Trachyandra aridimontana | SANBI Sensitive Species

Assessor: Sarah Schumann

Sensitive in 2010

Family

Asphodelaceae

Reason for the sensitivity status

This species is threatned by illegal collecting of wild individuals for horticultural trade. This genus is in demand and of popular interest in international horticultural trade. Several species of this genus were among those confiscated from illegal plant collecting. Few known locations and several existing threats including exploitation makes this species vulnerable to further population loss, recruitment and recovery from harvesting may be poor.

This species is extremely rare in the wild and is known to be exploited, utilised or traded. The localities of remaining populations need to be protected to avoid any further exploitation, which is likely to drive it to extinction.

Exploitation extent

Significant - wild individuals of the species are known to be exploited, collected, traded or utilized in a targeted manner, and utilisation is widespread, affects the majority of wild populations and/or is causing rapid decline of the wild population.

Justification and references

According to the SANBI Red List Assessment, this species is Endangered as it is known from three locations that is experiencing severe population decline due to habitat degradation and illegal collecting of wild individuals for horticultural trade (Raimondo & Van Wyk, 2015). This genus is currently in demand and of popular interest in international horticultural trade, as indicated by several online marketplace, e-commerce and auction sites. A whole subpopulation has been removed by collectors in the last five years (Raimondo & Van Wyk, 2015). Several species of this genus were among those confiscated from illegal plant collecting (Confiscation Lists (2020-2021) provided by Karoo Desert Botanic Garden, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and Cape Nature). This suggests that this genus may be targeted and that this species may be at risk to over-exploitation.

Raimondo, D. & Van Wyk, P.C.V. 2015. Trachyandra aridimontana J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Population vulnerability

Population is vulnerable: size is <= 2500 mature individuals OR the number of known subpopulations is <= 5 OR range is <= 100km² OR species at risk of localised extinctions

Justification and references

This taxon has an extent of occurrence of 405 km² and is known from three locations whereby one subpopulation has been removed and lost

Targeted demographics

Mature (breeding) individuals are killed, significantly weakened or are permanently removed from the wild, OR immature individuals are targeted and this significantly impacts mature (breeding) individuals.

Justification and references

Whole individuals are removed (Raimondo & Van Wyk, 2015).

Raimondo, D. & Van Wyk, P.C.V. 2015. Trachyandra aridimontana J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Regeneration potential

This species has a slow population growth rate, or the growth rate varies depending on habitat, and there is a poor chance the wild populations will recover from exploitation OR a collector might feasibly harvest the entire extant population removing the chance of subsequent recruitment.

Justification and references

Few known locations and several existing threats including exploitation (Raimondo & Van Wyk, 2015), places the persistence of this species at risk whereby recruitment and recovery may be poor.

Raimondo, D. & Van Wyk, P.C.V. 2015. Trachyandra aridimontana J.C.Manning. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Reference file

Trachyandra.pdf524.09 KB

trachyandra2.pdf1 MB

Trachyandra aridimontana Threatened Species Programme _ SANBI Red List of South African Plants.pdf550.75 KB