Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the SANBI and IUCN Red List Assessments, this species is Critically Endangered as it is known from one location and is threatened with illegal collection of mature individuals for the international trade in ornamental succulents in 2020-21 as well as habitat degradation (Young & Raimondo, 2020; Young, 2022). It has been highly sought after by collectors and is likely to remain so in future (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; 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 species and others of the genus 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 genus and species is being targeted and this species 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 bruynsii S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum bruynsii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This species has an extent of occurrence of less than 0.5km² whereby the whole population covers an area of 0.017 km² (Young & Raimondo 2020). An estimated 8,000 mature individuals are thought be present at the only known locality for this species (Young, 2022).
Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum bruynsii S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum bruynsii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Whole individuals are recorded in confiscations.
One known locality renders this species highly susceptible to a rapid decline in number through collection whereby there is a real possibility of extinction in habitat due to a single plant poaching event (Young, 2022). 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)
Young A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum bruynsii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.