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Scientific Name | Monsonia herrei (L.Bolus) F.Albers |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | GERANIACEAE |
Synonyms | Sarcocaulon herrei L.Bolus |
Common Names | Fine-leaved Candle Bush (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Endangered A4cd; B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2022/04/06 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden, P.C.V. Van Wyk & N.N. Mhlongo |
Justification | This species is a range-restricted endemic, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 1 718 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 60 km². It is known from only five locations and subpopulations are generally localised. The population has declined by an estimated 5% since 2010 due to ongoing habitat degradation from livestock overgrazing, mortality as a result of an extended drought and illegal collection to supply the succulent ornamental plant trade. With ongoing habitat degradation likely and confiscation records and online platforms showing increasing popularity for the genus Monsonia, it is suspected that between 30 and 40% of the population will be lost over a three generation period starting from 2010 and projecting forward to 2070 (generation length 20 years). It therefore qualifies for listing as Endangered under criteria A and B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This species occurs in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and the Aussenkehr area in southern Namibia. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Kosiesberg Succulent Shrubland, Rooiberg Quartz Vygieveld, Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland, Kahams Mountain Desert |
Description | Plants occur in the Desert and Succulent Karoo biomes, on rocky granite slopes and quartz flats. This is a slow growing species adapted to arid conditions and has a suspected generation length of 20 years. |
Threats |
| This species is collected for the specialist succulent ornamental plant trade and over 6 500 specimens of this species, suspected to have been of wild origin, were exported from South Africa over an eight year period during the past decade. In the Richtersveld region of South Africa, it is also threatened by habitat degradation due to severe overgrazing of its habitat, as well as trampling caused by large numbers of livestock. Pressure from livestock has increased substantially over the past six years in response to the worst drought on record that started in 2016 and is still ongoing at the time of assessment. |
Population |
It is a rare and localized habitat specialist known from eight subpopulations in South Africa. A new subpopulation was recently discovered in southern Namibia, extending the range of this species. There is monitoring data for three of the nine subpopulations, where there are an estimated 100 000 - 110 000 at the largest known subpopulation and 15000 and 5000 mature individuals at the other two subpopulations respectively. From these data an overall population estimate of between 150 000 and 300 000 mature individuals is suspected. Harvesting of wild plants of this species is occurring in South Africa with between 6 500 and 10 000 individuals illegally collected over the past ten years. The population is declining as a result of illegal collection as well as ongoing habitat degradation due to livestock overgrazing and the impacts of an extended drought that started in 2015 and is still ongoing at the time of assessment. Subpopulations that occur in the southern part of the range have been less impacted by drought related mortality than those in the central and northern sections of its range. The small subpopulation (5000 mature individuals) that occurs in the vicinity of Eksteenfontein has experienced 40% mortality over the past five years primarily as a result of drought.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Monsonia herrei (L.Bolus) F.Albers | EN B1ab(iii,v) | 2015.1 | | Sarcocaulon herrei L.Bolus | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Sarcocaulon herrei L.Bolus | Insufficiently Known | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Albers, F. 1996. The taxonomic status of Sarcocaulon (Geraniaceae). South African Journal of Botany 62(6):345-347.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Moffett, R.O. 1979. The genus Sarcocaulon. Bothalia 12(4):581-613.
Privett, S.D.J., Krug, R.M., Forbes, G. and Gaertner, M. 2014. Wild Flower Harvesting on the Agulhas Plain, South Africa: Impact of Harvesting Intensity under a Simulated Commercial Harvesting Regime for Two Re-Seeding and Two Re-Sprouting Fynbos Species. South African Journal of Botany 94 270-275.
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., Van Wyk, P.C.V. & Mhlongo, N.N. 2022. Monsonia herrei (L.Bolus) F.Albers. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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