Modjadji Cycad

Illegal collection, agricultural and settlement expansion, effect of frequent fire and grazing by domestic animals have been rated as the major threats to the survival of Encephalartos transvenosus. Plants are removed from the wild by collectors, while leaves and cones of this species are used by local people to decorate tables at birthday and wedding parties (Ravele and Makhado 2009). Bark harvesting from subpopulations in Limpopo province also poses a threat to the plants due to fungal infections at the exposed areas (Bamigboye and Tshisikhawe 2020). Phytophthora cinnamomi has been validated as a pathogen of E. transvenosus plants and, therefore, a potential causal agent of the observed deaths in the Modjadji Nature Reserve (Nesamari et al. 2016)

This species is listed in Appendix I of the CITES Appendices. Subpopulations are found in the following nature reserves: Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, Mphaphuli Cycad Reserve, Modjadji Nature Reserve, The Wolkberg Wilderness Area, Happy Rest Nature Reserve and also in the following Natural Heritage Sites: Ottoshoek, Lesheba Wilderness, Buffelspoort and Buzzard Mountain Retreat. A cycad nursery based on wild-collected seeds has been set up in collaboration with a rural community near to the Modjadji Nature Reserve.