The older Encephalartos paucidentatus leaves in picture spread at a lowered angle around the plant centre, the young ones still aim high. The leaves last long, the lower ones still glossy and dark green with little to indicate the age difference.

Where leaf curvature is present, it is elegant. The leaflets are, with some exceptions, fairly neatly in place for Sunday best all week long.

From a distance there appear to be leaf petioles, but the small, spiny lowermost leaves may be just hard to see. Petioles are said to be absent in E. paucidentatus (Hugo, 2014; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).