Cycad

Cycad is a type of plant that belongs to the order Cycadales. Cycads are seed plants characterized by a large crown of compound leaves and a stout trunk. They are evergreen, gymnospermous, dioecious plants having large pinnately compound leaves.

Description

Cycads vary in size from small plants only a few centimeters high to trees up to several meters tall. They typically have a stout and woody trunk with a crown of large, hard and stiff, evergreen leaves. They usually have pinnate leaves. The individual plants are either all male or all female (dioecious). Cycads vary in size from having trunks only a few centimeters to several meters tall. They typically grow very slowly and live very long, with some specimens known to be as much as 1,000 years old.

Distribution and Habitat

Cycads are found across much of the subtropical and tropical parts of the world. They are found in South and Central America (where the greatest diversity occurs), Mexico, the Antilles, southeastern United States, Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and southern and tropical Africa, where at least 65 species occur.

Uses

Some species of cycads are used in traditional medicine. For example, Zamia integrifolia is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Other species, such as Cycas revoluta and Cycas circinalis, are popular ornamental plants in horticulture. Their wood is used for making furniture and their seeds are used for food and oil extraction.

Conservation

Many cycad species are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction (caused by farming and the development of buildings), the removal of plants from the wild for landscaping, and other human activities. Some species are now being propagated in nurseries in an effort to prevent their extinction.

See Also

• Gymnosperms
• Seed Plants
• Endangered Species

References

Cycad Resources
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