Encephalartos ferox G.Bertol.

Stems unbranched or occasionally branched from base, majority less than 1 m tall and only rarely are they 2 m or more tall, about 30 cm diam. Leaves several to many in a whorl, 1-2 m long including petiole 20-30 cm long; rhachis nearly straight, erect spreading, at first tomentose, glabrescent except for pulvinus; leaflets mainly overlapping in the upper half, more spaced in lower half, reduced in size gradually towards base of rhachis into a few to several prickles; median leaflets broadest towards apex, more or less oblong-elliptic, up to about 15 cm long and 3.5 cm broad, rarely up to 5 cm broad, 2-4 small teeth on upper and lower margin and terminating in 3-5 broadly triangular pungent lobes at the apex. Cones 1-3 together on stout short peduncles, glabrous, shrimp-pink to red (Brazil Red, R.C.S.). Male cones subcylindric, narrowed to both ends, up to about 40 cm long, 7-10 cm diam.; median scales 3-4 cm long, 2.5-3 cm broad, 9-15 mm thick vertically with sharp lateral ridges; bulla face projecting into a decurved beak about 1 cm long, upper and lower facets somewhat rugose, terminal facet 6-10 mm broad, and about 6 mm wide vertically. Female cones ovoid to ovate-oblong in outline, 25-50 cm long, 20-40 cm diam., median scales 5-6.7 cm long; bulla 4.5-7 cm broad, 3.5-5.5 cm thick vertically, with lateral ridges extending into incurved lateral lobes almost to the main axis, upper and lower facets finely wrinkled in basal half, somewhat rugose on apical half, rounded, terminal facet slightly concave, 2-3 cm broad and about 2 cm wide vertically. Seeds scarlet, 4.5-5 cm long, 1.5-2 cm diam., angled by compression, with fleshy beak.

Various habitats ranging from closed evergreen coastal forest to dense shrubland and in grassland areas, growing on deep sands of old beach dune systems, generally in the shade of taller vegetation; at elevations from 20-100 metres.

Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers. Suckers transplant easily.