Encephalartos Turneriturneri Focus
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Cycad Focus Focus Focus EncephalartosEncephalartos turneriturneri Focus feet long and spread straight Approximately 50 miles northwest of Encephalartos turneri out. Leaves of sun-grown plants Nampula lies Jaiane, in the Rapale dis- Turners Cycad (front cover) are imbricate and trict of Nampula Province. In this area an olive green color, while are found two unique forms of E. turn- Article and Photos by Maurice Levin those of shade-grown plants are dark exhibiting either red or yellow sarcotes- For years, the distinct leaves and green and very shiny (Fig. 2); both fig- tas, known as the Red Seed and Yel- relative inaccessibility of Encephalartos ures are of plants from the Nairoku turneri have made it a true collectors habitat. Leaflets of E. turneri range item among cycad aficionados. Located from entire to somewhat spiny, depend- in hard-to-access habitats in previously ing on ecotype, which will be discussed war-torn Mozambique, Turners Cycad below. One of the most distinctive only became well-known in gardens in features of E. turneri may be found in the last ten years, since political stabili- the boat-shaped form of the leaflets, ty returned to Mozambique. However, which also have an attractive revolute due to efforts to propagate and distrib- margin in mature plants. ute seed and seedlings in the late 1990s Mature plants of this species tend and early 2000s, this medium-sized to produce 1-3 cones each year. Cones cycad, very adaptable to a range of of both sexes can reach 12 long. Diam- climates, may become more available eter of male cones is 3; that of while and popular in gardens. female cones is 5. Color of cones ranges green to yellow to reddish pink, Fig. 1. A 15-gallon specimen of the History of the Species depending on habitat and maturity. Nairoku form of Encephalartos turneri E. turneri was described in 1985 by Seedcoat color ranges from green to Lavranos and Goode. They named the yellow to red and are among the largest plant for the Ian S. Turner of Zimbabwe, Ive seen in the genus, up to 1½ long, who discovered the species, and whose and nearly ¾ wide at the base. The collected specimens and field notes seeds tend to be somewhat pear-shaped, provided the basis for description of the similar to those of E. gratus, but much species. Turner had discovered the more robust. Please see the accompa- plant in his journeys among the granite- nying photographs of seedlings for ref- covered hillsides approximately 15 miles erence. southeast of Nampula, Mozambique. Turners Cycads various habitats and ecotypes have notable morphological Morphology of Forms and Ecotypes differences. Most plants in U.S. nurser- There are several habitats for Turn- ies and gardens today are from the ers Cycad around the Nampula region Nairoku habitat. Examples of this plant of Mozambique. The type locality, south- are found on the front cover (mature east of the city of Nampula, has been coning plant), a 15-gal. juvenile plant in likely decimated by collectors, with few Fig. 1, and a seedling in Fig. 2. Plants specimens remaining. This is the from the Nairoku locality are the tallest Fig. 2. A seedling of the Nairoku ecotype. In habitat, E. turneri and most robust in this species. Nairoku form of Encephalartos turneri grows in habitats ranging from rocky 70 miles from Nampula, to the west barren hillsides to along a watercourse and a bit north, lies the town of Ribauè, cascading down from the highest peaks where the giant Ribauè Form of En- (Douglas Goode, Cycads of Africa Vol- cephalartos turneri is located. It is ume I). Not surprisingly, specimens are quite numerous in habitat, and is diffi- plentiful only in the most remote locali- cult to reach, requiring several hours of ties. climbing up stone-faced mountains full The trunk of Encephalartos turneri of thorny Euphorbias and other native can reach ten feet in height. Hillside plants. The Ribauè form, which has plants have a tendency to recline over green and yellow male cones, has spini- time, becoming procumbent, particular- er leaflets than the other forms of the ly where growing on an incline. In culti- species. Note the prickly leaflets on the vation, these plants tend to produce seedling leaflets of this form pictured in straight erect stems. Leaves grow five Fig. 3. Seedlings of the Ribauè Form of Fig. 3. Encephalartos turneri with spiny leaflets (inset). The Cycad Newsletter 30(2) June 2007 Page 11 low Seed variants of the Jaiene/Rapale that Encephalartos laurentianus at this form. Leaves are more a blue-gray color age benefits from 8-12 hours of shade in and are wider than other forms of E. our arid