Encephalartos ghellinckii
Drakensberg cycad
Family Zamiaceae
About
Encephalartos ghellinckii, the Drakensberg cycad, is an evergreen cycad up to 3 m tall from the Natal Drakensberg of South Africa, adapted to grass fires, snow and frost.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Mature size
- Up to about 3 m tall; fronds about 1 m long.
- Hardiness
- Tolerates veld fires and the cold of snow and frost in its mountain habitat.
Field notes
Morphology
Olive to yellow-green fronds about 1 m long have narrow leaflets with strongly rolled-under margins; young leaves are grey-woolly. Lemon-yellow, densely woolly cones about 25 cm long form in clusters of 2–5. High-altitude plants are robust with fire-scarred bases, while low-altitude plants may be dwarf with up to five trunks.
Distribution & habitat
Three separate areas in KwaZulu-Natal and northern Transkei, from foothills to high elevations on stream banks, steep grassy slopes and sandstone outcrops.
Ecology
Mainly pollinated by weevils and by Boganiid beetles such as Metacucujus encephalarti, which are drawn by scents released morning and evening. Grass fires are thought to stimulate leaf and cone production.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa
- IUCN status
- Vulnerable
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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