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Scientific Name | Encephalartos paucidentatus Stapf & Burtt Davy |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Barberton Cycad (e), Barberton-broodboom (a), Broodboom (a), Cycad (e), Kafferboom (a), Kafferbroodboom (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable A2ac; B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/12 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg, T. Steyn & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is assessed as Vulnerable. At least 30 % of original habitat has been transformed to pine and eucalypt plantations during the past 60 years. This is less than one generation (70 years), but further extrapolation is not possible and so this is treated as the minimum decline, and it therefore qualifies as VU under criterion A2. The relatively small extent of occurrence (EOO = 224 km² [and given this very small EOO the area of occupancy is likely to be <500 km2 too]), number of locations (six), and ongoing decline due to poaching and habitat transformation mean that it also qualifies under criteria B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Mpumalanga |
Range | This species is present in a restricted area in the mountains near Barberton, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa and near Piggs Peak in the northwestern part of Eswatini. It is recorded to occur from 1,000 to 1,500 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Scarp Forest, Northern Mistbelt Forest, Northern Afrotemperate Forest |
Description | It occurs sparsely on steep, often rocky, slopes in low forest and mountain bush. Plants grow mainly between trees alongside streams in deep gorges. |
Threats |
| The wild subpopulations of Encephalartos paucidentatus have suffered both from the activities of collectors and due to the afforestation programmes in the area. |
Population |
Although once regarded as a relatively abundant cycad, populations have declined across its range. The population size of Encephalartos paucidentatus was originally estimated to be 8,000-12,000 mature individuals but recent estimates suggest that it is probably much lower (3,000-5,000). Further research must be prioritised as the numbers may even be a lot lower than the current estimates.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Plants are protected in two provincial nature reserves in Mpumalanga and one in Swaziland. Nurseries that were closely linked to rural communities were established for E. paucidentatus. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos paucidentatus Stapf & Burtt Davy | VU A2acd | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos paucidentatus Stapf & Burtt Davy | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos paucidentatus Stapf & Burtt Davy | 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.
Grobbelaar, N. 2003. Cycads. With special reference to the southern African species. (2nd ed.). Nat Grobbelaar, Pretoria.
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. 1991. Focus on Encephalartos paucidentatus. Encephalartos 27:3-9.
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., Steyn, T. & Donaldson, J.S. 2020. Encephalartos paucidentatus Stapf & Burtt Davy. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/22 |
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