Encephalartos princeps

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	CYCADOPSIDA	CYCADALES	ZAMIACEAE

Scientific Name:

Encephalartos princeps

Species Authority:

R.A.Dyer

Common Name/s:

English

–

Kei Cycad

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A4acd; B1ab(iii,v); C1 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

Donaldson, J.S.

Reviewer/s:

Agenbag, L. & Bösenberg, J.D.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Ongoing decline due to collecting and habitat loss is estimated to exceed 30% over the past 30 years and will continue in the next generation. The area is heavily infested by the invasive plant Lantana camara and control measures may impact on the cycad population. The extent of occurrence is small (1,870 km²), the species is known from six locations and there is continuing decline, hence qualifies as Vulnerable under criterion B. The overall population size is also <10,000 mature individuals which means that it also qualifies for a Vulnerable under criterion C given the rates of decline.

History:

2003	–	Vulnerable (IUCN 2003)
2003	–	Vulnerable
1997	–	Vulnerable (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	E. princeps occurs in the catchment area of the Black Kei, the Great Kei and the Kubusi rivers in the Cathcart, Stutterheim and Komga areas of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Occurs from 200 to 800 m asl.
Countries:	Native: South Africa (Eastern Cape Province)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population is thought to number between 3,500 and 5,000 mature individuals and declining.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	E. princeps occurs mainly on dolerite cliffs and rocky outcrops along river valleys. Plants grow in arid areas in vegetation characterized by thick low succulent shrubland and grass.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species is threatened due to the illegal collecting of plants in the wild and as a result of habitat destruction due to expanding agricultural activities. In some populations, alien invasive plants (Lantana camara) are invading the habitat.

Major Threat(s):

This species is threatened due to the illegal collecting of plants in the wild and as a result of habitat destruction due to expanding agricultural activities. In some populations, alien invasive plants (Lantana camara) are invading the habitat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix I of the CITES Appendices.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix I of the CITES Appendices.

Citation:	Donaldson, J.S. 2010. Encephalartos princeps. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.
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