''Encephalartos arenarius'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
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 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 found elsew ...
to
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, where it is limited to the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
. 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 a partially buried stem in the shape of an egg, with a diameter of 20-30 cm and a height of one meter from the mother.
Lanceolate leaves, irregularly twisted on themselves, and 100 to 150 cm long, are composed of leathery leaves alternately arranged in the spine. The base of the petiole is glabrous and tomentose on the dorsal side of the ventral.
It is a dioecious species, with fusiform male cones, greenish, 30–50 cm long and 8–15 cm in diameter, and cylindrical female cones, 35–60 cm long and 20–30 cm in diameter.
The seeds are 20-25 mm wide. They are red and approximately spherical in shape.
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, f ...
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 and 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, Eastern Cape, on the way to Bushman's River Mouth, Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred. Alexandria is part of the Ndlambe Loc ...
. The main threat to the species is overcollection.
[
]
References
External links
''Encephalartos arenarius''.
Tropicos.
*
*
arenarius
Endemic flora of South Africa
{{cycad-stub