Wood's cycad

Encephalartos woodii Sander

Encephalartos woodii, known as Wood's cycad, is a cycad species in the Zamiaceae family. It is native to the oNgoye Forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The species is extinct in the wild, with all existing specimens being clones of the original type. The name honors John Medley Wood, who discovered the plant in 1895 and served as curator of the Durban Botanic Garden and director of the Natal Government Herbarium.

Description

Encephalartos woodii is a member of the genus Encephalartos and is one of the rarest plant species globally. It was first described in 1908 by Sander. The species is no longer found in its natural habitat, and all cultivated examples are derived from the original specimen collected in 1895. The plant is named after John Medley Wood, a notable botanist who played a key role in documenting South African flora.