| Home | > | List of families | > | Zamiaceae | > | Encephalartos | > | chimanimaniensis |
| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | Chimanimani cycad (English) |
| Frequency: | Extinct |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Cycad with stout stems up to 1.75 m tall and 45 cm wide, often branching from the base. Leaves oblong-elliptic in outline, c. 150 cm long, gradually narrowing towards the base. Leaflets glossy green, inserted 2-35 cm apart, lower pairs reduced to prickles. Largest leaflets in the middle, ovate-lanceolate, 15-20 cm long and 2.5-3 cm wide, slightly falcate, with 2-4 small teeth on both margins towards the base, apex sometimes hooked. Male cones c. 3 together, subcylindric, up to c. 70 cm tall and 8-11 cm wide, narrowing gradually on both ends, on a peduncle of c. 15 cm long. Scales up to 4.5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. Female cone c. 45 cm long and 18-20 cm wide. Seeds red, not fleshy, 3.7-4 cm long. |
| Notes: | Initially known as a rare and critically endangered species, only known from a single site in the catchment of a river. Recent field surveys have been unable to locate more individuals. The species appears to have been wiped out by collectors and is now considered extinct. |
| Derivation of specific name: | chimanimaniensis: of the Chimanimani mountains |
| Habitat: | Quartzite grassland |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Confined to the Chimanimani Mountains of Zimbabwe and Mozambique |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
| Growth form(s): | Tree, shrub over 2 m. |
| Endemic status: | Near Endemic |
| Red data list status: | Extinct |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Monday 11 December 2006 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 35. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 84. Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 75. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 231. Dyer, R.A. & Verdoorn, I.C. (1969). Encephalartos manikensis and its near allies Kirkia 7(1) Pages 154 - 155. (Includes a picture). Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 52. Goode, D. (1989). Cycads of Africa Struik, Cape Town Pages 172 - 175. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 12. Timberlake, J., Darbyshire, I., Wursten, B., Hadj-Hammou, J., Ballings, P., Mapaura, A., Matimele, H., Banze, A., Chipanga, H., Muassinar, D., Massunde, J., Chelene, I., Osborne, J., Shah, T. (2016). Chimanimani Mountains: Botany and Conservation. Report produced under CEPF Grant 63512. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. Page 51. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 80. |
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