Encephalartos horridus

Family: Zamiaceae

What it is like

A tree with a stem mostly underground. It grows 30 cm to 1 m tall. The trunk is 20-30 cm across. The leaves are in a ring. They are up to 1 m long with a leaf stalk 13 cm long. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets near the base are shorter and others are 10 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The cones occur singly on short stout stalks. Female cones are bluish-green and 40 cm long.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, South Africa (country/location of origin), Southern Africa

How it is used for food

The stems are used to make a meal and as yeast.

Edible parts

Stem

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Encephalartos nanus Lehm.; Zamia aurea Miq.; Zamia gleina Miq. Zamia horrida Jacq.; Zamia nana Miq.; and others