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Scientific Name | Monsonia multifida E.Mey. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | GERANIACEAE |
Synonyms | Sarcocaulon multifidum E.Mey. ex R.Knuth |
Common Names | Dwergboesmankersie (a), Red-throat Dwarf Candle Bush (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A4cd |
Assessment Date | 2022/04/08 |
Assessor(s) | L. von Staden, P.C.V. Van Wyk & N.N. Mhlongo |
Justification | This species is endemic to the Gariep Centre of Endemism, with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 936 km² and an area of occupancy of 152 km². Present in 12 subpopulations across eight locations in South Africa, it is suspected to have declined by 50% since the year 2000 due to severe habitat degradation, habitat loss, and high levels of illegal collection. With mining activities expanding within its range, increasing rates of illegal collection, and climate models predicting ongoing aridification, a further decline of 70% within the next 60 years is suspected. This long-lived, slow-growing species seldom recruits, and the population reduction of over 80% in a shifting timeframe from 2000 to 2080 would occur within three generations (generation length 30 to 50 years). It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered under criterion A. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | This dwarf succulent species occurs in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and southern Namibia, where it is restricted to the coastal plain on both sides of the Orange River. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Western Gariep Hills Desert, Western Gariep Lowland Desert, Western Gariep Plains Desert |
Description | Plants of this species are found in rock cracks in dry, stony flats. They prefer alluvial gravel, shale and quartz outcrops with no dust and sand movement. The species is never further inland than 5 km from the Orange River an indication that it depends on the availability of fog that occurs within this area. |
Threats |
| The population is declining rapidly as a result of illegal collection with 1036 plants included in confiscations between March 2019 and December 2021, many more are likely to have been removed from the wild but not intercepted by law enforcement efforts. A further 16 000 plants of suspected wild origin were exported from a single South African nursery during the period 2011-2018 and many specimens observed online have wild characteristics. In 2015, over 1000 distinctly wild looking plants were posted for sale in Hungary and Hong Kong. With online trade platforms showing increasing popularity for the genus Monsonia, the trend of illegal collection is likely to continue.
This species is also threatened by severe, ongoing habitat loss and degradation across its range in South Africa. Between Alexander Bay and Sendelingsdrif, severe overstocking of livestock between 2005 and 2015 caused trampling disturbance that negatively impacted all plant species in the area, even those that are not grazed. While livestock overgrazing is ongoing, the number of livestock have reduced due to the impacts of the worst drought on record that started in 2012 but became severe in 2017 and is still ongoing at the time of assessment. There have been high levels of drought related mortality observed for individuals of this species as well as generally for most plant species within its habitat. Climate models predict ongoing aridification for the Richtersveld region (van Wilgen and Herbst 2017). Habitat loss is also ongoing, with mining expansion around Sendelingsdrif and Koeskop causing not only ongoing habitat destruction, but also degradation for a wide area surrounding the mines, mainly due to dust blowing from exposed mine dumps, burying dwarf species such as this one, and irresponsible off-road driving of vehicles across sensitive quartz habitats. The development of the proposed Boegoebaai Port project, will result in the expansion of the Alexander Bay town, which will likely lead to the extinction or severe degradation of four of the 12 subpopulations known from South Africa. In Namibia this species occurs largely within a diamond mining area where habitat loss is ongoing. |
Population |
Historically, this species thrived on the alluvial terraces of the Orange River, primarily the pro terraces, constituting 95% of which has been mined away. The extensive expansion of mining activities and associated degradation has led to rapid and recent habitat loss over the past two decades. Land cover changes indicate a 15-20% loss in the last 15 years, excluding degradation from windblown dust. Between 2005 and 2015, grazing pressure significantly increased after privately owned farms around Alexander Bay were handed over to local herder communities following a successful land claim in 2005. Extreme overgrazing is estimated to affect 80-90% of this species' habitat outside mining areas in South Africa. Since 2010, the ongoing drought, intensifying from 2017, has further contributed to a decline in the population.
An additional threat to the population is illegal collection. More than 16 000 live plants suspected to be of wild origin were exported from South Africa between 2011-2018. A large number of specimens observed online are of wild origin. About 1036 plants were confiscated between March 2019 and December 2021, and many more are likely to have been removed from the wild but not intercepted by law enforcement.
Monitoring at 12 subpopulations in South Africa, indicate that the combined number of mature individuals in these subpopulations declined from 13 700 in 2014, to 5 600 in 2021. This equates to a 40% decline in only 6 years. Decline is due to the combined effects of mining, drought, livestock overgrazing and illegal collection.
The expansion of mining operations since 2018 is likely to cause a further decline to the species. While the areas where this species occurs have been mapped as no go mining areas, the resultant fragmentation of habitat, dust and sand overburden from mine dumps, pollution caused by the mines and off-road driving are likely to result in the ongoing decline to the population.
This species is poorly protected, and considering that the current rate of habitat destruction, habitat degradation and illegal collection is likely to increase, the population is suspected to decline by at least another 70% within the next 60 years.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Monsonia multifida E.Mey. | EN A4c | 2015.1 | | Sarcocaulon multifidum E.Mey. ex R.Knuth | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Albers, F. 1996. The taxonomic status of Sarcocaulon (Geraniaceae). South African Journal of Botany 62(6):345-347.
Moffett, R.O. 1979. The genus Sarcocaulon. Bothalia 12(4):581-613.
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 |
| von Staden, L., Van Wyk, P.C.V. & Mhlongo, N.N. 2022. Monsonia multifida E.Mey. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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