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Scientific Name | Huernia namaquensis Pillans |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | APOCYNACEAE |
Synonyms | Huernia herrei A.C.White & B.Sloane, Huernia herrei A.C.White & B.Sloane var. immaculata A.C.White & B.Sloane, Huernia owamboensis R.A.Dyer |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2014/07/31 |
Assessor(s) | M.M.P. Mogale, P.C.V. Van Wyk & L. von Staden |
Justification | Widespread and common across the Richtersveld (EOO 3588 km²), and not in danger of extinction. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Northern Cape |
Range | Southern Namibia, Richtersveld and northern Namaqualand as far south as Springbok. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Lekkersing Succulent Shrubland, Central Richtersveld Mountain Shrubland, Vyftienmyl se Berge Succulent Shrubland, Southern Richtersveld Inselberg Shrubland, Namaqualand Heuweltjieveld, Stinkfonteinberge Quartzite Fynbos, Richtersveld Sandy Coastal Scorpionstailveld, Goariep Mountain Succulent Shrubland, Aggeneys Gravel Vygieveld, Bushmanland Inselberg Shrubland |
Description | Sheltered crevices in quartzite outcrops. |
Threats |
| Overgrazing due to overstocking of rangelands is the most severe threat to plant species in the Richtersveld. Huernia namaquensis is however unpalatable, and unlikely to be browsed. It is possibly dependent on shelter provided by larger shrubs, and in many areas, overgrazing has significantly reduced shrub cover, which may lead to local population declines. Its preference for rocky crevices may offer it some protection against trampling by livestock, which is leading to erosion in some heavily grazed areas.
Illegal succulent collecting is also a problem, particularly in accessible areas of the Richtersveld, but Huernias are easily grown from cuttings, reducing the need to remove whole plants, and collection probably does not have a significant impact on the population. |
Population |
Huernia namaquensis is common across Namaqualand and the Richtersveld (Bruyns 2005, P.C.V. van Wyk pers. comm.).
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Population trend | Stable |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Huernia namaquensis Pillans | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Bruyns, P.V. 2005. Stapeliads of southern Africa and Madagascar. (Vol. 1, pp. 1-330). Umdaus Press, Pretoria.
Jordaan, M. and Van Wyk, A.E. 2005. A new species of Gymnosporia (Celastraceae) from southern Africa. Novon 15(2):301-304.
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 |
| Mogale, M.M.P., Van Wyk, P.C.V. & von Staden, L. 2014. Huernia namaquensis Pillans. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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