Africa hosts a rich assemblage of cycads: 66 Encephalartos species, Stangeria eriopus and Cycas thouarsii. Most Encephalartos and S. eriopus adults appear to be fire-tolerant, and certain Encephalartos species may be fire-dependent. Four Encephalartos species and S. eriopus are primarily insect-pollinated. African cycad populations typically have sex ratios of 1:1, with very small populations often male-biased. Coning is typically infrequent and erratic, with many species exhibiting mast-seeding. Viable seed production in Encephalartos populations tends to decline with decreasing population size, and seed predation by weevils is common. Seed dispersal in Encephalartos is usually localized, but vertebrates may facilitate dispersal over longer distances. Stem material of 25 Encephalartos species and S. eriopus is used for traditional medicine, primarily in South Africa. Two-thirds of Africa’s cycad species are threatened, with four species already Extinct in the Wild. The illegal acquisition of cycads from wild populations is the principle threat to their persistence. Further research is recommended on seed and fire ecology, population dynamics, and the outcomes of conservation interventions.

中文翻译：

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非洲苏铁生态学、民族植物学和保护：综合

非洲拥有丰富的苏铁组合：66 种 Encephalartos、Stageria eriopus 和 Cycas thouarsii。大多数 Encephalartos 和 S. eriopus 成虫似乎是耐火的，某些 Encephalartos 物种可能依赖火。四种 Encephalartos 物种和 S. eriopus 主要是昆虫授粉的。非洲苏铁种群的性别比例通常为 1:1，非常小的种群通常以男性为偏见。圆锥通常不频繁且不稳定，许多物种表现出桅杆播种。Encephalartos 种群的可行种子产量往往随着种群规模的减少而下降，并且象鼻虫捕食种子很常见。Encephalartos 中的种子传播通常是局部的，但脊椎动物可能会促进更远距离的传播。25 种 Encephalartos 和 S. eriopus 的茎材料用于传统医学，主要在南非。非洲三分之二的苏铁物种受到威胁，其中四种已经在野外灭绝。从野生种群中非法获取苏铁是其持续存在的主要威胁。建议对种子和火生态学、种群动态以及保护干预措施的结果进行进一步研究。