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Scientific Name | Encephalartos transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Broodboom (a), Cycad (e), Modjadje Cycad (e), Modjadje-broodboom (a), Modjadje-palm (a), Modjadji Cycad (e), Modjadji Palm (e), Modjadjibroodboom (a), Modjajes Palm (a), Mofaka (ns), Mutondolo (v), Tshifhanga (v), Tshitondolo (v) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/04/27 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg, T. Steyn & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is very abundant in several locations, including the remarkable cycad forest at Modjadji. Subpopulations in some locations have declined due to the impacts of collectors, habitat clearance, and natural dieback. Although this species is still considered to be abundant and does not qualify as threatened, is classified as Near Threatened due to the unknown impact of a pathogen that is causing die-off in some locations as well as the effect of bark harvesting that is still continuing. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Limpopo |
Range | It occurs intermittently over a large area in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the south the distribution starts in the northern parts of the Drakensberg mountain range. Further northwards a large isolated subpopulation is found in the Modjadji Nature Reserve. The distribution is then taken up in the Soutpansberg mountains. It extends over most of this mountain range and continues further east to the middle of the Thohoyandou area. It has been recorded from elevations ranging from 600 to 1,500 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Grassland, Savanna |
Description | All localities of of this species are on mountain mistbelt zones. Plants grow in tall grassveld and mixed bushveld, mainly on steep rocky slopes facing southeast. |
Threats |
| Illegal collection, agricultural and settlement expansion, effect of frequent fire and grazing by domestic animals have been rated as the major threats to the survival of Encephalartos transvenosus. Plants are removed from the wild by collectors, while leaves and cones of this species are used by local people to decorate tables at birthday and wedding parties (Ravele and Makhado 2009). Bark harvesting from subpopulations in Limpopo province also poses a threat to the plants due to fungal infections at the exposed areas (Bamigboye and Tshisikhawe 2020). Phytophthora cinnamomi has been validated as a pathogen of E. transvenosus plants and, therefore, a potential causal agent of the observed deaths in the Modjadji Nature Reserve (Nesamari et al. 2016). |
Population |
The population at Modjadji is estimated to be 15,000 individuals and there are some other very large subpopulations.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Protected in a number of provincial nature reserves and private conservancies. |
Notes |
| A cycad nursery based on wild-collected seeds has been set up in collaboration with a rural community near to the Modjadji Nature Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy | Rare | 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.
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. 1989. Focus on Encephalartos transvenosus. Encephalartos 20:10-18.
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 transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/14 |
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