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Encephalartos cerinus

Assessor: Sarah Schumann

Sensitive in 2010
No
Family
Zamiaceae
Reason for the sensitivity status
This taxon is deemed not sensitive as it is suggested to be Extinct in the Wild due to overharvesting for ornamental purposes that resulted in reproductive failure and cannot be threatened any longer.
Exploitation extent
None - this species and its close relatives are not exploited, collected, traded or utilized in a targeted manner.
Justification and references

All South African cycads as well as this species is included in Appendix I of the CITES Convention which lists all species threatened with extinction that are, or may be affected by trade. According to the SANBI Red List Assessment, this species is Critically Endangered due to continued over-collection of individuals for ornamental purposes and subsequent reproductive failure as the species main threat (Donaldson 2009; Donaldson 2003). According to Donaldson (2009) this has resulted in a 80% decline of the species with one remaining location of a subpopulation. It is suggested that this species may be Extinct in the Wild and existence of any extant plants need to be confirmed (Bösenberg. DW, personal communication 2021, 1 December).

Donaldson, J.S. 2003. Cycads. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cycad Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland; Cambridge, UK.

Donaldson, J.S. 2009. Encephalartos cerinus Lavranos & D.L.Goode. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Okubamichael, D. Y., S. L. Jack, J. D. Bösenberg, M. T. Hoffman & J. S. Donaldson. 2016. Repeat photography confirms alarming decline in south African cycads. Biodiversity Conservation 25(11): 2153–2170.

CITES trade statistics derived from the CITES Trade Database, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK.

Population vulnerability
Population is vulnerable: size is <= 2500 mature individuals OR the number of known subpopulations is <= 5 OR range is <= 100km2 OR species at risk of localised extinctions
Justification and references

The IUCN and SANBI Red List Assessment state there are between 10-70 mature individuals remaining in the wild with a decreasing population trend. Extent and area of occurrence is 10 km² (Donaldson 2009; Donaldson 2010).

Donaldson, J.S. 2009. Encephalartos cerinus Lavranos & D.L.Goode. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Available at: http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=823-5

Donaldson, J.S. 2010. Encephalartos cerinus (errata version published in 2019). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T41883A149621361. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41883A149621361.en.

Targeted demographics
Mature (breeding) individuals are killed, significantly weakened or are permanently removed from the wild, OR immature individuals are targeted and this significantly impacts mature (breeding) individuals.
Regeneration potential
This species has a slow population growth rate, or the growth rate varies depending on habitat, and there is a poor chance the wild populations will recover from exploitation OR a collector might feasibly harvest the entire extant population removing the chance of subsequent recruitment.
Justification and references

With one subpopulation location remaining, few individuals remaining in the wild, and the ongoing removal of the species there is a poor chance the wild population will recover (Donaldson 2009) whereby it is like to be Extinct in the Wild (Bösenberg. DW, personal communication 2021, 1 December)

Donaldson, J.S. 2009. Encephalartos cerinus Lavranos & D.L.Goode. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1

Reference file
CITES Trade Database on Encephalartos cerinus 19.89 KB
Donaldson 2009 Encephalartos cerinus Threatened Species Programme _ SANBI Red List of South African Plants.pdf653.53 KB