Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, this subspecies is Critically Endangered as it is known from 1 location that 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 this species is highly sought after by collectors as well as their being an increase in 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 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 species and genus were among those targeted and confiscated during recent criminal prosecutions of illegal plant collecting (Ramatseba 2021; Majikela 2020; Myburgh 2021). There has been several recorded confiscations of the uviforme species and subincanum subspecies from illegal plant collecting (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 subspecies 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
Hammer, S.A., Helme, N.A., von Staden, L. & Young, A.J. 2016. Conophytum uviforme (Haw.) N.E.Br. subsp. subincanum (Tischer) S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
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
Ramatseba, BM. 2021. 12 January 2021. Ten appear for dealing in protected plants. Media Statement. South African Police Service, Office of the Provincial Commissioner Northern Cape. Available at: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=30366
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. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum uviforme subsp. subincanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This taxon has an extent of occurrence of 12 km², is known from 1 location and has a population size thought to consist of more than 5,000 mature individuals (Young, 2022). As plants confiscated by the authorities in South Africa have only been identified to species level all the subspecies are treated the same here and are therefore believed to be experiencing population decline due to illegal collection (Young, 2022).
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum uviforme subsp. subincanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Whole individuals are removed from the wild and are recorded in confiscations.
This species has a restricted range which makes it vulnerable to population loss (Hammer 2002; Young & Desmet 2016). 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)
Hammer, S. 2002. Dumpling and his wife: New view of the genus Conophytum. EAE Creative Colour, Norwich.
Young, A.J. and Desmet, P.G., 2016. The distribution of the dwarf succulent genus Conophytum NE Br.(Aizoaceae) in southern Africa. Bothalia-African Biodiversity & Conservation, 46(1), pp.1-13.