Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, this subspecies is Critically Endangered as it is a range restricted endemic that is experiencing ongoing population decline due to threats of illegal collecting for international trade in ornamental succulents as well as anthropogenic climate change (Young & Raimondo, 2020; Young, 2022). This collecting pressure is likely to increase in the future as the number of species and volume of plants targeted within the genus since 2019 has increased (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 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 (Friedman, 2021; Tshuma, 2021; Trenchard, 2021; Hyman, 2020; Young, 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 ectypum species from poaching as well as a seizure of several hundred individuals in 2019 (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) (Young & Raimondo, 2020). This suggests that this genus and subspecies is being targeted and that this subspecies is threatened.
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. 2020. Conophytum armianum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum ectypum N.E.Br. subsp. cruciatum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum ectypum subsp. cruciatum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This taxon has an extent of occurrence of less than 0.5km², is known from a single location and has an estimated population size of 2500-4000 mature individuals (Young & Raimondo, 2020; Young 2022).
Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum ectypum N.E.Br. subsp. cruciatum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum ectypum subsp. cruciatum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Individuals are removed from the wild causing population decline (Young 2022).
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum ectypum subsp. cruciatum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
High levels of endemism and a restricted range makes this species vulnerable to population loss (Young & Desmet, 2016; Young & Rodgerson, 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)