mining sites, with windblown dust from mining disturbances and exposed mine dumps covering large areas, burying the habitat of this species in sand.
The entire South African population is also within the footprint of the Boegoebaai Port development project, set to be implemented over the next 10 years. This project includes the construction of a port for deep-sea vessels, a railway line, several refineries for oil and other minerals, as well as extensive renewable energy facilities to power a green hydrogen plant.
In Namibia, although less than 20% of the population is affected by open-cast mining, a second green hydrogen facility is being planned within the species' range. Furthermore, the population is declining due to climate change, with the entire range experiencing below-average rainfall since 2012.
Predictions of future climate change indicate further increases in the annual average temperature, ranging from 1.4°C to 2.4°C by 2050. This will lead to unbearably hot temperatures and ongoing aridification throughout significant portions of the year (Van Wilgen et al., 2017). Additionally, within South Africa, the species has lost habitat to severe overgrazing by livestock between 2002 and 2014. |
Population |
This species occurs as scattered disjunct subpopulations across its range. In South Africa, it is confined to the Richtersveld, located 10 km south of the Orange River, while in Namibia many scattered subpopulations have been recorded. The population is currently declining due to habitat degradation resulting from livestock overgrazing and the impacts of open-cast mining along the Orange River. If the Bogoebaai Port development and Green Hydrogen project proceed as planned on Kortdoring, more than 90% of the South African population is expected to be lost by 2035. The Namibian population is also under threat from the proposed expansion of mining and a second Green Hydrogen project planned for the Sperrgebiet region. Based on observed past declines and projected future declines the population is expected to decline by between 30 and 45% in the time period 1990 to 2035 (generation length 15-20 years).
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Juttadinteria deserticola (Marloth) Schwantes | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Juttadinteria tetrasepala L.Bolus | Not Threatened | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Juttadinteria tetrasepala L.Bolus | Indeterminate | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Bruyns, P. 1989. Three new species of Tylecodon (Crassulaceae) from the western Cape. South African Journal of Botany 55(3):332-336.
Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Van Wilgen, N.J. and Herbst, M. 2017. Taking stock of parks in a changing world: The SANParks Global Environmental Change Assessment. SANParks, Cape Town.
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Citation |
| Van Wyk, P.C.V. & Raimondo, D. 2022. Juttadinteria deserticola (Marloth) Schwantes. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/07 |
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