Common Name:

General Information

Encephalartos bubalinus is a slow-growing, evergreen, palm-like plant with an erect to decumbent, unbranched main stem that can eventually be around 100 - 200cm tall and 33 - 45cm in diameter; this is topped by a crown of numerous large leaves each around 60 - 170cm long. The plant often suckers from the base to form a clump[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food - usually only when other foods are in short supply[].
The population of Encephalartos bubalinus apears to be stable. However, this species has a narrow distribution and only a small number of locations, and African cycads have tended to decline rapidly once they become the targets of collectors. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Eastern tropical Africa - southern Kenya, northern Tanzania

Habitat

Open bushland on quartzite ridges, or in montane forest with a few scattered trees; at elevations from 1,300 - 2,150 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Encephalartos bubalinus is native to tropical eastern Africa, growing in a region where the climate is hot in summer, cool in winter. Mean annual rainfall is around 1,000mm, falling mostly in summer[]. The plant does not have much tolerance of frosts, but can succeed in some of the warmest temperate zones through to the tropics[].
An almost universal requirement for cycads is a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, and by far the best soils are sandy gravels and light loams which provide the required drainage and aeration necessary for good growth. Cycads will generally not grow well in clay soils unless those soils are heavily amended with sand and organic matter[]. A neutral soil (pH 7), is generally best for most species of cycads and allows the proper absorption of nutrients. A slightly acid soil is better for most cycads than a basic one[].
One of the more rapidly growing species. Plants with grapefruit-sized stems can be produced from seed in 6 - 8 years[]
Cycad species can usually be transplanted easily even when quite large. The best time for moving them is just before the beginning of a new growing season, the roots being trimmed if they are damaged and perhaps some leaves being removed. New roots should develop quickly as the season progresses[].
Species in this genus form structures known as coralloid roots. These roots branch off from the taproot or secondary roots and are distinctive in that they grow laterally or upward, forming a nodular mass at the apex. These coralloid roots occur slightly below or slightly above the soil surface and generally contain cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. These are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available as a nutrient to the plant. The ability to extract this important nutrient from the air explains how many cycad species are able to survive on almost sterile soils[].
A dioecious species, with individual plants producing either all male or all female cones. Therefore both male and female forms of the plant need to be grown if seed is required[]. On very rare occasions, usually when a plant has been under severe stress, it can change sex and produce either all female or all male cones[].
Encephalartos species always produce full-sized seeds, even if the cone has not been pollinated, in which case the resulting seed is not viable but appears normal in every other respect[].

Edible Uses

Caution should be exercised in the use of this plant for food - see notes above on toxicity[].

Seeds - mainly used as a famine food[]. The irregularly ovoid seed is around 35 - 42mm long and 26 - 30mm in diameter[]

Cycads have often been used traditionally as a source of food starch, obtained either from the seeds or from the stems, and it is probable that the seed kernels and stem pith of all cycads can be used as food after treatment to remove any toxic principle that may be present (See notes above on toxicity). The starch would appear to be of particular importance as a source of sustenance during hard times or in areas where the food supply is naturally limited[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seeds - best sown as soon as they are ripe, though the seeds of many species will take a few months to finish maturing the embryo before they are ready to germinate. Sow the seeds in a tray in a freely-draining medium and place in moderate shade. Bottom heat at about 27°c will hasten seed germination dramatically. Young roots are quite brittle and once germination takes place, the root grows rapidly. It is important to pot up the seedlings at this time in order to give them enough root-space. Grow on the plants in pots until large enough to plant out[].
Division of off-sets or suckers is best carried out just before the plant comes in to new growth at the start of the growing season[].

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