Encephalartos cerinus

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Figure 1. E. cerinus

Distribution & Habitat:

Found in only one location in the Tugela Ferry area of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, where it lives on cliffs overlooking river gorges, usually in very shallow soil.

Description:

A distinctive small cycad with a trunk to 30cm long which can be subterranean or emergent, and dark bluish green leaves. Usually between 1 and 3 trunks with few suckers being produced. In habitat the plants usually drop their leaves before coning, and throwing new leaves.

General:

Only described in 1989, the species is now virtually extinct in habitat due to illegal poaching

Culture:

Sunny, extremely well drained position. Frost tolerant.

Figure 2. E. cerinus female cone.

Contributed by:

Jason Sampson (Figure 1)
Peter Heibloem Cycad Gardens (Figure 2)

External Links:

World List, IUCN, JSTOR, Trebrown

Google, GoogleImages, Flickr,