Assessor: Sarah Schumann
According to the SANBI and IUCN Red List Assessments, this species is Critically Endangered as it is highly range restricted and experiencing severe and rapid population decline due to illegal harvesting for the specialist succulent horticultural trade (Young & Raimondo, 2020; Young, 2022). This species is known to be highly sought after in cultivation and valuable (Young & Raimondo, 2020). 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). 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 that this species is threatened with over-exploitation as at least 90% of its plants have been removed as well as this species being highly susceptible given its range restriction and small population size (Young, 2022).
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 youngii Rodgerson. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum youngii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This taxon has an extent of occurrence of 8 km², is known from a single location and has a population size fewer than 250 mature individuals remaining (Young, 2022). At least 1,000 plants have been removed from habitat between 2019-2021 with more likely to have been harvested but not intercepted (Young, 2022).
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum youngii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Whole individuals are removed from the wild as well as are recorded in confiscations (Young & Raimondo, 2020; Young, 2022).
Young, A.J. & Raimondo, D. 2020. Conophytum youngii Rodgerson. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
Young, A. 2022. (assessment in prep 2022) Conophytum youngii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
High levels of endemism and a restricted range makes this species vulnerable to population loss (Hammer, 2002; 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)
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.
Young, A.J. and Rodgerson, C., 2016. The dwarf succulent genus Conophytum NE Br.: distribution, habitat and conservation. Aloe, 52(2).