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Scientific Name | Conophytum obscurum N.E.Br. subsp. vitreopapillum (Rawé) S.A.Hammer |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Conophytum vitreopapillum Rawé |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A4d; B1ab(v) |
Assessment Date | 2021/12/01 |
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 where it is only recorded from a single locality with an extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) of 24 km2. The only known population is experiencing initial decline due to the illegal collection for the ornamental succulent plant trade, with collection pressures likely to increase. The area is well known to poachers and large numbers of plants from the same genus have been illegally removed from the immediate area since 2019. The continued threat of illegal collection is therefore regarded as very high for this particular taxon given its single location and small population size which is estimated to be no larger than 10,000 mature individuals. A complete decline of up to 100% of the population is possible within the next three generations (90 years) due to this activity. While climate change is also highly likely to impact this taxon the rapid declines to the population as a result of illegal collection means it qualifies as Critically Endangered under criteria A4 and B1. |
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 a single location with a restricted geographic range. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Riethuis-Wallekraal Quartz Vygieveld |
Description | This succulent is endemic to the Namaqualand Sandveld bioregion of the Succulent Karoo biome. The plants are found on saline soils covered with small quartz outcrops and pebbles. They are often fully exposed to the sun, occasionally in partial shade provided by other shrubs.
This succulent 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 |
| This succulent has been subject to illegal collection for the international trade in ornamental succulents and the population is in decline. This is likely to increase in future as there has been a dramatic increase in the number of species and volume of plants targeted since 2019. Illegal collection has been especially prevalent within the immediate area occupied by this succulent. Anthropogenic climate change is a long-term threat to this succulent. There is no decline in habitat quality for this taxon 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). 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 24% and 26% 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 |
This taxon is severely range restricted and reported from several small subpopulations each consisting of several hundred individuals scattered across an area of quartz flats. There are no formal estimates of population size for this species but the number of mature individuals is estimated to be fewer than 10,000. The population is experiencing initial levels of decline due to illegal collection for the ornamental succulent plant trade.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Conophytum obscurum N.E.Br. subsp. vitreopapillum (Rawé) S.A.Hammer | Rare | 2017.1 | | Conophytum obscurum N.E.Br. subsp. vitreopapillum (Rawé) 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).
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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 obscurum N.E.Br. subsp. vitreopapillum (Rawé) S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/01 |
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