Encephalartos latifrons
Albany cycad
Family Zamiaceae
About
Encephalartos latifrons, the Albany cycad, is a very rare, critically endangered cycad from the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Mature size
- Up to about 4.5 m tall; leaves 1–1.5 m long.
Field notes
Morphology
A tree-like cycad up to 4.5 m tall with an upright or lying trunk. Bright green leaves 1–1.5 m long carry large, leathery, overlapping leaflets up to 15 cm long, with 3–4 triangular lobes on the lower edge. Male plants bear 1–3 olive-green cones 30–50 cm long.
Distribution & habitat
Formerly in scattered groups in the Bathurst and Albany districts, on rocky outcrops and hill slopes in scrub, at 200–600 m. Rain of 1,000–1,250 mm falls through the year; frost does not occur.
Conservation
In August 2014, thirteen century-old plants were stolen from Kirstenbosch, where they formed part of a research and propagation collection; they were valued at over R200,000.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa
- IUCN status
- Critically endangered
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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