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Encephalartos lebomboensis

Assessor: Sarah Schumann

Sensitive in 2010
No
Family
Zamiaceae
Reason for the sensitivity status
This taxon is sensitive as it is threatened with illegal collection of wild individuals, causing population decline. Evidence shows that the Encephalartos genus is in high demand in international trade for ornamental and horticultural purposes as well as local medicinal purposes. The species has a small and declining population size with few remaining locations, making it vulnerable to further population loss. Releasing data on this species can exacerbate threat and vulnerability.
This species is extremely rare in the wild and is known to be exploited, utilised or traded. The localities of remaining populations need to be protected to avoid any further exploitation, which is likely to drive it to extinction.
Exploitation extent
Significant - wild individuals of the species are known to be exploited, collected, traded or utilized in a targeted manner, and utilisation is widespread, affects the majority of wild populations and/or is causing rapid decline of the wild population.
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 Endangered as it is threatened by over-collecting from poaching, medicinal purposes and is experiencing habitat loss (Donaldson 2009; Donaldson 2003). It is popular among collectors and has a declining population (Donaldson 2009; Donaldson 2003). Cycad species are in trade demand and at risk from illegal collection (Smith 2014; Yeld 2014). Studies present strong evidence of ongoing and accelerating rates of decline in most cycad species due mainly to illegal removal and this is especially evident with endangered and critically endangered Encephalartos species (Okubamichael et al. 2016; Cousins & Witkowski 2017). The CITES Trade Database has recorded the trade of the species from 1979-2019 for commercial, personal, scientific, travelling exhibition, education, artificial propagation and botanical garden purposes. Sourced from artificial propagation and taken from the wild.

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

Cousins, S.R., Williams, V.L., & Witkowski, E.T.F. 2012. Uncovering the cycad taxa (Encephalartos species) traded for traditional medicine in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany, 78, 129–138. DOI:10.1016/j.sajb.2011.06.001

Cousins, S.R. and Witkowski, E.T.F., 2017. African cycad ecology, ethnobotany and conservation: a synthesis. The Botanical Review, 83(2), pp.152-194.

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 lebomboensis I.Verd. 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.

Smith, D. 2014. 1 September 2014. South Africa's ancient cycad plants under threat from poachers. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/01/ancient-cycad-plants-under-threat-poachers

Williamson, J., Maurin, O., Shiba, S.N.S., Van der Bank, H., Pfab, M., Pilusa, M., Kabongo, R.M. and Van der Bank, M., 2016. Exposing the illegal trade in cycad species (Cycadophyta: Encephalartos) at two traditional medicine markets in South Africa using DNA barcoding. Genome, 59(9), pp.771-781.

Yeld, J. 2014. 7 August 2014. Cycad thieves strike again. IOL. Available at: https://www.iol.co.za/news/cycad-thieves-strike-again-1731799

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

According to the IUCN Red List, there are 5000 mature individuals remaining in the wild but the population is on a decreasing trend (Donaldson 2010). The species has a extent occupancy of 450 km² and an area of occupancy of 200 km², with fewer than five remaining locations (Donaldson 2009).

Donaldson, J.S. 2009. Encephalartos lebomboensis I.Verd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Donaldson, J.S. 2010. Encephalartos lebomboensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T41907A10589133. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41907A10589133.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.
Justification and references

The CITES Trade Database has recorded the trade of live individuals, timber pieces and seeds. Whole species are never harvested as per an unconfirmed report in the Red List assessment (Bösenberg. DW, personal communication 2021, 1 December). In most cases, sections of old persistent leaf bases that protect the caudex (sometimes erroneously referred to as “bark”) are removed from the stems resulting in scars on the stem (Bösenberg. DW, personal communication 2021, 1 December).

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

Donaldson, J.S. 2009. Encephalartos lebomboensis I.Verd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

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

It is not likely that the entire extant population will be removed (Bösenberg. DW, personal communication 2021, 1 December). However few remaining locations with existing threat of exploitation places the persistence of this species at risk.

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 lebomboensis I.Verd. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.

Reference file
CITES Trade Database on Encephalartos lebomboensis44.03 KB
South Africa's ancient cycad plants under threat from poachers _ South Africa _ The Guardian-compressed.pdf608.75 KB
Cycad thieves strike again.pdf206.26 KB
Donaldson 2009 Encephalartos lebomboensis Threatened Species Programme _ SANBI Red List of South African Plants.pdf853.77 KB
[Rakuten Ichiba] Encephalartos mail order.pdf516.29 KB
encephalartos_ Search Result _ eBay.pdf1.49 MB