Etymology: Latin tegula, tile, referring to the overlapping microsporophylls, resembling roof tiles. Literature: Illustrations: Vernacular: Historical notes: Described in 1957 by English botanist -- Melville. Distinguishing features: Yellow cones, long-stalked pollen cones, cylindrical seed cones. Distribution and habitat: Kenya Conservation: 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants category R. Description:
Plants arborescent; stem 10 m tall, 60 cm diam. Leaves 120-180 cm long, light or bright green or blue green, semiglossy, flat (not keeled) in section (opposing leaflets inserted at 180° on rachis); rachis green, straight, stiff, not spirally twisted; petiole straight, with more than 12 prickles; leaf-base collar not present; basal leaflets reducing to spines. Leaflets lanceolate, weakly discolorous, not lobed, insertion angle obtuse (45-80°); margins recurved; upper margin lightly toothed (1-3 teeth); lower margin lightly toothed (1-3 teeth); median leaflets 16-22 cm long, 16-28 mm wide. Pollen cones 3-6, narrowly ovoid, green or yellow, 35-50 cm long, 10-14 cm diam. Seed cones 3-6, ovoid, green or yellow, 40-70 cm long, 25-30 cm diam. Seeds oblong, 30-37 mm long, 20-23 mm wide, sarcotesta red.
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