
Burning cycads: you have to be cruel to be kind.
These cycads (Encephalartos humilis) were set on fire in an experiment
performed at the Lowveld National Botanical Garden, Nelspruit. This was done in
an attempt to see if the cycads would be stimulated to cone following a fire
event. After they were burnt, the cycads produced beautiful new foliage and the
scientists are now waiting anxiously to see if this had any effect on coning. (Photo:
Lou-Nita le Roux, SANBI)
In this issue of Encephalartos
Branch Activities
In the Media
Book Reviews
More Species Pages
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Welcome to the homepage of the Cycad Society of South Africa. Our credo is to promote all aspects of knowledge of cycads, and to foster a lively interest in these plants.
These objects are worthy of pursuit. The cycads have been with us for perhaps 100 million years, but in recent times their numbers and perhaps diversity in nature have dwindled due to competition with flowering plants. Perhaps the single most serious threat to their continuing existence is man, collecting wild plants for ornamental applications. On the scientific front we have lately learnt that these plants have very specialised pollinators, and that re-establishment in nature is unlikely to be successful without profound knowledge of the biology of these plants. Against this background, we firstly promote interest in, and appreciation of, these plants by propagating and growing them as horticultural subjects, and secondly we actively encourage scientific research and the documentation thereof so that we can keep the captive and remaining wild plants alive in years to come.
We invite you to participate in this process.
Draft Constitution
available for comment - From the
Council/Van die Raad
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