Encephalartos altensteinii

Lehm.

Breadtree, Eastern Cape Cycad, Prickly cycad

Zamiaceae Edible: Seeds, Gum, Pith Potential hazards — see below 398 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Encephalartos altensteinii is a species of palm-like cycad in the family Zamiaceae. It is endemic to South Africa. The species name altensteinii commemorates Altenstein, a 19th-century German chancellor and patron of science. It is commonly known as the breadtree, broodboom, Eastern Cape giant cycad or uJobane (Zulu). It is listed as vulnerable due to habitat destruction, use for traditional medicine and removal by collectors.

Description

A tall cycad. The stem is 6.5 m tall. The tree may or may not have branches. The leaves are 3 m long and are straight or curved backwards. The leaflets are rigid and broad. They are 15 cm long and can be 2.5 cm across. Usually there are teeth on the edges. The fruit are cones and usually 2-5 cones occur together. The male cones are greenish yellow and up to 50 cm long by 12 cm across and the female cones are 55 cm long by 28 cm wide. The female cone has protuberances over it. The seed are about 3.5 cm long. The are bright red.

Edible Uses

The seeds have historically been eaten during famines, though normally regarded as poisonous. The gum from the cone is edible, as is the pith.

Traditional Uses

The seeds have been recorded as eaten in times of famine. Normally they are regarded as poisonous. The gum from the cone is edible.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Known Hazards

The seeds are normally regarded as poisonous.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It occurs in coastal regions. It grows in low forest and on rocky hillsides. It needs well drained soil. It can grow in part shade. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens. It grows in hardiness zones 10-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Indonesia, SE Asia, Singapore, South Africa*, Southern Africa,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers. It can be grown from pieces of the stem.

Production

It is very slow growing.

Notes

There are about 50 Encephalartos species. Probably in a hot house in Slovenia.

Synonyms

Bombax encephalartos J. Schust.Zamia altensteinii (Lehm.) Heynh.and others

Also Known As

Sikas raksasa afrika selatan

References (12)

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 536
Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 278
Joffe, P., 2007, Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants. A South African Guide. Briza. p 225
Jones, D.L., 2000, Cycads of the world. Reed New Holland. p180
Kew Plants of the World Online

Show all 12 references

Marinelli, J. (Ed), 2004, Plant. DK. p 370
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Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 46
Palmer, E and Pitman, N., 1972, Trees of Southern Africa. Vol. 1. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town p 319
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 7
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 827
Van Wyk, Br. and van Wyk P., 2009, Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Nature. p 58