Encephalartos latifrons?

[scycads]

Got this as  couple leaf seedling from Loren Whitelock Many years ago my first purchase ever from him.  His list said E. latifronds seedlings $75  but it was a typo and he wanted $175 we settled on everything in my wallet.   Anyway had a guy come buy 10 years ago or so and laughed and said oh you got one of Lorans "Latifrons"  I know he supposedly he had hybrids just wondering what you all think?  Been in 50% shade as everything has outgrown it. See pics.  Thanks for any info Doug

[GeneAZ]

A lot of latifrons influence seen there.  Looks like a hybrid to me, but it's young still.  Maybe crossed with  longifolius?

I'm most curious as to whether the lower leaf surface has prominently raised veins.  If they are nicely raised, this could be a more typical form and totally legit.

Beautiful specimen in any event!

[Palm Tree Jim]

Hybrid IMHO.

And as Gene as indicated, it does have strong latifrons influence.

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

A lot of latifrons influence seen there.  Looks like a hybrid to me, but it's young still.  Maybe crossed with  longifolius?

I'm most curious as to whether the lower leaf surface has prominently raised veins.  If they are nicely raised, this could be a more typical form and totally legit.

Beautiful specimen in any event!

5 hours ago, scycads said:

I know he supposedly he had hybrids just wondering what you all think? 

 

I wouldn't hesitate to make a guess on what the hybrid could be, but I like Gene's suggestion, about it being young so waiting for a final verdict.  Right now the features that I think Gene & Jim are looking at is the stacking of the leaflets and expecting to see a little more of it and the way the leaflets interact when seen from below.  Perhaps Gene and Jim will elaborate, but those are the features that seemed to cause me to hesitate on a 100% E latifrons.  Someday the cones should provide even more insight for you.  I would be happy to have it in my garden though!

[scycads]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INSIGHT. Here are a couple pics of the underside of the leaflets.  This was a floppy plant until i cleared a little more sun for it.  Hope the one next to it flushes soon its supposed to be trappsvalley.  Heres some pics of the leaflets undersides Thanks again Doug

[GeneAZ]

Only you can tell us if those veins are raised.  You'll have to run your fingernail across the veins on the lower surface and see if they are raised markedly.  Go closer to where they insert into the rachis.  They don't appear raised but your fingers will tell the truth.  In any event, the plant will become more beautiful in character as it gets bigger.

[GeneAZ]

Maybe 25 years ago I purchased two seedlings at 3 inch caudex size, supposed to be latifrons trapps valley.  Well one out of two ain't bad.  This one seems to be a hybrid of unknown species -- although I suspect either latifrons x altensteinii or latifrons x longifolius.  

 

For comparison, here's my best plant of a naturally occurring latifrons x altensteinii obtained from SA by Loran in the '70s and later sold to me by the person he sold it to at the time.

Edited August 9, 2021 by GeneAZ