Encephalartos villosus leaf

The leaves of the poor man’s cycad are dark green and glossy. The lower leaf surface has a lighter colour. Young leaves are covered in white hairs for a period. Median leaf length is 1,5 m with a large variance. The rachis curves gently along its length, giving the crown of this plant a pleasing aspect for positioning in a garden.

The leaflets are usually well spaced, not overlapping. They tend to be curved, sickle-shaped in longer specimens. Those closer to the base diminish in size until the lowermost ones are mere prickles, a little distance from ground level. Leaflet margins are smooth or entire, but may have a few small spikes, especially on the lower margin and close to the leaf tip. The median leaflet size is 25 cm long and 2 cm wide (www.cycadsociety.org; www.plantzafrica.com).