Encephalartos
(from en, within, kephale, the head, and artos, bread; the inner parts of the top of the trunk are farinaceous). ORD. Cycadaceae. Very handsome greenhouse or conservatory plants, allied to Cycas; natives of tropical or Southern Africa. Leaves pinnate, thick, spiny, terminal. Trunk tall, cylindrical. Encephalartos thrive best in a strong loamy soil, with some river sand added. They are of very slow growth, unless kept in a high temperature. During the growing season, water should be copiously applied, both from water-pot and syringe; but when not making new growth, which sometimes is the case for several years, little water will be needed. Increased by seeds. Some of the species have been used most effectively in sub-tropical gardening, during the summer months.
E. Altensteinii (Altenstein's).* l. pinnate, 2ft. to 6ft. in length; pinnae oblong-acuminate, about 6in. long, 1in. broad, dark green above, paler below; apex and edges with long sharp spines; petioles much swollen at the base. Trunk stout. Cape of Good Hope, 1835. (G. C. n. s. vi. 392.) E. A. Vromii (Vrom's). l. pinnate; pinnae alternate below, opposite above, forty to fifty in number on each side of the rachis, oblong-lanceolate; apex spiny; margins with long spiny teeth; rachis marked with a prominent rounded ridge in the centre. South Africa, 1871.
E. brachyphyllus (short-leaved). l. pinnate, spreading; pinnae erect, about 5in. long, 1/4in. wide, stiff; apex spiny, bluish-green, paler beneath; petioles tomentose. Trunk stout. South Africa.
E. caffra (Caffrarian). Caffer Bread. l. pinnate, 3ft. to 4ft. long, spreading, recurved at the apex, with a very stiff texture; pinnae linear-lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad, erectish; apex spinose. Trunk 8ft. to 18ft. high, 3ft. to 4ft. in circumference; crown scaly. South Africa. (B. M. 4903.) E. Frederici-Guilielmi (Prince Frederick William's).* l. in a terminal crown, 28in. to 30in. long, oblong-obtuse, arching; pinnae closely crowded, nearly opposite, those in the middle of the leaf 3in. long by 1/8in. broad, linear-oblong. Trunk sub-globose, 4in. to 6in. in circumference, woolly-tomentose. South Africa, 1879.
E. Ghellinckii (Ghellinck's). l. pinnate, erect, spreading out from about the middle, 2ft. to 4ft. long; pinnae linear-filiform, densely tomentose. Trunk stout, furnished with woolly scales. Plant spineless. South Africa, 1867. (I. H. 567.) E. Hildebrandtii (Hildebrandt's). l. pinnate; pinnae numerous, lower pairs diminishing into trifid scales 1/2in. long, larger ones lanceolate, with distinct marginal and stronger and more crowded terminal teeth; petioles clothed at base with close cobwebby hairs. Trunk cylindrical. Zanzibar, 1877. (R. H. 1880, 456.) E. horridus (horrid).* l. pinnate, 2ft. to 6ft. long, erect, abruptly reflexed at the top; pinnae about 4in. long, with a long, sharp spine at the point. Trunk stout, short. Plant blue-green; texture harsh. South Africa, 1800. (G. C. 1865, 1131.) In the variety trispinosus, the inferior margin of the pinnae is armed with three spines.
E. lanuginosus (woolly). l. pinnate, 3ft. to 6ft. long, erect, recurved towards the apex; pinnae cordate-lanceolate, obtusely pointed, thick, 6in. long, 1 1/2in. broad. Trunk 6ft. to 8ft. high, 3ft. in circumference. South Africa. Plant dark heavy green in colour, spineless. E. Lehmanni (Lehmann's). l. pinnate, 6ft. long; pinnae somewhat erect, 5in. to 7in. long, 1/4in. wide, with a short brown spine at the apex. Trunk 2ft. to 3ft. in circumference. South Africa. Plant very glaucous. E. M.'Kenii (M'Ken's). l. about 2ft. long, pinnate; pinnae smooth, narrowly-lancolate, somewhat distant, with a few teeth in their upper half, the shorter lower ones more strongly toothed, while below these are two rows of branched spine-like teeth extending down to the base; petiole woolly. South Africa, 1869.
E. plumosus (feathery).* l. large, pinnate; pinnae armed with stout marginal spines. Trunk thick. South Africa, 1869.
E. Verschaffelti (Verschaffelt's). l. pinnate; pinnae 3in. long, linear-lanceolate. South Africa, 1875. A stout and erect-growing species. E. villosus (hairy).* l. pinnate, 3ft. to 6ft. in length, tapering at the base and apex; pinnae very numerous, spiny-toothed, 6in. to 8in. long, 1in. broad, terminating in a sharp spine; petioles densely tomentose. Trunk short, thick woolly-scaly. h. 6ft. Natal, 1866. (B. M. 6654.) E. v. ampliatus (enlarged).* l. elegantly arching; pinnae lanceolate, the teeth more numerous towards the tips; petiole thickly clothed at base with woolly hairs. Trunk cylindrical. 1874.