Etymology: Latin bubalinus buff, from the buff-brown tomentum on the cataphylls and leaf bases. Literature: Illustrations: Vernacular: Historical notes: Described in 1957 by English botanist Melville. Distinguishing features: Cones green; pollen cones almost sessile; seed cones stalked; leaflets rounded or obuse with a fine projection at the tip. Distribution and habitat: Northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, in grasslands on rocky slopes on shallow soils over metasandstone. Conservation: 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants category V. Description:
Plants arborescent; stem 2 m tall, 45 cm diam. Leaves 60-160 cm long, light or bright green, semiglossy, slightly keeled (opposing leaflets inserted at 120-160° on rachis); rachis green, straight, stiff, not spirally twisted; petiole straight, with 1-6 prickles; leaf-base collar not present; basal leaflets reducing to spines. Leaflets lanceolate, weakly discolorous, not overlapping, not lobed, insertion angle obtuse (45-80°); margins flat; upper margin lightly toothed (1-3 teeth); lower margin lightly toothed (1-3 teeth); median leaflets 10-20 cm long, 10-20 mm wide. Pollen cones 1-3, ovoid, green, 11-22 cm long, 5-6 cm diam. Seed cones 1-3, ovoid, green, 25-30 cm long, 15-18 cm diam. Seeds oblong, 35-40 mm long, 20-25 mm wide, sarcotesta yellow.
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