Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney, Australia

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW

Cycas - ancient  survivors

Ken Hill & Leonie Stanberg - Botanists

Cycas, a genus of cycad, is the most primitive of all living seed plants, with fossils over 250 million years old. Linnaeus knew only one species of Cycas in 1753. Our research at the Botanic Gardens Trust has shown that there are about 100 species in this complex group, in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific. DNA studies and fieldwork in many remote areas have increased our knowledge and understanding of cycad relationships, evolution and biology. Our work is helping to conserve the many rare or threatened cycad species.

Did you know?

  • Australia and China are the two centres of diversity for Cycas.
  • Bacteria in special coralloid roots capture nitrogen from the air, so cycads can grow in poor conditions.
  • Cycads contain very toxic compounds causing health problems in people and animals.
  • Cycads are often confused with palms or tree-ferns but are not related.
  • Cycas revoluta from Japan is the most commonly grown cycad.
  • Some very large cycads in Asian gardens are said to be about 1000 years old.
  • Visit the Cycad Pages on our PlantNET website

leonie-and-ken

Cycas-condaoensis
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