Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, this species is Endangered as it is experiencing population decline due to the threat of illegal collection of mature individuals for the international trade in ornamental succulents as well as by anthropogenic climate change (Young, 2022). Collecting pressure is likely to increase in the future as the number of species and volume of plants targeted within the genus since 2019 (Young, 2022). As of 2019, this genus has become popular in trade and there is a high demand from international and domestic horticultural markets for wild collected plants as indicated by media, police reports and several online marketplace, e-commerce, and auction sites (Friedman 2021; Tshuma 2021; Trenchard 2021; Hyman 2020). Plants of this genus were among those targeted and/or confiscated during recent criminal prosecutions of illegal plant collecting (Majikela 2020; Myburgh 2021). There has been several recorded confiscations of the species and others of the genus from illegal plant collection (Confiscation Lists (2019-2021) provided by Cape Nature, SANBI Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden, SANBI Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, SANParks Sendelingsdrift Botanic Garden and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment). This suggests that this species and genus is being targeted and that this species may be threatened with over-collection.
Friedman, B. 2021. 24 May 2021. South Africa targeted for rare plant poaching placing biodiversity at risk. Cape Talk. Available at: https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/417213/south-africa-targeted-for-rare-plant-poaching-placing-biodiversity-at-risk
Hyman, A. 2020. 1 February 2020. Koreans fined R5m as poachers target SA's succulent treasure chest. Times Live. Available at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-02-01-koreans-fined-r5m-as-poachers-target-sas-succulent-treasure-chest/
Majikela, M. 2020. 31 January 2020. Hefty sentencing for possession of Conophytum plants. Media Statement. South African Police Service Office of the Provincial Commissioner Western Cape. Available at: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroommsspeechdetail.php?nid=24491
Myburgh, A. 2021. 20 January 2021. Man behind bars for possession of endangered plants (Conophytum). Media Statement South African Police Service, Office of the Provincial Commissioner North West. Available at: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=24491
Trenchard, T. 2021. 31 July 2021. In South Africa, Poachers Now Traffic in Tiny Succulent Plants. The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/world/africa/south-africa-poachers-tiny-succulent-plants.html
Tshuma, N. 2021. 20 May 2021. Collectors drive a spike in theft of indigenous plants in the Western Cape. IOL. Available at: https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/collectors-drive-a-spike-in-theft-of-indigenous-plants-in-the-western-cape-e120f529-741b-43a7-8454-cb8f69544878
Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2015. Conophytum reconditum A.R.Mitch. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022)Conophytum reconditum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This taxon has an extent of occurrence of 3479 km² with a population size thought to consist of more than 250,000 mature individuals (Young, 2022). At least 1,500 plants were removed from habitat between 2019-2021 with more likely but not intercepted (Young, 2022).
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022)Conophytum reconditum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Whole individuals are recorded in confiscations.
Regeneration potential for the vast majority of the Conophytum genus is very poor as recruitment is low and dependent on successive, appropriate weather conditions. Seeds are not known to disperse. Regeneration will take decades. (Young, personal communication 2021, 5 October)