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Scientific Name | Leipoldtia lunata H.E.K.Hartmann & S.Rust |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2022/07/05 |
Assessor(s) | P.C.V. Van Wyk, N.A. Helme & D. Raimondo |
Justification | A restricted endemic known only from the Gariep Valley, within South Africa it is known from two locations with an extent of occurrence (EOO) and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km². There is ongoing decline to the population as a result of open-cast mining and the impacts of drought. It therefore qualifies for listing as Endangered under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Gariep Valley in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and the Spergebiet area of southern Nambia. Occurring between Oena to Baken on the South African side, with a few populations around Roshpinah on the Namibian side. It only grows within 15 km of the Orange River. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Succulent Karoo |
Description | Plants occur in granite rock crevices on mountains. It grows along slightly shaded sides of large rocks, cliff bases and steep southern slopes, 40-400m above sea level, mostly among granodiorite, alluvial boulder fields, shale and occasionally dolomite. This species is suspected to have a relatively short generation length, as in cultivation they mature within 5 years. Their seeds also have a very long germination length, and fruits produce up to 500 seeds per capsule. |
Threats |
| This species has declined due the impacts of the worst drought on record which started in 2012 and is still ongoing at the time of assessment. Future decline due to ongoing aridification and temperature increases attributed to climate change are projected by 2050 (Van Wilgen et al. 2017). Fortunately this species seems to still be able to recruit under very arid conditions with successful recruitment noted between 2020 and 2022. This species is also threatened by open-cast mining which is causing ongoing habitat degradation, not just within mining compounds, but all across surrounding areas due to mining dust blowing over the surrounding landscape and burying dwarf species such as this one. |
Population |
The population experienced excess of 80% mortality during the period 2018 to 2020 as a result of drought, however there has been good recruitment observed despite ongoing arid conditions. Seeds germinated in 2020 from 7 mm of rain at Sendelingsdrif, and many survived in 2021 with 11 mm of rain and were already 10 cm tall at the time of assessment in 2022. Thus this species is suspected to survive drought impacts better than many other species within the family Aizoaceae. However, population declines due to open-cast mining.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Leipoldtia lunata H.E.K.Hartmann & S.Rust | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Hartmann, H.E.K. and Rust, S. 1994. Monographien der Leipoldtiinae. IX. Monographie der Gattung Leipoldtia L.Bolus s. lat. (Aizoaceae). Verhandelungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins Hamburg 34:275-351.
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.
Snijman, D.A. 2013. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30. 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., Helme, N.A. & Raimondo, D. 2022. Leipoldtia lunata H.E.K.Hartmann & S.Rust. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/12/07 |
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