''Encephalartos ituriensis'' (common name
Ituri Forest cycad) is a
palm-like
cycad of the family
Zamiaceae. It is native to the grassland on two large granite
monadnocks of the
Ituri forest area in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
conservation status is "Near Threatened."
Description
This cycad grows to 6 metres tall with a trunk diameter of 50 cm. It has glossy dark green leaves. The leaflets are curved and tapering, with a spine at the top and several teeth along the margin.
Like other cycads, ''E. ituriensis'' is dioecious, with both male and female trees. Male trees have 1–4
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...
cones, narrowly ovoid. Female trees have 1 or 2 seed cones, which are ovoid and 18–20 cm long. The seeds have a red
sarcotesta.
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References
External links
*
*
Photographs of ''E. ituriensis'', National Tropical Botanical Garden website
{{Taxonbar, from=Q967514
ituriensis