''Encephalartos arenarius'' is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
cycad
Cycads are seed plants that typically have a stout and woody (ligneous) trunk (botany), trunk with a crown (botany), crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen and (usually) pinnate leaves. The species are dioecious, that is, individual plants o ...
in the family
Zamiaceae
The Zamiaceae are a family of cycads that are superficially palm or fern-like. They are divided into two subfamilies with eight genera and about 150 species in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and North and South America. ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, where it is limited to the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape ( ; ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Due to its climate and nineteenth-century towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also kno ...
. Its common names include Alexandria cycad and dune cycad.
[Donaldson, J.S. 2010]
''Encephalartos arenarius''.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. Downloaded on 06 September 2015.
Description
This plant has an egg-shaped stem partially buried in the ground, measuring 20-30 cm in diameter and reaching a height of one meter from the base. Its lanceolate leaves are 100 to 150 cm long, leathery, and arranged alternately along the stem. The base of the leaf stalk is smooth on one side and hairy on the other.
The plant is dioecious, with elongated male cones measuring 30–50 cm long and 8–15 cm in diameter, and cylindrical female cones measuring 35–60 cm long and 20–30 cm in diameter. The seeds are approximately spherical, with red
sarcotesta
The sarcotesta is a fleshy seedcoat, a type of testa. Examples of seeds with a sarcotesta are pomegranate, ginkgo
''Ginkgo'' is a genus of non-flowering seed plants, assigned to the gymnosperms. The scientific name is also used as the Eng ...
, and 20-25 mm wide.
Distribution
This species lives in densely wooded
dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
habitat and scrub. It is an
endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
with a maximum global population estimated at around 1500 mature individuals. Most subpopulations occur near the town of
Alexandria, Eastern Cape
Alexandria is a small farming town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and is situated 100 km north-east of Gqeberha on the R72 road to Bushman's River Mouth, Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred. Alexandria is part of the Ndlambe Local Munici ...
. The main threat to the species is overcollection.
[
]
References
External links
''Encephalartos arenarius''.
Tropicos.
*
*
arenarius
Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces
{{cycad-stub