Cycads   Encephalartos cupidus

Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution & Habitat: This plant is now mainly found in the Blyde River Nature Reserve, on steep slopes, rocky grassland and open forest. It used to have a much wider distribution, but it has suffered very heavily from plant collectors, so its range has been considerably reduced. Description: A medium sized suckering cycad with an erect or procumbent stem, up to 2.5 m long, and 300mm in diameter. It has glaucous, blue-green leaves up to 1m long. Culture: It prefers a lightly shaded, well drained position in a rich organic soil. It is frost and drought tolerant.

Figure 1. E. cupidus leaf detail.

Contributed by:

Dr. Andre J. Cilliers (Figure 1)

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