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Encephalartos villosus

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The difference in light conditions from a "in the ground grown" plant in South Africa to a German botanical garden below.

Author:  Antoine Charles Lemaire, 1868
Family:  ZAMIACEAE
Origin:  Eastern Cape Province; Natal , South Africa, Eswatini
Soil:  Mix
Water:  Medium
Sun:  Medium
Thickness:  30 Centimetres
Height:  40-200 Centimetres
Flower Cones: Yellow
Propagate:  Seeds
Names:  Poor Man's Cycad
Synonyms:  Encephalartos plumosus, G.Nicholson.
Encephalartos striatus,
Stapf & Burtt Davy.

This member of the Zamiaceae family was described by Antoine Charles  Lemaire in 1868. It is found in the southern Natal Province and the eastern part of the Cape Province, South Africa and in Eswatini. It grows in a well drained soil with some water and some sun. The short stem can grow up to 30 centimetres in diameter and 40 to 200 centimetres height. The cones are yellow.

The name Encephalartos is derived from the Greek. en meaning 'within', kephali meaning 'head' and artos meaning 'bread'. The species name is Latin meaning 'softly hairy'.

Sub-Family  Encephalartoideae, Tribe   Encephalarteae, Sub-Tribe   Encephalartinae.