Southern California climate, turneri. The major difference between particularly with summer heat. the two variants is seed size: the Red After approximately 3 1/2 years, Seed variant has smaller seeds, but seedlings have 3-4 leaves approximately leaflets of juvenile leaves tend to have 12-15 inches long. This is a point at more spines than those of the Yellow which the plant may be safely trans- Seed variant (Fig. 4). Seeds of these ferred into either a 15-gallon pot or into plants only became available in early the ground. Experience has taught me 2003 in very limited quantities. The that it is wise to bury the caudex of illustrations in Fig. 5 compare this these plants at least 1-2 below the soil ecotype with the Ribaue ecotype. line. Encephalartos turneri is one of the A less well-known ecotype of En- few plants in this genus that loves ample cephalartos turneri is found in the town water once it has established, but suf- of Boila, approximately 10-12 miles from fers from dry heat until it has become the Indian Ocean. The Boila form has well-established. larger leaves than the other forms, with Our nursery experienced tempera- more revolute leaflet margins. Ultimately tures in the mid- to high 20s (°F) in this plant may be described as a new January 2007, and a wide range of leaf species, but for now it is considered damage occurred in this species. Plants part of E. turneri. Fig. 6 shows a juvenile with some overhead protection, or plant of this form. protection from winds experienced very Finally, a dwarf form of Encephalartos little damage. Plants exposed to cold turneri comes from the vicinity of Nami- wind experienced leaf damage, but alo, approximately 50 miles west-north- nearly all of these came back in the Fig. 7. Seedlings of the west of Nampula. Plants of this form are spring with the first heat wave. Seed- Namialo form of Encephalartos turneri smaller and slower growing in every way lings suffered considerably more leaf beautiful sheen, each successive flush than those of the type locality. Fig. 7 damage than did mature plants. seeming to display longer, more concave shows seedlings of this ecotype. From a nursery owners standpoint, I and revolute leaflets than the previous. would say that Turners Cycad has been Im looking forward to having the plants Growing Encephalartos turneri an extremely satisfying plant to grow, weve propagated and grown become I have imported a number of seed both in the nursery and in my home beautiful specimens in all of our gardens and seedlings of this species over the garden. Its new leaf flushes have never in the coming years. years. Encephalartos turneri has been disappointed me, always glowing with a difficult to import from Mozambique, In the field with but for a few years, I was able to import Encephalartos turneri habitat-specific seeds and seedlings. Article by Pedro Capela, Photos by Generally, there is a 6-12 month wait- Pedro Capela and Pedro Capela Jr. ing period before the seeds will sprout their root radical, and another 3-6 When Maurice Levin invited me to months before those sprouts will devel- write about Encephalartos turneri my op well enough to produce their first immediate reaction was, Why that par- leaves. Seedlings are fairly robust, with ticular species, and my poor photo col- little risk of damping off if given good lection? Why not my favorite species, E. drainage. manikensis, of which I have 8,000 photos Once a seedling has hardened off, it in my personal collection? Why E. turn- can last in its community pot for two to eri, a species which I have spent thou- three years before it needs to be pot- sands of hours studying and visiting its ted up into a 5-gallon pot. I have found habitats, but for which I have so few Fig. 5. Comparison between forms of Encepha- photos? Well, in July 2004, my office in lartos turneri; Jaiene/Rapale form (left) with Chimoio, Mozambique was robbed. The less spiny leaflets, curved male cones and small intruders took my computer, which had seeds, and the Ribaue form(right) with spiny leaflets, straight cones and large seeds. more than 3,000 cycad photos and the text of my book, Speculations on the Encephalartos Species of Mozambique stored on it not to mention ten years of my private and professional life. They also stole a cake box containing CDs and negatives. On the technical level, they may have been bad photos, but they Fig. 4. Leaflets of the Red were minemy intellectual property and Seed Variant of the Jaiene/ lifes work. I was devastated, but I imme- Rapale form of Encephalartos diately took action and sent an urgent turneri (above) are spinier appeal to all my friends around the than those of the Yellow Seed Variant (right).