|
Scientific Name | Psammophora longifolia L.Bolus |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Psammophora herrei L.Bolus |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
Assessment Date | 2022/08/02 |
Assessor(s) | N.A. Helme, P.C.V. Van Wyk & D. Raimondo |
Justification | This species is known only from one subpopulation in South Africa, it was collected from Swartwater in the early 1930s by Herre and Bolus, however all suitable habitat at this location has been lost to mining and severe habitat degradation from livestock grazing. The possibility remains that unrecorded subpopulations exist in surrounding habitat that remains to be explored. The species is thus listed as Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | It occurs in southern Namibia and the Richtersveld region of South Africa. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Desert, Succulent Karoo |
Description | It grows in quartz patches. |
Threats |
| The subpopulation that occurs in Namibia is found in close proximity to a road and is thus vulnerable to illegal collection. The subpopulation recorded from South Africa has had half of its habitat lost to mining whilst the other half around the Swartwater farm has been severely overgrazed. |
Population |
Only two subpopulations are known for this species, one subpopulation in Namibia originally recorded in 1931 remains extant but is likely declining as a result of illegal collection. The second subpopulation from Swartwater in the Namaqualand region of South Africa has been lost to mining and severe habitat overgrazing by livestock. Some potential suitable habitat remains unexplored in South Africa, and thus while it is possibly extinct in South Africa, further surveys are required in remaining suitable habitat to confirm this. The population trend is declining.
|
Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Psammophora longifolia L.Bolus | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
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.
|
Citation |
| Helme, N.A., Van Wyk, P.C.V. & Raimondo, D. 2022. Psammophora longifolia L.Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/01/17 |
Comment on this assessment
