Encephalartos natalensis or E. altensteinii? ID Help

[phoenixjtn]

Hello, does anyone know if the photos I’ve attached of my Encephalartos specimen are E. natalensis or E. altensteinii? I’ve researched on countless websites now reading characteristics of both but haven’t really gotten anywhere. Further, photos online are highly variable and haven’t been very informative. Often, the traits of my specimen seem to be a mix of traits from both species. The nursery worker I purchased it from said it is either E. natalensis or E. altensteinii, so I’ve been focusing my search there. Does anyone have any insight? I was thinking that the fronds/leaves are perhaps slightly too juvenile to tell between the two species? Any help would be very appreciated. 

[Billeb]

5 hours ago, phoenixjtn said:

Hello, does anyone know if the photos I’ve attached of my Encephalartos specimen are E. natalensis or E. altensteinii? I’ve researched on countless websites now reading characteristics of both but haven’t really gotten anywhere. Further, photos online are highly variable and haven’t been very informative. Often, the traits of my specimen seem to be a mix of traits from both species. The nursery worker I purchased it from said it is either E. natalensis or E. altensteinii, so I’ve been focusing my search there. Does anyone have any insight? I was thinking that the fronds/leaves are perhaps slightly too juvenile to tell between the two species? Any help would be very appreciated. 

 

 

 

Jake, at first glance I thought Altensteinii. But I looked at the “Cycad Bible” hardback by Whitelock and there’s some pretty good info. Admittedly, Altensteinii and Natalensis are closely related and often misidentified. As you stated, the spines on leaflets or lack there of can be different in juvenile plants so that’s not really a good factor. The best and easiest way to tell the difference is below and I quote…

Encephalartos Natalensis ”Petiole 4-8” long, .6-.8 in diameter, Basel leaflets gradually reduced toward the base ending in several prickles” 

Encephalartos Altensteinii “The closest relatives of Encephalartos Altensteinii are E. Lebomboensis, E. Longifolius, and E. Natalensis. Encephalartos Altensteinii can be distinguished from E. Natalensis by the absence of reduced spines like leaflets on its petiole” 

As a note, there is quite a few different varieties of Natalensis (qty 4 I believe) so these identifying factors can vary but if it was my plant and it had leaflets reducing to spines on the petiole, or anything but smooth at the petiole root, I’d call it Encephalartos Natalensis .   
 

Hope this clears it up a little. Enjoy the plant, looks healthy. 
 

-dale 

 

“The Cycads - Africa & the Americas”  

Loren M. Whitelock & Duke Benadom