Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm.

Stem: E. altensteinii grows quite tall, with stems up to 4 or 5 m long. Plants growing in deep shade or with reclining stems may reach a stem length of 7 m. Reclining stems sometimes come to lie flat on the ground and may be twisted into unusual shapes. The diameter of the stem is usually 25 to 35 cm. Plants growing in the shade tend to have taller, thinner stems than those growing in exposed localities. A small amount of wool may sometimes be present on the top of the stem. The stem is usually unbranched but may sometimes be branched. Suckering at the base may occur and clumps of stems growing from the same original rootstock can sometimes be seen. Leaves: The leaves are 1 to 2 m long and in rare cases up to 4 m. The rachis is nearly straight in exposed conditions but may be recurved in the shade. In young leaves the rachis is hairy, but the hairs soon fall off. The petiole is 10 to 30 cm long. The leaflets at the middle of the leaf are 15 cm long, and 2.5 cm broad and have a fresh-green or yellow-green colour. Young leaves are usually lighter in colour than older leaves. The leaflets may have smooth edges or may have one to three (sometimes up to five) teeth on either or both margins. Younger plants are more toothed than older ones. Leaflets of basal suckers tend to be broader than those of the mother plant. The leaflets are reduced in size towards the base of the leaf, but are not reduced to a series of prickles. The lower 15 to 20 cm of the leafstalk is bare. The leaflets are attached to the rachis in such a way that they form an open 'V'. The leaflets overlap, especially towards the tip of the leaf. Cones: Male and female plants usually bear from two to five golden-yellow or yellowish-green cones. The cones are borne on short, stout peduncles. Male cones are subcylindric in shape and rounded or narrowed towards the tip. They are 40 to 50 cm long and 12 cm in diameter. The cone scales at the middle of the cone are up to 5 cm long and 3 cm broad. The face of the scale forms a decurved beak, about 1.5 cm long. The female cones are roughly eggshaped, 40 to 55 cm long and 20 to 30 cm in diameter. The cone scales at the middle of the cone are 7 to 8 cm long, 8 to 9 cm broad and 4 cm thick. The face of the scale is deeply wrinkled and lumpy and carries some hair. The seeds are scarlet or bright shiny red in colour and approximately 4 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter.

It is a tropical plant. It occurs in coastal regions. It grows in low forest and on rocky hillsides. It needs well drained soil. It can grow in part shade. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens. It grows in hardiness zones 10-11.

The seeds have been recorded as eaten in times of famine. Normally they are regarded as poisonous. The gum from the cone is edible.

Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers. It can be grown from pieces of the stem.