Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the IUCN and SANBI Red List Assessments, this subspecies is Critically Endangered as it is known from one location that is experiencing high levels of population decline threatened by illegal collecting for the succulent horticultural trade as well as anthropogenic climate change (Young & Hammer 2020; Young 2022). More than 90% of the population has been removed from habitat and this taxon is highly sought after by collectors (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 (Ramatseba 2021; Majikela 2020; Myburgh 2021). There has been several recorded confiscations of the roodiae species 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 subspecies and genus is being targeted and is 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
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=3036
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. & Hammer, S.A. 2020. Conophytum roodiae N.E.Br. subsp. sanguineum (S.A.Hammer) T.Smale. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum roodiae subsp. sanguineum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This taxon has an extent of occurrence of 12km², is known from a single location with an estimated population size of 25 mature individuals (Young, 2022).
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum roodiae subsp. sanguineum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Whole mature individuals are removed from the wild (Young & Hammer 2020; Young 2022).
Young, A.J. & Hammer, S.A. 2020. Conophytum roodiae N.E.Br. subsp. sanguineum (S.A.Hammer) T.Smale. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum roodiae subsp. sanguineum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
One known population experiencing population decline due to illegal collecting (Young, 2022), places the persistence of this species at risk. 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.