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Scientific Name | Othonna retrorsa DC. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | ASTERACEAE |
Synonyms | Othonna retrorsa DC. var. linearifolia DC., Othonna retrorsa DC. var. spektakelensis (Compton) G.D.Rowley, Othonna spektakelensis Compton, Othonna zeyheri Sond. ex Harv. |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered A4d |
Assessment Date | 2022/08/01 |
Assessor(s) | N.N. Mhlongo & N.A. Helme |
Justification | This range-restricted species has an extent of occurrence of 9473 km² and an area of occupancy of 156 km². It has experienced a reduction of at least 30% in the past 60 years (generation length 30 years) as a result of illegal collection for the specialist succulent trade. Illegal collection is expected to continue to cause population decline and a further 30% decline is likely to take place over the next 30 years. It therefore qualifies as Endangered under criterion A. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Northern Cape province in South Africa and ranges from Springbok to Kliprand then stetches west to Kotzesrus. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Kamiesberg Mountains Shrubland, Namaqualand Heuweltjieveld, Namaqualand Blomveld, Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland, Namaqualand Granite Renosterveld, Kamiesberg Granite Fynbos |
Description | Plants occur in rocky slopes and gravel patches in granite boulders. |
Threats |
| Illegal harvesting to supply the specialist succulent trade is the leading threat to this species. The population is declining rapidly as a result of illegal collection with 2981 plants included in confiscations between March 2019 and July 2022, many more are likely to have been removed from the wild but not intercepted by law enforcement efforts. Furthermore, over 3000 plants suspected to have been of wild origin were exported from a single South African nursery over a 7 year period and many plants observed on the internet have characteristics distinctive of wild specimens. Grazing is a potential threat in some areas. |
Population |
This species occurs as scattered subpopulations in a specialized habitat and is currently known from about 20 subpopulations. Subpopulations are often small, consisting of fewer than 50 plants, but it is also described as locally common on some specimen labels. At least 30% of the population has been lost as a result of illegal collection over the past 60 years and a further 30% will likely be lost over the next 30 years given current trends in illegal succulent collection. This is a slow growing species that has a generation length of at least 30 years.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Notes |
| Many recent collections of this taxon convinced Manning and Goldblatt (2010) that there is no basis for upholding the two known variants, one of which, O. retrorsa var. spektakelensis, was formerly classified as Rare. The poorly known Othonna zeyheri is now also included in this taxon. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Othonna retrorsa DC. var. spektakelensis (Compton) G.D.Rowley | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Othonna retrorsa DC. var. retrorsa | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Othonna zeyheri Sond. | Data Deficient (Taxonomically Problematic) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Othonna retrorsa DC. var. spektakelensis (Compton) G.D.Rowley | Lower Risk - Least Concern | Victor (2002) | | Othonna retrorsa DC. var. spektakelensis (Compton) G.D.Rowley | Insufficiently Known | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Compton, R.H. 1953. Plantae novae africanae: Othonna spektakelensis. Journal of South African Botany 19(5):118.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Manning, J.C. and Goldblatt, P. 2010. New synonyms and a new name in Asteraceae: Senecioneae from the southern African winter rainfall region. Bothalia 40(1):37-46.
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.
Victor, J.E. 2002. South Africa. In: J.S. Golding (ed), Southern African plant Red Data Lists. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 14 (pp. 93-120), SABONET, Pretoria.
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Citation |
| Mhlongo, N.N. & Helme, N.A. 2022. Othonna retrorsa DC. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/01/17 |
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