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Scientific Name | Pleiospilos simulans (Marloth) N.E.Br. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Mesembryanthemum simulans Marloth |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered D |
Assessment Date | 2022/05/20 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden |
Justification | A species that was previously thought to be extinct in the wild, but recently rediscovered. It has a limited distribution range and has an extent of occurrence (EOO) and an area of occupancy (AOO) of less than 12 km². One small subpopulation of fewer than 50 plants is potentially threatened by illegal succulent collecting. It therefore meets the threshold for Critically Endangered under criterion D. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to the Eastern Cape Province, where it occurs from Graaff-Reinet to Willowmore. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Lower Karoo, Sundays Arid Thicket |
Description | It grows on gravelly flats and hills of Beaufort shales. |
Threats |
| This species is popular in cultivation (Martin 1989), but most of the material in horticultural collections are hybrids (Hammer and Liede 1986). There were three known subpopulations in the wild, but these were all cleared out by succulent collectors by the early 2000s (J.H. Vlok pers. comm. 2007). A recently rediscovered wild population is threatened by collection (it is close to a road). |
Population |
This rare, range-restricted species (historical EOO is 1888 km²) is known from only a few collections. There were three known subpopulations in the wild, but these were all locally extinct by the early 2000s. The plant was not recorded in the wild for more than 20 years, and was thought to be extinct in the wild. However, recently, a small subpopulation of about five plants was discovered on a farm near Klipplaat (D. Schnabel pers. Comm. 2015). The species is small and cryptic, particularly when not in flower, and well camouflaged in its stony habitat. It is therefore easily overlooked, and the recent discovery brings hope that other, small subpopulations may persist in the wild. A more thorough survey of this species' habitat is needed to determine the size and extent of the population.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Pleiospilos simulans (Marloth) N.E.Br. | CR D | 2017.1 | | Pleiospilos simulans (Marloth) N.E.Br. | Extinct in the Wild | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Pleiospilos simulans (Marloth) N.E.Br. | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Bredenkamp, C.L. 2019. A flora of the Eastern Cape Province. Strelitzia 41. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Hammer, S. and Liede, S. 1991. Hybridisation in the Mesembs. Veld & Flora 77(1):14-15.
Hartmann, H. and Liede, S. 1986. Die Gattung Pleiospilos s. lat. (Mesembryanthemaceae). Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik 106(4):433-485.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Martin, M. 1989. Pleiospilos simulans. British Cactus & Succulent Journal 7(3):80-80.
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 |
| von Staden, L. 2022. Pleiospilos simulans (Marloth) N.E.Br. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/07/01 |
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