Plectranthus platyphyllus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Plectranthus platyphyllus faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while overgrazing by livestock degrades the quality of remaining natural vegetation. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could affect the species' specialized habitat requirements.
Habitat
This endemic South African succulent inhabits rocky outcrops and well-drained slopes in the Eastern Cape Province's semi-arid regions. It typically grows in shallow soils among quartzite and sandstone formations, often in association with other drought-adapted vegetation.
