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Scientific Name | Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Bosjesmansbrood (a), Bread Palm (e), Broodboom (a), Cycad (e), Kafferbrood (a), Kafferbroodboom (a), Suurberg Cycad (e), Suurberg-broodboom (a), Thunberg's Cycad (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened A2ad; B1ab(v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/29 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | The population of Encephalartos longifolius has declined by about 20% in the past three generations, thus it approaches the thresholds for Vulnerable under criterion A2. It would also qualify as Vulnerable under criterion B1ab(v) if there were fewer localities. The species is therefore listed as Near Threatened. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape |
Range | This species is widely distributed in the Eastern Cape from west of Joubertina in the Kouga mountains, along the Suuranys mountains, in the Baviaans Kloof, the Elandsberge, the Zuurberge and then on to near Grahamstown. Large subpopulations occur in the Kouga Mountains, Baviaanskloof, Groot Winterhoek mountains, and the Zuurberg. It has been recorded from 200 up to 700 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Algoa Sandstone Fynbos, Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos, Suurberg Shale Fynbos, Vanstadens Forest Thicket, Sundays Mesic Thicket |
Description | It occurs in a variety of habitats with large differences in soil and climate. In some areas west of Port Elizabeth plants grow in acid sands with fynbos vegetation whereas in the Zuurberg they occur in grasslands. Near Kirkwood and in the Paardepoort plants grow amongst succulent thicket. They are also found in dense scleromorphic shrubland on steep rocky slopes. |
Threats |
| The only real threat to this species is over-collection due to poaching of plants from the wild. |
Population |
It occurs in large numbers in some areas.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. | NT B1ab(v); C1 | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. | Vulnerable | Hall et al. (1980) | |
Bibliography |
Donaldson, J.S. 2003. Cycads. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cycad Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland; Cambridge, UK.
Goldblatt, P. and Manning, J.C. 2000. Cape Plants: A conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.
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. 1985. Focus on Encephalartos longifolius. Encephalartos 1:6-13.
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.
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Citation |
| Bösenberg, J.D. & Donaldson, J.S. 2020. Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/13 |
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