CYCADACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. ^.312. 



CYCAS. 



$ . Anthers open, collected in a terminal sessile cone, inserted 

 all round a common rachis, each ohlong cuneate, with the point 

 turned upwards ; the lower face polliniferous, and the connective 

 more or less obliterated. ? . Carpels numerous, open, loosely 

 collected in a terminal cone, long, spathulate, flat, crenated, with 

 sessile, erect, solitary ovules in the crenatures. Fruit composed 

 of the spreading or reflexed carpels. Seeds roundish ; testa bony, 

 covered by a somewhat fleshy epidermis. Embryos often several, 

 inserted in the axis of fleshy albumen. — Palm-like trees or 

 shrubs. 



1162. C. revoluta Thunb. jap. 229. Bot. Mag. t. 2963 and 

 2964 {Humph, i. 92. t. 24. Kcempf. amcen. 897.) — Japan. 



Stem or trunk 3 to 5 feet high, and of considerable thickness, 1 foot 

 or more in diameter ; of a dark brown colour, clothed with withered, 

 reflexed scales, and annulated from the scars of the former years' 

 circles of leaves. From the summit of the stem springs a beautiful 

 crown of feathery, lively-green foliage ; each leaf 5 to 6 feet long, 

 spreading, most beautifully pinnated : pinnae numerous, close set, 

 linear-mucronate, dark green above, having a strong midrib, paler be- 

 neath, where the midrib is prominent, and the margin bent down or 

 involute ; rachis cylindrical ; petioles 1 or 2 feet long, triangular, with 

 a row of spines on each side, which are abortive pinnae. From the 

 centre of this superb crown of leaves, the fructification appears. 

 Ovules roundish, compressed, notched, and woolly. About 6 are 

 inserted, 3 on each side of a long, compressed, woolly, orange-coloured 

 spadix, which is digitato-laciniate at the extremity, about a span long, 

 and more or less incurved at the apex. These ovules are quite des- 

 titute of perianth, and even when not fertilised, change into an orange- 

 coloured, downy nut, compressed, and notched at the extremity. 

 The down soon disappears, and then the nut becomes glabrous and 

 deeper coloured, more inclining to red. Within the sinus of the notch 

 is a raised papilla, small, with a circular, margined mouth. Nut oval, a 

 little attenuated at the base, at the apex apiculated, with a sharp point, 

 which answers to the papilla above mentioned. Hooker. — The 

 wounded stem, leaves and fruit, abound in a white, transparent mu- 

 cilage, which hardens into a sort of gum. It is reported that a kind of 

 Sago is procured from the cellular substance occupying the interior of 

 the stem. It is said by Thunberg that this is "supra niodum nutriens," 

 and held in the highest esteem ; soldiers are able to exist for a long 

 time upon a very small quantity of it, and it is contrary to the laws 

 of Japan to take the trees out of the country. The nuts are also 

 eatable. 



549 N n 3 



