698 CXV. CYCADACE^ [Cycas 



CYCAS, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 656. 



(Ikeno, Befruchtung bei Cycas revoluta, Pringsheirn, Jahrbticher, xxxiii. 557.) 



Trunk annulate or clothed with the woody bases of the petioles, leaves- 

 pinnate, leaflets coriaceous, linear, quite entire, usually stiff and pungent, 

 with a prominent midrib, involute in vernation, the lower often reduced to 

 spines. Scales of the $ cone closely imbricated, cuneate, and usually pro- 

 longed in a long acuminate point. Carpophylls densely woolly, numerous in. 

 crowded whorls round the top of the trunk, at first loosely imbricate on an 

 apparently terminal cone, then spreading, narrowed into a shorter or longer 

 flat stalk, which bears 1-5 pairs of ovules on its edge, upper portion more or 

 less dilated into an entire or pectinate blade. Species 12, tropical Africa to 

 Polynesia. 



A. Margin of leaflets flat. 



(a) Blade of carpophyll dentate, longer than broad. 



1. C. circinalis, Linn. ; Kheede, Hort. Malab. iii. t. 13-21. Vern. Oruguna, Orguno 

 Uriya ; Per ita, Tel. ; Todda Panna, Mai. Western Peninsula, deciduous forests of 

 the "Western Ghats to 3,500 ft., from Malabar southwards. Hills on the east side, 

 north as far as Orissa. — Ceylon, moist region up to 1,500 ft. Eastern tropical Africa, 

 Madagascar and Comoro islands. Malay Archi]}. Attains 40 ft. and grows to the 

 age of 100 years (Bheede), trunk usually 15 ft. high, with prominent annular leaf- 

 scars. L. 5-9 ft. long, leaflets 80-100 pairs, 8-12 by J-i in., upperside shining, petiole 

 with numerous short spines. Male cone 1-2 ft. Carpophylls 6-12 by 1-1J in., blade 

 ovate-triangular with sharp narrow teeth, stalk long, bearing in its upper portion 

 6-12 ovules. After flowering the terminal bud in this and other species often grows 

 out into a prolongation of the trunk. Seeds ovoid, pale reddish-yellow, 1 in. long, 

 endosperm filled with starch. 



2. C. Rumphii, Miq. Verci. Mondaing, Burm. Beach Forests on the coast of the 

 Andamans, Nicobars, Coco islands and South Tenasserim. — Malay Penins. and Archip. 

 New Guinea. North Australia. Similar to 1. Attains 50 ft. and nearly 5 ft. in 

 girth on the Coco islands (Prain), on the Andamans it generally is only 4—6 and not more 

 than 15 ft. high. Trunk very rough, often branched. L. dark glossy-green, 3-6 ft. 

 long, leaflets 50-60 pair, 9-15 by J-f in., petiole at base 1£ in. broad. Carpophylls 

 densely tawny -villous, blade from ovate to ovate- lanceolate, teeth small, ovules 6-10 

 on the upper portion of the stalk. Seeds compressed, ovoid-oblong, 2-3 in. long, 

 poisonous when raw. 



(b) Blade of carpophyll as broad as long, deeply pectinate. 



3. C. pectinata, Griff. — Syn. O. Jenhinsiana, Griff. Vern. Thakal, Nep. ; Mondaing, 

 Burm. Nepal, foot of hills. Sal forests of the Sikkim Terai and outer valleys. Assam, 

 Khasi hills. Manipiir. Chittagong. Shan States. Forests of Dipterocarpus obtusi- 

 folius and Pinus Khasya on the Martaban hills. Trunk 4-8, 1. glabrous, 4-5 ft. long, 

 leaflets 6-10 by J-i in. Carpophylls densely tawny -silky, blade almost orbicular, 3 in. 

 diam., cut into strong subulate spiny teeth, J-J in. long, and terminating in a strong, 

 subulate acumen, about 1 in. long, stalk as long as, or shorter than blade, ovules 4-6, 

 glabrous. Seed ovoid, glabrous, 1J-2J in. long, orange-red or yellow. 



4. C. siamensis, Miq. Vern. Mondaing, Burm. Eng forests of the Prome district 

 and of Upper Burma.— Siam, Cochinchina. Yunnan. Often almost stemless, but at 

 times with a trunk up to 5 ft. long, 8-12 in. diam., 1. 2-3 ft. long, rusty-villous while 

 young, leaflets thin, 3-8 by \ in. Carpophyll blade ovate-rhomboid, long-acuminate, 

 at first densely tawny-tomentose, ultimately nearly glabrous, one ovule on each side 

 of the stalk at the base of blade. Seed ovoid-oblong, smooth, 1J in. long. It is doubt- 

 ful whether this is the species cultivated as C. siamensis in European gardens. 



B. Margin of leaflets revolute. 



5. C. revoluta, Thunb. China. Southern Japan. Eormosa. Tonkin. Commonly 

 cultivated in gardens. Trunk 6 ft., densely clothed with the old leaf-bases, 1. 2-6 ft. 

 long, petiole thick, quadrangular, leaflets narrow. Carpophylls 4-9 in. long, blade 

 ovate, laciniate nearly to the midrib, stalk longer than blade with 4-6 ovules. Im- 

 mature seed densely tomentose. 6. C. Beddomei, Dyer in Trans. Linn. Soc. Ser. 2, 

 Bot. ii. t. 17. Cuddapah district, Madras. Trunk short, 1. 3 ft. long, rachis quad- 

 rangular, leaflets 5-7 by T %— J in. Male cone 9-13 in. long, 2-3 in. diam., scales long- 

 acuminate, the lower erect, the upper strongly recurved. Carpophyll 4—8 in., blade 

 ovate-lanceolate, with long linear teeth, ovules 2-4. Seeds nearly globose, 1J in. 

 long. 



