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Scientific Name | Encephalartos trispinosus (Hook.) R.A.Dyer |
Higher Classification | Gymnosperms |
Family | ZAMIACEAE |
Common Names | Bushman's River Cycad (e) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable A2acd+4acd; B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/05/29 |
Assessor(s) | J.D. Bösenberg & J.S. Donaldson |
Justification | This species is assessed as Vulnerable. There has been at least a 30% decline in the population due to habitat alteration and collecting since the 1950s based on repeat photographs and monitoring of populations. This is within three generations (210 years), but further extrapolation is difficult and so this is treated as a minimum decline. Subpopulations have declined in the Bushmans, Kariega and Fish River valleys due to collecting and land use and in the Helspoort area northwest of Grahamstown due to heavy grazing. The species also has a restricted range, occurring at few locations. Therefore, it qualifies as Vulnerable under criteria A and B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape |
Range | This species occurs in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Subpopulations are found in the Great Fish, the Bushman's and the Kowie River valleys in the Albany, Bathurst, Fort Beaufort and Peddie districts. It occurs from 100 up to 600 m asl. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Grahamstown Grassland Thicket, Fish Valley Thicket, Albany Valley Thicket, Albany Mesic Thicket, Albany Bontveld, Albany Arid Thicket |
Description | It grows in arid low succulent shrubland on rocky ridges and slopes. They are found in the shade or in full sun on rocky outcrops. |
Threats |
| It is threatened by illegal collection of wild specimens from their habitat. Subpopulations have also been affected due to habitat transformation for agricultural purposes. |
Population |
This is a very difficult species to assess as it is low growing and often occurs in dense thickets of spiny vegetation. Surveyed subpopulations consisted of between 300 and 400 mature individuals, but many plants may have been overlooked.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| Protected within three nature reserves in the Eastern Cape. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Encephalartos trispinosus (Hook.) R.A.Dyer | VU A4cd; C1+2a(i) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Encephalartos trispinosus (Hook.) R.A.Dyer | Vulnerable | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | | Encephalartos trispinosus (Hook.) R.A.Dyer | 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.
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.
Kemp, M. 1993. Focus on Encephalartos trispinosus. Encephalartos 33:4-12.
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 trispinosus (Hook.) R.A.Dyer. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/12 |
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