CITES and Succulents

An introduction to succulent plants covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

What This Presentation Will Cover

• Introduction to succulent plants

• Succulent plants on CITES

• Implementing CITES for succulent plants

Introduction to Succulent Plants

What Are Succulent Plants?

Why Protect Succulent Plants?

Global Trade

What Groups Are Controlled?

Cacti

Succulent Plants on CITES

Succulent Euphorbia

Euphorbia Characteristics - Latex

Euphorbia Characteristics - Spines and Flowers

• Spines

– Needle like or

– Complex

– In pairs

• Flowers

– Inconspicuous

– Showy bracts

Global Distribution of Succulent Euphorbia

No. Euphorbia taxa

250

200

50

1

Source: Carter & Eggli (1997)

150

100

0

Euphorbia Trade

Major Exporter

Major Importer

Source: UNEP-WCMC CITES trade data 1997-2001

Aloe

Aloe Characteristics

Aloe or Agave?

Aloe Agave

Aloe

Aloe Agave Agave

Global Distribution of Aloe

No. Aloetaxa

150

100

50

10

Aloe Trade

Major Exporter

Major Importer

Source: UNEP-WCMC CITES trade data 1997-2001

Pachypodium

Pachypodium Characteristics

Global Distribution of Pachypodium

No. Pachypodium

taxa

30

15

10

Pachypodium Trade

Major Exporter

Major Importer

Source: UNEP-WCMC CITES trade data 1997-2001

Other Succulent Taxa Listed on CITES

Agave Alluaudia Fouquieria

Other Succulent Taxa Listed on CITES

Medicinals

Succulent Plants on CITES: Summary

Implementing CITES for Succulent Plants

Enforcement

Enforcement - Checks

• Check

– Documents

– Country of origin

– Packaging

– Shipments

– Trade routes

Wild or Artificially Propagated? - Key Characteristics

General Appearance

Spines

Roots

Soil

Wild Artificially propagated• Irregular shape & size

• Wounds ?insect damage

• “Corky” stems

• Irregular & broken

• Thicker

• Irregular

• Dead & broken

• Cut back when removed from the wild

• Native soils and associated plants

• Uniform

• Healthy plant parts

• Uniform & intact

• Thinner & weaker

• In shape of pot

• Roots cut back but healthy

• Several main roots

• One main taproot• Usually clean of soil

• Horticultural soil present (e.g. peat, sand, perlite, rockwool)

Wild or Artificially Propagated?

AP - shipment

AP - growth form

Wild - shipment Wild - growth form

Wild or Artificially Propagated?

AP - leaves

AP - spines Wild - rootsWild - spinesWild - leaves

AP - roots

Implementation: Summary

Additional Slides

Exemptions

Nursery Registration

The CITES Definition of ‘Artificially Propagated’

Detecting Detrimental Trade?The Burden on Exporting Countries

• Article IV of the convention states that an export permit shall only be granted when, inter alia,’

• A Scientific Authority of the state of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species’

Detrimental Trade - How and Why?

• Insufficient resources to implement Article IV of CITES

• Poor implementation of export bans on wild plants

• Smuggling

Tillandsia – Air Plants