|
Scientific Name | Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm. |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Bread Palm (e), Broodboom (a), Eastern Cape Cycad (e), Giant Eastern Cape Cycad (e), Isundu (x), Kafferbrood (a), Kafferbroodboom (a), Oos-kaapse Broodboom (a), Umguza (x), Umphanga (x) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable A2acd |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/08 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is assessed as Vulnerable due to the decline in the wild population. It is estimated to have declined by >30% (but less <50%) in the past 50 years (<3 generations) based on repeat photographs and loss of habitat along coastal estuaries. Further extrapolation is difficult, and so this is treated as a minimum decline. Large numbers have been removed from areas such as Bushman's River and the Tamara area of the Eastern Cape where 438 plants were taken out in one poaching incident in 1995. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal |
Range | This is a widespread species of the coastal regions of the Eastern Cape, extending to the border with KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Subpopulations occur inland in the Amatola mountain range and in the foothills around King Williams Town. Subpopulations occur in at least 10 river valleys extending from the Bushmans river in the south, through the Kariega, Kowie, Riet, Fish, Kap, Biga, Buffalo, Mpetu, Kei, Keiskamma, and Mbashe rivers. It occurs from near sea level up to 600 m. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Bhisho Thornveld, Eastern Valley Bushveld, Scarp Forest, Umtiza Forest Thicket, Fish Valley Thicket, Buffels Valley Thicket, Albany Valley Thicket |
Description | This species occurs in near-coastal sites ranging from open shrubland or grassland and steep rocky slopes to closed evergreen forests in valleys. Plants often occur along river banks and also occur inland at a few sites at higher altitude along the Amatola mountain range. |
Threats |
| Habitat destruction has been a significant problem in coastal habitats where resort developments in the main estuaries have displaced cycad habitat. Removal by collectors has also been a significant problem, especially in rural areas near King Williams Town. Bark harvesting for traditional medicinal use is endemic in the region, but has increased in recent years so that it is not uncommon to find up to 10% mortality at any one time. |
Population |
The total population of this species is estimated to be near 10,000 individuals. Subpopulations that have been surveyed for assessing the impacts of collecting, typically number about 500 plants.
|
Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Conserved in several protected areas. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm. | VU A2acd; C1 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm. | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm. | Rare | 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.
Kemp, M. 1988. Focus on Encephalartos altensteinii. Encephalartos 13:8-17.
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.
Von Breitenbach, F. and Von Breintenbach, J. 1992. Tree Atlas of Southern Africa. Dendrological Foundation, Pretoria.
|
Citation |
| Bösenberg, J.D. & Donaldson, J.S. 2020. Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/13 |
Comment on this assessment
