Encephalartos inopinus is a species of cycad (Family Zamiaceae) that is native to Limpopo Province, South Africa.[3]
| Encephalartos inopinus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Cycadophyta |
| Class: | Cycadopsida |
| Order: | Cycadales |
| Family: | Zamiaceae |
| Genus: | Encephalartos |
| Species: | E. inopinus
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| Binomial name | |
| Encephalartos inopinus R.A. Dyer
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Description
editThis palm-like cycad grows up to 3 meters tall with stems that are 15-25 cm in diameter. Its leaves are 100-150 cm long, either blue or semi-glossy silver. The leaflets are 14-20 cm long, lanceolate, and have a toothed margin. They grow in pairs at a 180° angle along the rachis. The plant is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female specimens. Male specimens have 1-3 green ovoid cones that are 18-25 cm long and 6-8 cm in diameter with green to silvery color.[4] Female specimens have 1-2 oval cones of the same color, which are larger at 30-35 cm long and 12 cm in diameter. In Bothalia both male and female cones are described as being silvery in color.[5]Both types of cones appear in January, which is the middle of summer in the southern hemisphere. The seeds are 20-25 mm long, 15-20 mm wide, and covered with an orange sarcotesta (similar to an aril). Both the macrosporophylls and microsporophylls have a flat, smooth, and glabrous surface.[6][7]
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Cone -
Plant
Etymology
editEncephalartos is Greek and means 'bear's head'. Inopinus is Latin and means 'unexpected'.
References
edit- ^ Donaldson, J.S. (2010). "Encephalartos inopinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T41890A149624418. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41890A149624418.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ "Encephalartos inopinus in Tropicos".
- ^ Bothalia, Volume 8 (1964) p. 169
- ^ Bothalia, loc. cit.
- ^ Whitelock, Loran M. (2002). The Cycads. Portland: Timber Press (OR). ISBN 0-88192-522-5.
- ^ "Encephalartos inopinus". PlantZAfrica. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
External links
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Media related to Encephalartos inopinus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Encephalartos inopinus at Wikispecies
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