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Encephalartos cerinus or Waxen Cycad is a species of cycad in Africa.
| Encephalartos cerinus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Cycadophyta |
| Class: | Cycadopsida |
| Order: | Cycadales |
| Family: | Zamiaceae |
| Genus: | Encephalartos |
| Species: | E. cerinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Encephalartos cerinus Lavranos & D.L.Goode | |
This cycad is stemless, growing from an underground stem that's about 30 cm long and 25 cm wide. Occasionally, a small part of the stem may emerge above the ground.
Its leaves, numbering from eight to ten, are flat and opaque, measuring 80–120 cm long, and have a bluish or silvery green hue. The leaflets, 15–18 cm long, are arranged oppositely along the rachis at an angle of 150–180°. They have a thick, waxy coating that releases a distinct odor when rubbed. The leaf margins are smooth with small teeth.
This species is dioecious, with male cones that are spindle-shaped, 55–60 cm long, and 9–10 cm wide. Female cones are ovoid, 30–35 cm long, and 15–18 cm in diameter. Each plant produces only one cone at a time, which changes color from bluish green to yellow as it matures.
The seeds are oblong, measuring 25–30 mm long, and are covered with an orange or yellow sarcotesta.[3]
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