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Scientific Name | Encephalartos dolomiticus Lavranos & D.L.Goode |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Synonyms | Encephalartos verrucosus Vorster, Robbertse & S.van der Westh. |
Common Names | Broodboom (a), Cycad (e), Wolkberg Cycad (e), Wolkberg-broodboom (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Critically Endangered A2acd+4ad; B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C1+2a(i); D |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/06 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg, S. Rodgers & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is assessed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct in the Wild). The last formal count in 2019 recorded only four plants, which represents a 98% decline from surveys carried out in 1993 and 2004. There are unconfirmed reports that the four plants recorded in 2019 have also been removed by collectors and this would mean that the species is Extinct in the Wild (EW). Additional field surveys are required to confirm whether this species is EW. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Limpopo |
Range | What is left of this species occurs to the southeast of Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The distribution area is found on the northern tip of the Drakensberg range. It has been recorded from 1,100 to 1,600 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Poung Dolomite Mountain Bushveld, Wolkberg Dolomite Grassland |
Description | This species occurs in grassland on shallow soils over dolomite ridges. |
Threats |
| Illegal collection from wild subpopulations has had a drastic effect on the number of plants in the wild. This may prevent reproduction from taking place. The population has been decimated to the extent that a maximum of only four plants remain in the wild. |
Population |
This species has experienced rapid and dramatic declines due to the illegal harvest of plants from the wild. The most recent count in 2019 recorded only 4 medium/large plants but there are unconfirmed reports that these plants have also been removed by collectors.
The numbers of plants that originally existed is unknown. Early helicopter surveys from 1993 recorded 158 plants and 151 plants were recorded in follow up surveys in 2004. The latter included 17 newly discovered plants and implies a decline from 158 to 134 plants for those that were counted in 1993 (9% decline over 10 years). In a subsequent 2012 aerial survey of the wild population, a total of 139 plants were counted. In 2019, this had declined to only 4 plants. Assuming an original population estimate of 175 mature plants in 1993 (=158 counted in 1993 + 17 new plants recorded in 2004), this implies a minimum 98% decline from 1993 to 2019.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos dolomiticus Lavranos & D.L.Goode | CR C1 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos dolomiticus Lavranos & D.L.Goode | Endangered | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Donaldson, J.S. 2003. Cycads. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cycad Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland; Cambridge, UK.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Robbertse, P.J., Vorster, P. and Van der Westhuizen, S. 1988. Encephalartos graniticolus (Zamiaceae): a new species from the north-eastern Transvaal. South African Journal of Botany 54(4):363-366.
Robbertse, P.J., Vorster, P. and Van der Westhuizen, S. 1988. Encephalartos verrucosus (Zamiaceae): a new species from the north-eastern Transvaal. South African Journal of Botany 54(5):487-490.
Vorster, P. 1992. Focus on Encephalartos dolomiticus. Encephalartos 30:3-7.
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Citation |
| Bösenberg, J.D., Rodgers, S. & Donaldson, J.S. 2020. Encephalartos dolomiticus Lavranos & D.L.Goode. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/12 |
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