Encephalartos tegulaneus

Encephalartos tegulaneus, the Kenyan giant cycad, is a species of cycad endemic to Kenya. It occurs in Eastern Province near Embu, Kenya, and on the Matthews Range in Rift Valley Province.[1]

Encephalartos tegulaneus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Cycadophyta
Class: Cycadopsida
Order: Cycadales
Family: Zamiaceae
Genus: Encephalartos
Species:
E. tegulaneus
Binomial name
Encephalartos tegulaneus
Melville

E. tegulaneus ssp. powsii is critically endangered due to overcollecting and a very limited distribution. The other subspecies are not critically endangered.

Description

It is a cicada with an arborescent habit, with an erect or sometimes decumbent stem, up to 10 m high and with a diameter of 30–55 cm.

The leaves, 120–180 cm long, are arranged in a crown at the apex of the stem and are supported by a 15-20 cm long petiole; they are composed of numerous pairs of lanceolate leaflets, with entire margins, on average 16–22 cm long, reduced to spines towards the base of the petiole.

It is a dioecious species with male specimens that have 3-6 subcylindrical cones, 40–50 cm long and 12–14 cm broad, of bright yellow color, and female specimens with 1-4 ovoid cones, 40–70 cm long and with diameter 19–30 cm, golden yellow in color.[2]

References
  1. Donaldson, J.S. (2010). "Encephalartos tegulaneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T41911A10591971. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41911A10591971.en. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  2. "Encephalartos tegulaneus". PlantNET Home Page - National Herbarium of New South Wales. 1954-05-07. Retrieved 2019-09-19.


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