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Scientific Name | Chasmatophyllum nelii Schwantes |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2019/10/22 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo |
Justification | Chasmatophyllum nelii is a rarely collected and poorly known species, with a restricted distribution range. Its estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) is 10 767 km². It is potentially vulnerable to habitat loss to proposed shale gas extraction, but currently there are no known severe threats to this species. Therefore at present, it is not in danger of extinction, and is therefore listed as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | Due to taxonomic uncertainty within Chasmatophyllum, the exact distribution of this species is not known. It is suspected to be endemic to the southern Great Karoo in South Africa, occurring between Prince Albert and Graaff-Reinet. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Eastern Lower Karoo, Gamka Karoo, Willowmore Gwarrieveld, Escarpment Valley Thicket, Escarpment Arid Thicket |
Description | It grows in rocky flats and hills of sandstone and dolerite origin in nama karoo. |
Threats |
| In 2015, large-scale shale gas fracking was proposed for the Karoo basin. The area earmarked for shale gas extraction extends across the entire known range of this species. Subpopulations on flats would be most vulnerable to habitat loss to infrastructure development related to fracking, and this species could decline in future if fracking goes ahead. A Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment submitted to South Africa's Department of Environment Affairs in 2016 cautioned against moving ahead with 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 have found that gas deposits are not as substantial as originally suspected, due to the very old age of the Karroo shale formations and the fact that the extensive number of dolerite intrusions throughout the Karoo have 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. At this stage it seems unlikely that shale gas extraction will proceed in the near future. |
Population |
There are only a few records for Chasmatophyllum nelii, scattered over a wide area. It is possibly under-sampled and more common than records suggest, as its distribution range is botanically relatively poorly explored. It is not suspected to be declining at present. The genus Chasmatophyllum has not been taxonomically revised, and species are therefore difficult to identify with confidence.
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Population trend | Stable |
Notes |
| Chasmatophyllum is a poorly known genus, in need of taxonomic revision (Chesselet et al. 1995). Many species are difficult to identify with certainty, which means that few records can be confidently assigned to specific species. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Chasmatophyllum nelii Schwantes | 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. Chasmatophyllum nelii Schwantes. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/09 |
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