THE AFRICAN CYCADS 53 



peculiar, twisted appearance which make the plant 

 easy to recognize, but which bear so little resemblance 

 to those of any species of Cycas that it is difficult to 

 imagine what suggested the specific name. I secured 

 one plant and a fully grown female cone. Since the 

 plant at the University of Chicago has produced a 

 male cone, the description of the species can now be 

 completed. 



While the opportunity to study four cycads in one 

 locality was unusual, it was no more valuable than the 

 opportunity to talk with Mr. Rattray with regard to 

 the various South African species. Although a teacher 

 of the classics, he had studied nearly all the African 

 species and had made copious notes, which he should 

 have published. However, he had studied the cycads 

 as he had studied many other African plants, and he 

 was glad to give me freely the benefit of his extended 

 observations. The late Professor Pearson had already 

 acknowledged his indebtedness to Mr. Rattray. I am 

 under even deeper obligation. 



The next stop was at Port Elizabeth, on the coast 

 about one hundred and thirty miles west of East London. 

 In this region I wanted to study Encephalartos coffer and 

 E. horridus. 



No South African cycad causes more disagreement 

 among local botanists than Encephalartos caffer, and so 

 I was eager to see it in its type locality at Van Staadens, 

 about thirty miles inland from Port Elizabeth. The 

 mayor, Mr. A. W. Guthrie, who is interested in cycads 

 and has some fine specimens growing ^n his lawn, 

 kindly sent a big touring car to my hotel, with the 

 director of the botanical garden, Mr. J. T. Butters, and 



