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Scientific Name | Leucadendron pondoense A.E.van Wyk |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | PROTEACEAE |
Common Names | Pondoland Conebush (e), Pondo-tolbos (a), Tolbos (a) |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) |
Assessment Date | 2020/03/06 |
Assessor(s) | A.G. Rebelo, H. Mtshali & L. von Staden |
Justification | Leucadendron pondoense has a limited distribution range and has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 425 km ², and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 100 km². It is known from between 7 and 10 locations that continue to decline due to inappropriate fire management, decreased water flow in catchments, natural disasters and alien invasive species. It therefore meets the thresholds for Vulnerable under criterion B. |
Distribution |
Endemism | South African endemic |
Provincial distribution | Eastern Cape |
Range | This species is endemic to Pondoland in South Africa, occurring from Port Edward to Port St Johns. |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Major habitats | Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld |
Description | A fire evader, occurring on shallow, acidic, sandy soils, usually between boulders along gullies and streams where most fires do not penetrate. Largely confined to Pondoland-Natal Sandstone Coastal Sourveld. Mature individuals are killed by fires, and only seeds survive. |
Threats |
| Although this species occurs in areas where most grassland fires do not penetrate, like many other cone bushes it still requires fire every 15 to 20 years in order to regenerate, it is thus threatened by too infrequent fires in parts of its range while in other parts too frequent fire is causing population decline. Water table depletion and reduced stream flow due to afforestation upriver is continuously degrading its habitat. Furthermore flooding caused by vegetation removal upstream is destroying certain subpopulations. Invasive alien plants (acacias, hackeas, guavas and sword ferns) are causing ongoing habitat degradation. |
Population |
A Pondoland endemic known from 15 subpopulations, occurring within a 40 km range from Mnyameni to Sikatsha Rivers. It grows in dense stands, and is particularly common within about 5 km of the coast along the lower reaches of the Cutweni, Mfihlelo, Mlambomkulu, Lupatana, Mkweni, Daza and Mkambati Rivers (Van Wyk, 1990). The population is inferred to be declining due to habitat degradation from fires and alien invasive species.
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Population trend | Decreasing |
Conservation |
| It is conserved within the Mkambati Nature Reserve. |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Leucadendron pondoense A.E.van Wyk | VU B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v) | Raimondo et al. (2009) | | Leucadendron pondoense A.E.van Wyk | VU | Scott-Shaw (1999) | | Leucadendron pondoense A.E.van Wyk | Rare | Hilton-Taylor (1996) | |
Bibliography |
Boon, R. 2010. Pooley's Trees of eastern South Africa. Flora and Fauna Publications Trust, Durban.
Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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.
Rebelo, T. 2001. Sasol Proteas: A field guide to the proteas of southern Africa. (2nd ed.). Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.
Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg.
Van Wyk, A. 1990. A new species of Leucadendron (Proteaceae) from Pondoland, with a discussion of its biogeography. South African Journal of Botany 56(4):458-466.
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Citation |
| Rebelo, A.G., Mtshali, H. & von Staden, L. 2020. Leucadendron pondoense A.E.van Wyk. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/05/13 |
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