Definition

Noun: 1. A type of cycad plant: Any of numerous cycads belonging to the genus Encephalartos, characterized by a stout, cylindrical trunk and a terminal crown of long, often spiny, pinnate leaves.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The botanical garden has a rare collection of encephalartos.
  • The encephalartos is a dioecious plant, meaning individual plants are either male or female.
  • Conservationists are working to protect several species of encephalartos from extinction in the wild.

Advanced Usage

• As a genus name: The word is often used in its capitalized, italicized form () in scientific and botanical contexts to refer to the genus itself.
  • Encephalartos species are native to various regions of Africa.

Variants and Related Words

• Cycad (n): The broader plant order (Cycadales) to which the genus belongs.
  • Cycads, including encephalartos, are ancient seed plants.
• Pinnate (adj): A leaf shape where leaflets are arranged on either side of a central stem, characteristic of encephalartos leaves.

Synonyms

• Cycad: (This is a broader category; not all cycads are encephalartos, but all encephalartos are cycads.)
• Sago palm: (A common name for some cycads, though it is imprecise and can refer to plants from other genera.)

Related Phrases / Terms

• Cone-bearing: Encephalartos plants produce cones (strobili) for reproduction, rather than flowers.
  • The male encephalartos produces pollen cones.
• Living fossil: A term sometimes applied to cycads like encephalartos due to their ancient lineage.

Noun

1. any of numerous cycads of the genus Encephalartos having stout cylindrical trunks and a terminal crown of long often spiny pinnate leaves