''Encephalartos transvenosus'' is a

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae ** List of Arecaceae genera **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...

-like

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, with a localized distribution in

Limpopo Limpopo () is the northernmost Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a ...

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 ...

. Its common names, Modjadji's cycad or Modjadji's palm, allude to the female dynasty of the

Lobedu people The Lobedu or Balobedu ''(''also known as the BaLozwi or Bathobolo'')'' are a southern African ethnic group that speak a Northern Sotho dialect. Their area is called Bolobedu. The name "balobedu" means "the mineral miners", lobela or go loba � ...

, the

Rain Queen Queen Modjadji, or the Rain Queen, is the hereditary queen of Balobedu, a people of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The Rain Queen is believed to have special powers, including the ability to control the clouds and rainfall. She is know ...

s, whose hereditary name is Modjadji. The queen resides near a valley (of late a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

) which is densely forested with these cycads, which they protected and hold sacred. The species name ''transvenosus'' refers to the fine network of veins between the main veins. These can be seen when the leaf is held up to the light.

Description

The cycad can reach a height of twelve meters with a thick trunk marked by a net-like pattern. It has shiny, spiny leaves arranged in a nearly straight pattern, each leaf reaching up to two and a half meters in length. The leaflets are wide, with the middle ones reaching about three centimeters in width, slightly curved, and with small teeth along the edges. The tree produces two to four large cones nestled among its leaves. The female cone can grow up to eighty centimeters long, weigh thirty-four kilograms, and contain bright orange-red seeds.

Range

Modjadji's cycad grows in the mountains of Limpopo Province particularly on two hills east near

Modjadjiskloof Modjadjiskloof (formerly Duiwelskloof) is a small town situated at the foot of the escarpment in the Limpopo province of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost count ...

(formerly Duiwelskloof). It is a tall majestic tree and has been protected by generations of rainqueens. It forms pure forests on these hills, the only cycad forests in Southern Africa.

References

External links

* *
Cycad Pages: ''Encephalartos transvenosus''
* Transvenosus Trees of South Africa Limpopo Least concern plants Flora of the Northern Provinces Taxa named by Joseph Burtt Davy Taxa named by Otto Stapf {{tree-stub