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Scientific Name | Delosperma aereum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Delosperma aereum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus var. album (L.Bolus) L.Bolus |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Data Deficient - Insufficient Information |
Assessment Date | 2019/10/22 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo |
Justification | Delosperma aereum is a rare and poorly known species. Based on currently available data, its risk of extinction cannot be assessed. It is currently listed as Data Deficient. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | The distribution range of this species is not well known. It is endemic to South Africa, with only two collections with locality descriptions, one from Prince Albert in the Western Cape and the other from Klipplaat in the Eastern Cape. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Lower Karoo |
Description | Its habitat is not known as it is not described on herbarium specimens. |
Threats |
| This species' entire known range falls within an area earmarked for shale gas fracking, which is likely to cause significant population decline if it is to go ahead. A Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment submitted to South Africa's Department of Environment Affairs in 2016 cautioned against the authorisation of shale gas fracking, based on the very high infrastructure costs associated with fracking as well as multiple secondary negative impacts both to biodiversity and other economic activities in the region. Furthermore, subsequent geological studies found that gas deposits are not as substantial as originally suspected due to the very old age of the Karoo shale formations, and the effect of widespread dolerite intrusions that resulted in much of the gas being lost. At present, future development scenarios are too uncertain to estimate the potential extent of the impact on the population but it is unlikely that shale gas fracking will proceed in the near future. |
Population |
Delosperma aereum is known from only three collections, with the type specimen lacking a description of the collection locality. It was last recorded in 1985. Delosperma is a poorly known genus urgently in need of taxonomic revision (Chesselet et al. 1995), which means that collections are difficult to identify with certainty. This species is possibly overlooked, or may be insufficiently distinct from other species to warrant recognition. The population size, extent and trend is not known.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Delosperma aereum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus | DDD | 2020.1 | | Delosperma aereum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Bredenkamp, C. In prep. Conspectus of the flora of the Eastern cape. Strelitzia.
Chesselet, P., Mössmer, M. and Smith, G.F. 1995. Research priorities in the succulent plant family Mesembryanthemaceae Fenzl. South African Journal of Science 91:197-209.
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 |
| Raimondo, D. 2019. Delosperma aereum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2024/09/15 |
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