Encephalartos paucidentatus stem crown

The stem-top of Encephalartos paucidentatus is pale brown, thickly covered in a woolly crown. New leaves grow through this wool.

The plant in picture does show short, bare stem parts on young leaves before the lowermost prickles on the sides begin; higher up to lengthen gradually into leaflets. Petioles on the leaves of at least some plants after all (Hugo, 2014; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).