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Scientific Name | Conophytum hermarium (S.A.Hammer) S.A.Hammer |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Conophytum smorenskaduense de Boer subsp. hermarium S.A.Hammer |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A3d |
Assessment Date | 2021/11/25 |
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 two locations with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 19 km2 and area of occupancy (AOO) of 16 km2. The dwarf succulents that comprise this genus have been increasingly targeted by illegal collection in recent years and the vast majority of species are in high demand by collectors. Whilst there is no evidence of illegal collection at the time of this submission, closely related species, including some from the immediate area, have been illegally removed from habitat with a dramatic increase in the number of species and volume of plants targeted since 2019. The threat of illegal collection is regarded as very high for this particular species given its restricted distribution and a complete decline of up to 100% of the population is likely within the next three generations (90 years). Climate change is also impacting the population although there is uncertainty of the response given the expected resilience of this taxon. It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered under criterion A3. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to a small part of the Northern Cape province of South Africa where it is only found in two locations with a restricted geographic range. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Bushmanland Inselberg Shrubland |
Description | This succulent is endemic to Bushmanland Inselberg Shrubland in the Richtersveld bioregion of the Succulent Karoo biome. The plants inhabit partial shade primarily in the cracks and crevices of quartz-rich boulders, occasionally beneath larger shrubs. This species 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 particular species is not currently threatened by illegal collection but it is likely that it will likely become a target in coming years as there has been a dramatic increase in the number of species and volume of plants of this genus targeted since 2019. Related species within the immediate area have experienced severe declines in population number due to illegal collection. The small population size across just two locations makes the species highly susceptible to collection.
Anthropogenic climate change is a long-term threat to this species. Loss of vegetation cover has been observed across the geographic range occupied by this species via Landsat imagery between 1984 and 2018 indicating a decline in habitat quality. While it is not possible to model the response of this species to climate change due to its restricted distribution, the average loss to climate change for 15 more widely distributed Conophytum species occurring within the same region is used as an indication of likely impact to this species. 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 72% and 99% by 2080 for Conophytum taxa within the region. Species in this genus have limited dispersal ability and migration to suitable habitats elsewhere is regarded as highly unlikely. |
Population |
There are two subpopulations known that occur 10 km apart from one another. One subpopulation consists of a few thousand plants but another is much smaller with just several hundred mature individuals estimated to be present. Between 2,000 and 4,500 mature individuals are suspected to occur in the population. The population trend is unknown but the number of plants in this general area have been in decline in recent years due to an extended drought and the population may be in decline.
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Population trend | Unknown |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Conophytum hermarium (S.A.Hammer) S.A.Hammer | Rare | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Conophytum smorenskaduense de Boer subsp. hermarium S.A.Hammer | VU D2 | Victor (2002) | | Conophytum smorenskaduense de Boer subsp. hermarium S.A.Hammer | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
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).
Opel, M.R. 2004. The rediscovery of Crassula alcicornis. Haseltonia 10:38-40.
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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 hermarium (S.A.Hammer) S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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