368 Linna'an Society. 



Miquel observes, that this species was formerly cultivated in 

 European conservatories under the name of " Zamia spinulosa*' or 

 " Z . spinosissima." Both he and Lehmann assign the name of '' En- 

 cephalartus pungens " to an entirely different species. 



Encephalartus Caffer. — This species, which in Miquel's arrange- 

 ment immediately follows E. Altensteinii, differs from it distinctly 

 iu the form of the leaves. Also in both species the form of the 

 leaves, and more especially the obliquity with which the leaflets are 

 set upon the midrib, and which increases regularly from the base 

 of the leaf to its apex, may be traced to the imbricate vernation. In 

 all Cycadece the vernation affords important aids for distinguishing 

 both genera and species, and these characters are the more deserving 

 of attention on account of the rare occurrence of the flowers. 



The next species to Encephalartus Caffer, in Miquel's arrange- 

 ment, is E. longifolius. He however represents these two species 

 as scarcely differing except in habit. The plant in the great con- 

 servatory atKew, named "Zamia longifolia," seems to me undistin- 

 guishable from E. Caffer. Specimens of the same may be seen at 

 Chelsea and at Chiswick, which in those gardens are called "Zamia 

 elegans" At Sion House there is a remarkably fine plant of this 

 species, called there "Encephalartus Caffrorum." 



Probably no finer specimens of E. Caffer have ever been known 

 than two, which are at Chatsworth. They were sent to the Duke 

 of Devonshire's collection by the late Baron Ludwig, from his own 

 garden at the Cape of Good Hope, together with all the Chatsworth 

 specimens of this genus, excepting that already mentioned, which 

 was brought from Walton-on-Thames. These two plants cannot be 

 less than 100 years old. 



On a close examination of the cicatrices, which are arranged in 

 spirals on their trunks, appearances present themselves which make 

 it probable, that not the leaflets only, but the leaves also are articu- 

 lated. Many of these cicatrices are concave, smooth within, but 

 showing the marks of bundles of vessels, which have closed after 

 the separation of the petioles. Although, therefore, the longevity of 

 these leaves is certainly very great, as it is in all Cycadece, yet they 

 appear to have their natural term of life, perhaps ten years or more ; 

 after which they are thrown off by an effort of the plant resembling 

 that which in common cases takes place every year. 



One of these two specimens is a female, and having recently borne 

 fruit, requires a more detailed description. 



The cone made its first appearance in the spring of 1847. In the 

 following September it had attained so great a size, that it was 

 thought desirable to take a cast of it in plaster, and models, made 

 from this cast, are now in the museum at Kew, in the collections of 

 the British Museum and of the Linnean Society, and in other col- 

 lections both public and private. At the time when the cast was 

 taken, the prevailing colour of the cone was a dark shining greefi, 

 the pyramidal extremities ot the rhomboids being of a lemon-yellow, 

 streaked with brown. These colours were afterwards blended or 

 changed, so that the surface of the cone assumed a pretty uniform 

 bronze colour. 



