Conophytum chrisolum

Assessor: Sarah Schumann

Sensitive in 2010
No
Family
Aizoaceae
Reason for the sensitivity status
This species and several others of the genus are known to be targeted, exploited and illegally removed from the wild, causing population decline. Evidence shows that the Conophytum genus is in high demand in international horticultural trade. A small population size and restricted range makes this species highly vulnerable to population loss and is threatened with over-collection. Releasing data on this species can exacerbate threat and vulnerability.
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 and IUCN Red List Assessments, this species is Critically Endangered as its range is extremely restricted and its population is declining due to ongoing illegal collection for the succulent horticultural trade as well as anthropogenic climate change and habitat degradation from livestock trampling (Young & Raimondo 2020; Young 2022). Illegal collection is likely to increase in the future as the number of species and volume of plants targeted within the genus since 2019 has increased (Youn 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; Young 2020). Plants of this genus were among those targeted and confiscated during recent criminal prosecutions of illegal plant collecting (Majikela 2020; Myburgh 2021) (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 genus and species is being targeted and that this species is threatened. This species population is small, highly localised and slow growing whereby ongoing removal of individuals could lead to its extinction (Young & Raimondo 2020).

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 chrisolum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. 

Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum chrisolum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

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 species has an extent of occurrence of less than a 0.5 kmĀ² with an estimated population size of less than 1000 mature individuals (Young & Raimondo 2020; Young 2022)

Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum chrisolum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. 

Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum chrisolum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

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

Mature individuals are removed from the wild (Young & Raimondo 2020).(Young & Raimondo 2020)

Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum chrisolum S.A.Hammer. 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

This species is slow growing and its restricted range makes it vulnerable to population loss whereby ongoing removal of individuals could lead to its extinction (Young & Raimondo 2020; 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 & Conservation46(1), pp.1-13.

Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum chrisolum S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.