The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T31142A9609208
Pachypodium namaquanum, Elephant's Trunk
Assessment by: Hilton-Taylor, C. <i>et al.</i>
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Hilton-Taylor, C. et al.. 1998. Pachypodium namaquanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 1998: e.T31142A9609208.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T31142A9609208.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Gentianales
Apocynaceae
Taxon Name: Pachypodium namaquanum (Wyley ex Harv.) Welw.
Common Name(s):
• English:
Elephant's Trunk
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Lower Risk/near threatened ver 2.3
Year Published:
1998
Date Assessed:
January 1, 1998
Annotations:
Needs Updating
Previously Published Red List Assessments
1998 – Vulnerable (V)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
Found along both sides of the lower Orange River Valley from the Tantalite Valley and Pella mountain
range in the east to the Richtersveld, Huib-Hoch and Huns Mountains in the west. It has been recorded
from more than 50 localities within an extent of occurrence of approximately 15,000 km².
Country Occurrence:
Native: Namibia; South Africa (Northern Cape Province)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Pachypodium namaquanum – published in 1998.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T31142A9609208.en
1
Population
The subpopulations on the Namibian side of the Orange River are inaccessible and therefore generally
secure. They are fairly large, with an average density of between 625 and 1,100 individuals per hectare.
Similar densities, with a range of ages, are also found on Pella Mt.
Habitat and Ecology
A spiny succulent tree recorded in karroid shrubland.
Systems: Terrestrial
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
The species has been subjected to much illegal collecting, especially in the Richtersveld, as plants are
highly sought-after on both the domestic and international markets. There are further threats from
mining activities in Namibia and intense grazing and trampling of the surrounding vegetation by
domestic livestock in the Richtersveld. There are also low levels of recruitment in the latter
subpopulation, apparently because of insect parasitism of the seeds.
Conservation Actions
Artificially propagated plants are now widely available and the demand for wild-collected plants has
effectively been reduced. Richtersveld subpopulation is contained within a national park and provincial
nature reserve. The species is also protected by law in both South Africa and Namibia and it is listed in
CITES Appendix II.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Hilton-Taylor, C. et al.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Pachypodium namaquanum – published in 1998.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T31142A9609208.en
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Bibliography
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red Data List of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. National Botanical Institute,
Pretoria, South Africa.
Hilton-Taylor, C. (compiler) 1998. Assessment of Southern African Trees for WCMC.
Jankowitz, W.J. 1979. The status of Pachypodium namaquanum in South West Africa. Aloe 1979.
Midgley, J.J., Cowling, R.M., Hendricks, H., Desmet, P.G., Esler, K. and Rundel, P. 1997. Population ecology
of tree succulents (Aloe and Pachypodium) in the arid western Cape: decline of keystone species.
Biodiversity and Conservation 6: 869-876.
Oldfield, S., Lusty, C. and MacKinven, A. (compilers). 1998. The World List of Threatened Trees. World
Conservation Press, Cambridge, UK.
Citation
Hilton-Taylor, C. et al.. 1998. Pachypodium namaquanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998:
e.T31142A9609208. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T31142A9609208.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
3. Energy production & mining -> 3.2. Mining &
quarrying
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
5. Biological resource use -> 5.2. Gathering terrestrial
plants -> 5.2.1. Intentional use (species is the target)
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.5. Motivation
Unknown/Unrecorded
8. Invasive & other problematic species & genes ->
8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species -> 8.1.1.
Unspecified species
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Pachypodium namaquanum – published in 1998.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T31142A9609208.en
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-
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The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™