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Photo Ken Hill
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The Cycad Pages
| Encephalartos munchii
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- Encephalartos munchii R.A. Dyer & I. Verd., Kirkia 7: 147-158 (1969). H—PRE
- "TYPE: Mozambique, Zembi Mtn, south of Vila Pery, Munch 452 (SRGH, holo, PRE); (= Dyer & Verdoorn 5859; 5860; 5861, PRE)."
Etymology:
Honoring R.C. Munch of Zimbabwe, well
known student and collector of cycads.
Literature:
Illustrations:
Vernacular:
Historical notes:
Described in 1969 by South African botanists
R.
Allen Dyer and
Inez Verdoon, who separated
the previously broadly defined E. manikensis into a number of
segregates, primarily on differences in pollen cone morphology (see also
E. concinnus, E. pterogonus and E. chimanimaniensis).
Distinguishing features:
A member of the E. manikensis complex, a group of robust cycads from
the region of the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border with stout erect trunks of
medium height, leaves with short petioles and numerous reduced spine-like
leaflets, median leaflets with 1-6 spines on each margin, green cones and
red seed-coats. The bluish-green leaves and leaflets with 3-6 spines on
each margin distinguish this from other members of the group.
Distribution and habitat: Mozambique
Conservation:
1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants
category E.
Description:
Plants arborescent; stem 1 m tall, 35 cm diam.
Leaves 100-130 cm long, dark green or blue green, semiglossy,
moderately keeled; 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 heavily
toothed (more than 3 teeth); lower margin lightly toothed (1-3 teeth); median
leaflets 12-15 cm long, 18-20 mm wide.
Pollen cones 1-6, narrowly ovoid, bluish-green, 40-65 cm long, 7-9 cm
diam.
Seed cones 1-6, ovoid, blue-green, 40-50 cm long, 15-20 cm diam.
Seeds oblong, 25-30 mm long, 20-23 mm wide, sarcotesta red.
The Cycad Pages
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© 1998-2012 Royal Botanic Gardens Sy
dney
Written and maintained by Ken Hill 1998-2010
Maintained by Leonie Stanberg and Dennis Stevenson 2010-2012
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