This plant is currently grouped under Encephalartos laevifolius, although it is distinctly different from the plants identified under the E. laevifolius colony known to the Kaapschehoop area in Mpumalanga province, South Africa.
Only one specimen of this plant was found in the Tugela Ferry district of KwaZulu-Natal province. Suckers of this plant were removed from the single main stem. The main stem eventually perished due to harvesting of this stem by traditional healers. The suckers however survived and are thriving in a few private collections.
The leaves of this plant are strikingly different from the E.laevifolius Kaapschehoop and Mariepskop (Limpopo province) as well as Wolkberg (Limpopo province) colonies. These are situated more than 400 km away from Tugela Ferry.
The leaves are lime green in colour and considerably longer than the other E. laevifolius colonies. The original plant from Tugela Ferry is a female plant. The female cones also differ from those of the Kaapschehoop and Mariepskop colonies. Unfortunately this original plant was extinct in nature before it could be studied in its habitat and classified as a separate species of Encephalartos. An attempt to describe it as a separate species was made by Messrs. MR Cooper and D Goode in 2004. This magnificent species was named Dracostrobus dedekindii, but was never recognized by the botanical community.
The fact that the original plant was not scientifically studied does not change the fact that this plant actually exists and differs distinctly from other Encephalartos species. It is not a hybrid an in all probability a separate species of Encephalartos.
Only one specimen of this plant was found in the Tugela Ferry district of KwaZulu-Natal province. Suckers of this plant were removed from the single main stem. The main stem eventually perished due to harvesting of this stem by traditional healers. The suckers however survived and are thriving in a few private collections.
The leaves of this plant are strikingly different from the E.laevifolius Kaapschehoop and Mariepskop (Limpopo province) as well as Wolkberg (Limpopo province) colonies. These are situated more than 400 km away from Tugela Ferry.
The leaves are lime green in colour and considerably longer than the other E. laevifolius colonies. The original plant from Tugela Ferry is a female plant. The female cones also differ from those of the Kaapschehoop and Mariepskop colonies. Unfortunately this original plant was extinct in nature before it could be studied in its habitat and classified as a separate species of Encephalartos. An attempt to describe it as a separate species was made by Messrs. MR Cooper and D Goode in 2004. This magnificent species was named Dracostrobus dedekindii, but was never recognized by the botanical community.
The fact that the original plant was not scientifically studied does not change the fact that this plant actually exists and differs distinctly from other Encephalartos species. It is not a hybrid an in all probability a separate species of Encephalartos.
Photograpgh of the only original plant found habitat.
NATURAL HABITAT:
- This plant is currently grouped under Encephalartos laevifolius, although it is distinctly different from the plants identified under the E. laevifolius colony known to the Kaapschehoop area in Mpumalanga province, South Africa.
STEM:
- Suckers of this plant were removed from the single main stem.
- The main stem eventually perished due to harvesting of this stem by traditional healers.
- The suckers however survived and are thriving in a few private collections.
LEAVES:
- The leaves of this plant are strikingly different from the E.laevifolius Kaapschehoop and Mariepskop (Limpopo province) as well as Wolkberg (Limpopo province) colonies. These are situated more than 400 km away from Tugela Ferry.
- The leaves are lime green in colour and considerably longer than the other E. laevifolius colonies.
CONES:
