Encephalartos villosus is a plant species that belongs to the cycad family. It is a slow-growing cycad with a trunk that can grow up to 1.5 meters tall and 30 cm in diameter. The leaves are dark green and glossy, with a length of up to 1.5 meters and a width of up to 20 cm. The male cones are cylindrical, while the female cones are barrel-shaped.