The name Encephalartos is derived from the Greek: en meaning 'within', kephali meaning 'head' and artos meaning 'bread'. The species is named after Eugène Marais, 1871-1936, a South African lawyer, naturalist, poet and writer, who discovered the plant. A wild plant by Richard Oosthuizen, Cycadlist.org. A small plant from Cycadpalm.com.

