56 THE LIVING CYCADS 



in cycads or any other plants. The great difference in 

 the size of cones borne singly and of those borne in 

 groups, together with some differences in cone scales 

 caused by crowding, would account for most, perhaps 

 all, of the diagnostic distinctions between Encephalartos 

 AUensteinii and E. coffer, as far as they concern the 

 cones. 



If baboons would let the cones alone and thus permit 

 the collection of material for a study of critical stages 

 in the life-history, it could probably be determined 

 whether there are two species or only one; and if there 

 are two, it could be determined which has given rise 

 to the other, for there can be no doubt that the forms are 

 intimately related. 



As it is, with only field observations and a study of 

 superficial characters available, one has an intuition 

 but not decisive evidence that Encephalartos caffer is a 

 good species, and that it is the offspring of E. AUen- 

 steinii. 



The last of the African cycads to be studied in the 

 field was Encephalartos horridus. This species, speci- 

 mens of which can usually be found in any large con- 

 servatory, is scantily represented at Despatch, an hour's 

 ride from Port Elizabeth. Its terrible leaves give it 

 a clear title to its name (Fig. 19). 



While Encephalartos horridus is well named, the genus 

 as a whole has suffered from the bad habit which 

 taxonomists have of naming plants after each other, 

 so that we have E. AUensteinii, E. Lehmanni, E. Woodii, 

 E. Vroomi, E. Ghellinkii, and, worst of all, E. Friderici 

 Guilielmi. How much better christened are E. hrachy- 

 phyllus with its short leaves, E. villosus with its hairy 



