344 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



to the precipitous rock-faces overhanging the rivers, or, perhaps 

 more frequently, in the dense shade of the forest (Plate VI., fig. 2). 

 Very commonly associated with it, particularly in shaded localities, 

 is the epiphytic fern Poly podium africanum. 



Vegetative reproduction by subterranean branching is much less 

 common than in E. Friderici Guilielmi. Branching above the 

 ground-level is frequent, but, so far as I have seen, occurs only 

 in specimens exposed to sunlight and growing not far from water. 

 In the type usually met with the main trunk has maintained its 

 vertical direction, while a lateral branch, at first almost horizontal, 

 curves upwards and becomes parallel with its parent (Plate VII., 

 fig. 1). A very remarkable case of branching may be seen on 

 the steep left bank of the Nahoon River, some 20 ft. above 

 water-level. Six lateral branches and a large bud arise from the 

 main trunk about 3 to 4 ft. above the ground. Four or five feet 

 higher up is the leafless top (May 1906) of the main trunk, and y 

 just below it, five other stout branches and a multitude of un- 

 developed adventitious buds. The branches are all as thick or 

 thicker than the main trunk. On one branch were the remains of a. 

 male cone. We have here a single plant bearing eleven crowns of 

 leaves, and with every indication that its potentiality of branching 

 is not yet exhausted. It will bear comparison with the old branched 

 tree of Cycas circinalis represented in Kittlitz's picture {Treas. Bot. T 

 pi. vi.), though in point of size it falls far behind the specimen 

 seen in Natal by Sanderson and referred to by Sir Joseph Hooker 

 in his account of this species (Bot. Mag., I.e.). The asclepiad 

 Tylophora syringcefolia was epiphytic on two branched specimens of 

 this Cycad ; its tuberous stem-base was so tightly wedged in the 

 angle between the branch and the main stem that it could not be 

 removed entire. 



No cones nor vestiges of cones were found on plants growing in 

 the dense bush (May 1906). A minority of those exposed to sun- 

 light shewed remains of male or of female cones, but no young nor 

 perfect cones of either sex were seen. The production of cones by 

 this species in this locality must be much less frequent than in 

 E. Friderici Guilielmi. It may be noted that plants of E. Altensteinii 

 under cultivation in Cape Town, far to the west of the eastern limit 

 of the species and subject to very different climatic conditions, 

 usually cone with great regularity at intervals of about two years. 

 On the other hand, the cone figured in the Botanical Magazine (I.e.), 

 from a plant grown near Norwich, appeared thirteen years after the 

 one which immediately preceded it. 



There is current a general statement that, except in the genus- 



