Encephalartos ituriensis
Encyclopedia
Encephalartos ituriensis (common name "Ituri forest cycad") is a palm
-like cycad
of the family Zamiaceae
. It is native to the grassland on two large granite monadnocks of the Ituri forest area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Its IUCN conservation status is "Near Threatened."
Like other cycads, E. ituriensis is dioecious, with both male and female trees. Male trees have 1–4 pollen
cones, narrowly ovoid. Female trees have 1 or 2 seed cones, which are ovoid and 18–20 cm long. The seeds have a red sarcotesta
.
Palm
Palm may refer to :* Palm, the central region of the front of the hand, see Hand#Human anatomy or metacarpus.-People:* August Palm , Swedish socialist activist* Conny Palm, , Swedish electrical engineer and statistician...
-like cycad
Cycad
Cycads are seed plants typically characterized by a stout and woody trunk with a crown of large, hard and stiff, evergreen leaves. They usually have pinnate leaves. The individual plants are either all male or all female . Cycads vary in size from having a trunk that is only a few centimeters...
of the family Zamiaceae
Zamiaceae
The Zamiaceae are a family of cycads that are superficially palm or fern-like. They are divided into two subfamilies with eight genera and about 150 species in the tropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, Australia and North and South America....
. It is native to the grassland on two large granite monadnocks of the Ituri forest area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. Its IUCN conservation status is "Near Threatened."
Description
This cycad grows to 6 metres tall with a trunk diameter of 50 cm. It has glossy dark green leaves. The leaflets are curved and tapering, with a spine at the top and several teeth along the margin.Like other cycads, E. ituriensis is dioecious, with both male and female trees. Male trees have 1–4 pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
cones, narrowly ovoid. Female trees have 1 or 2 seed cones, which are ovoid and 18–20 cm long. The seeds have a red sarcotesta
Sarcotesta
The sarcotesta is the outermost fleshy covering of Cycad seeds. Below this layer is usually the sclerotesta, the coating that makes direct contact with the cycad seed. In some species, however, there is an intermediate layer that is thought to be used in water retention and storage....
.