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Cycads: Ancient Plants for the Modern Home
Cycads are seed plants with a rich fossil history, once more abundant and diverse than they are today. Often resembling palms or ferns, these unique plants offer a touch of prehistoric elegance to homes and gardens.
Considerations for Pets
- According to the provided text, Cycads (specifically Cycas and Zamia species, also known as Sago Palm and Fern Palm) are listed as toxic to dogs.
Scientific Name and Common Names
- Scientific Name: Cycas and Zamia species.
- Common Names: Sago Palm, Fern Palm.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Order: Cycadales
- Family: Cycadaceae
- Belong to the division Cycadophyta
Distribution and Habitat
- Cycads are native to warm regions.
- South Africa is recognized as a global hotspot for cycad diversity, with 38 species.
- The Modjadji Cycad Reserve in Limpopo, South Africa, is home to a mountainside of rare endemic cycads.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Cycads typically have a stout, woody trunk.
- They feature a crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen, pinnate leaves.
- Some cycads have tall, unbranched stems.
- They are slow-growing and long-lived.
Ecological Role
- Cycads were a dominant part of the Earth's flora during the age of the dinosaurs.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Cycads can be affected by the cycad aulacaspis scale (Aulacaspis yasumatsui), an insect pest.
Quirky Facts
- Encephalartos woodii is a cycad extinct in nature, with no known female specimen on Earth.
- The Modjadji Cycad Reserve is named after Queen Modjadji, the Rain Queen who fled Zimbabwe and settled in Limpopo.
Additional Information
- The Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia (PACSOA) website features articles of interest.
- The World List of Cycads provides a comprehensive compilation of cycad names.