Encephalartos bubalinus

Botanical Description

Encephalartos bubalinus is a slow-growing, evergreen, palm-like plant with an erect to decumbent, unbranched main stem that can eventually be around 100 - 200cm tall and 33 - 45cm in diameter; this is topped by a crown of numerous large leaves each around 60 - 170cm long. The plant often suckers from the base to form a clump[ 1935 Title The Cycads Publication Author Whitelock L.M. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-522-5 Description An excellent book dealing with the eleven different genera and almost 300 species of plants we know as Cycads. There are detailed descriptions and a host of other information for each species. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food - usually only when other foods are in short supply[ 1935 Title The Cycads Publication Author Whitelock L.M. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-522-5 Description An excellent book dealing with the eleven different genera and almost 300 species of plants we know as Cycads. There are detailed descriptions and a host of other information for each species. ]. The population of Encephalartos bubalinus apears to be stable. However, this species has a narrow distribution and only a small number of locations, and African cycads have tended to decline rapidly once they become the targets of collectors. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].