Encephalartos cupidus

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Figure 1. E. cupidus

Distribution & Habitat:

This plant is now mainly found in the Blyde River Nature Reserve, on steep slopes, rocky grassland and open forest. It used to have a much wider distribution, but it has suffered very heavily from plant collectors, so its range has been considerably reduced.

Description:

A medium sized suckering cycad with an erect or procumbent stem, up to 2.5 m long, and 300mm in diameter. It has glaucous, blue-green leaves up to 1m long.

Cultivation:

It prefers a lightly shaded, well drained position in a rich organic soil. It is frost and drought tolerant.

Links:

Figure 2. E. cupidus

Figure 5. E. cupidus.

Figure 4. E. cupidus female cone.

Figure 3. E. cupidus female cone close-up.

Contributed by:

Dr. Andre J. Cilliers (Figure 1)
Peter Heibloem Cycad Gardens (Figure 2,3,4&5)

External Links:

World List, IUCN, JSTOR, Trebrown

Google, GoogleImages, Flickr,