Encephalartos longifolius

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 Near Threatened where over-collection from poaching is identified as a threat to wild individuals of this species as well as the continued removal of mature plants in the wild is causing population decline (Donaldson 2009; Donaldson 2003). The IUCN Red List Assessment also notes the decline in population (Donaldson 2010). According to PlantZAfrica, E. longifolius is still well represented in the wild and nurseries are making cultivated plants available for the horticultural trade (Bösenberg 2006). However, a Times Live news article makes mention of the theft and illegal harvesting of Encephalartos longifolius individuals to the equivalent of a truck full (Gous 2017). E. longifolius individuals were also poached on private land in collusion with a cycad syndicate (Okubamichael et al. 2016; Bornman 2015). 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 (Okubamichael et al. 2016; Cousins & Witkowski 2017). The CITES trade database has recorded the trade of E. longifolius from 1979 to current with varying trade purposes of commercial, personal, artificial propagation, botanical garden and scientific. The source of E. longifolius specimens have been derived from artificial propagation, taken from the wild, and confiscated or seized. This suggests that this genus is being targeted and that this species may be at risk.

Bösenberg, DW. 2006. Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. PlantZAfrica. Available at: http://pza.sanbi.org/encephalartos-longifolius

Bornman, J. 2015. 27 September 2015. Farmer accused in huge cycad bust. Times Live. Available at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2015-09-27-farmer-accused-in-huge-cycad-bust/

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.

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

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 longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. 

Donaldson, J.S. 2010. Encephalartos longifolius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T41935A10604478. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41935A10604478.en

Gous, N. 2017. 7 November 2017. Check out SA's worst environment crimes. Times Live. Available at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2017-11-07-check-out-sas-worst-environment-crimes/

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

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