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Scientific Name | Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Broodboom (a), Cycad (e), Drakensberg Cycad (e), Drakensberg-broodboom (a), Isidawu (z), Mont-aux-sources Cycad (e), Umguza (x), Umphanga (x) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable C1 |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/22 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is assessed as Vulnerable. Two forms of this species are recognized, one occurring at high altitudes and the other at low altitudes. The high altitude form is relatively secure in the Drakensberg mountains, but the lowland form is extremely rare and declining. It is estimated that the decline overall is ca. 10% over three generations, but this is mostly due to very substantial declines in the lowland form. If this population is recognized as taxonomically distinct it would qualify as Critically Endangered. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This species is only known from KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. In the south, subpopulations are found at Flagstaff and Tabankulu. Further north the distribution extends to the Izingolweni area (near Port Shepstone) in KwaZulu-Natal. Subpopulations are also found west of Umzinto and still further north to the north of the Mkomazi river. Plants are also found in the Mount Currie area and in the Drakensberg it is found from Giant's Castle in the south to Mont-aux-Sources in the north. The largest stands are found in the Mlambonja Valley. It has a wide elevational range being recorded from 700 up to 2,400 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Mooi River Highland Grassland, Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Southern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland, Drakensberg Foothill Moist Grassland, uKhahlamba Basalt Grassland, Drakensberg-Amathole Afromontane Fynbos, Northern Drakensberg Highland Grassland, Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld |
Description | The habitat of this species varies from montane grassland and rocky outcrops to sandstone cliffs in the Drakensberg where plants are associated with montane fynbos vegetation. As with many grassland species, E. ghellinkii is also associated with a fire cycle. This seems to stimulate new leaf flushes and is possibly necessary for coning. The climate is mild to hot in summer. Winters are very cold with snow at the higher altitudes, but coastal areas have a mild winter climate. |
Threats |
| The major threat for this species is over-collecting for ornamental purposes. Too frequent fires may have an effect in certain subpopulations. |
Population |
The subpopulations are isolated, small (some with only a few plants) and widely scattered. This is especially true of the lowland subpopulations (i.e. not in the Drakensberg). No recent population estimates are available, but it is estimated that there are fewer than 10,000 mature individuals.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Plants are protected in a national park and provinvial nature reserve. |
Notes |
| Restricted to the foothills of the Drakensberg and many populations fall within the nature reserves where it is presently protected and not yet threatened. Of all the South African cycad species, this is the slowest grower and most difficult to re-establish after the leaves and roots have been removed during transplanting. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. | VU C1 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. | Lower Risk - Least Concern | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. | Vulnerable | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Boon, R. 2010. Pooley's Trees of eastern South Africa. Flora and Fauna Publications Trust, Durban.
Donaldson, J.S. 2003. Cycads. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cycad Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland; Cambridge, UK.
Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. and Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of southern Africa. South African National Scienctific Programmes Report 45. CSIR, Pretoria.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Osborne, R. 1987. Focus on Encephalartos ghellincki. Encephalartos 12:16-23.
Pooley, E. 2003. Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.
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.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
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Citation |
| Bösenberg, J.D. & Donaldson, J.S. 2020. Encephalartos ghellinckii Lem. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/17 |
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