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Scientific Name | Chasmatophyllum stanleyi (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | AIZOACEAE |
Synonyms | Hereroa stanleyi (L.Bolus) L.Bolus, Mesembryanthemum stanleyi L.Bolus |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2019/10/22 |
Assessor(s) | D. Raimondo & L. von Staden |
Justification | Chasmatophyllum stanleyi is a Karoo endemic that is potentially vulnerable to habitat loss to shale gas extraction. Currently, however, there are no severe threats to this species, and therefore it is not in danger of extinction. It is listed as Least Concern. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, Western Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to South Africa, and is widespread across the southern Great Karoo, where it occurs from east of Laingsburg to Beaufort West, Aberdeen, and Willowmore. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo, Steytlerville Karoo, Prince Albert Succulent Karoo, Eastern Lower Karoo, Gamka Karoo |
Description | It grows in stony, shale slopes in karroid shrubland. |
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 of Chasmatophyllum stanleyi, scattered over a wide area. It is likely to be under-sampled, as there is taxonomic confusion in Chasmatophyllum, which make it difficult to identify collections with certainty. In addition, its distribution range is botanically poorly explored. Herbarium collections have variable descriptions of local abundance, some noting that it is common while others noting that it rare. The overall size of the population is unknown. The population trend is not known, but it is suspected to be stable.
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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 stanleyi (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
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.
Magee, A.R. and Boatwright, J.S. (eds). In prep. Plants of the Karoo: A Conspectus of the Nama-Karoo and Adjacent Summer-Rainfall Regions of the Northern and Western Cape Provinces. Strelitzia.
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.
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Citation |
| Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2019. Chasmatophyllum stanleyi (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/09 |
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