Volume 2 > Part 2 > Year 1972 > Page 190 > Cycadaceae > Cycas

5. Cycas revoluta Thunb.wfo-0000631639

Fl. Jap.: 229. 1784; Walker, Important Trees Ryukyu Is.: 26. 1954; Raizada & Sahni, Indian Forest Rec. n.s. Bot. 5: 94. 1960; Ohwi, Fl. Jap.109. 1965; Smitin., Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam. Soc. 24: 173. 1971. Fig. 14 c.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Dioecious tree or shrub up to 5 m high, producing suckers freely. Trunk 1–4 m high, rarely branching, rough with old leaf bases. Leaves pinnate, 60–180 cm long, lanate when young. Leaflets numerous, linear, 2.5–6.2 cm long, 5 cm wide, terminating in a spine-like tip, dark green shining, margin revolute. Petiole 9–10 cm long, thick, quadrangular, with short spines. Male cone subcylindric about 30 cm long, 9–10 cm across. Macrosporophylls 10–23 cm long; sterile part obovate, laciniate into brownish villous segments nearly to the centre. Ovules 1 or 2 pairs. Seed reddish globose, about 3 cm in diameter.

Thailand : Widely cultivated as an ornamental, propagated by suckers.

Distribution : S China and Japan (Kyushu and Ryukyus – type).

Vernacular : Prong yipun (ปรงญี่ปุ่น)(Central).