Cycas pectinata

Buch.-Ham.

CycadaceaeFruitLeavesSeeds/NutsShootsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Fruit, Stem-starch, Shoots, Seeds

The tender leaves, shoots, and seeds are eaten; shoots are cooked as a vegetable by frying or boiling and can be stored for 15 days. Starch is also extracted from the stem.

Known Hazards

We have no specific information for this species, but most if not all members of this genus are believed to contain toxins. The two main toxic compounds that have been identified are cycasin and macrozamin. When ingested in sufficient quantities, these compounds are extremely poisonous to humans and many other animals, and have been shown to cause liver damage and cancer. Cycasin and macrozamin have a cumulative effect upon the body and are suspected of causing neurological disorders when ingested in small amounts over long periods of time. There is a long history of human use of this genus as a starch-rich food, but it should be noted that the plants needed to be treated in various ways in order to remove any toxic principles. Caution should be exercised even with properly prepared foods, since even then regular consumption may lead to severe health problems and death. Since many of these species are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, this is probably a food best left to times of food shortage when other, better foods, are not available.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. In Nepal they are grown between 500 and 1400 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan.

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A small cycad. It is a palm like plant. It grows 2 m tall. The trunk is unbranched. The leaves occur in a ring near the top. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets are 20 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. They are stiff and leathery. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. Male cones are oval and erect and central. The female cones are a cluster of round woody fruits below the top of the plant. The fruit are on long stalks. The seeds are 3-4 cm long. They are orange. They are covered by upward turning scaly blades.

How to Grow

Plants are grown from offshoot buds.

Propagation: Seeds - best sown as soon as they are ripe, though the seeds of many species will take a few months to finish maturing the embryo before they are ready to germinate. Sow the seeds in a tray in a freely-draining medium and place in moderate shade. Bottom heat at about 27°c will hasten seed germination dramatically. Young roots are quite brittle and once germination takes place, the root grows rapidly. It is important to pot up the seedlings at this time in order to give them enough root-space. Grow on the plants in pots until large enough to plant out. Division of off-sets or suckers is best carried out just before the plant comes in to new growth at the start of the growing season.

Medicinal Uses

The pounded stem is used as a hair-wash for treating diseased hair roots. This species is said to have the same uses as Cycas rumphii. These uses are as follows:- The pollen is narcotic. The bark and the seeds are ground to a paste with oil and used as a poultice on sores and swellings. The juice of tender leaves is useful in the treatment of flatulence and vomiting.

Other Uses

The fleshy stem is pounded and used as a hair wash. This species is said to have the same uses as Cycas rumphii. These uses are as follows:- The bark sap is used as a glue. The fruits are strung together to make children's toys or rattles.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Cycas pectinata was the fourth species of Cycas to be named; it was described in 1826 by Scottish surgeon and botanist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton from Kamrup, Assam in northeast India. The species is one of the most widespread cycads. It is found in the northeastern part of India (Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Darjeeling), Nepal, Bhutan, northern Burma, southern China (Yunnan), Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia, northern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Cycas pectinata usually grow at elevation 300 m to 1200 m and in difficult terrains. In China, it grows in dry, open thickets in limestone mountains, red soil in sparse monsoon forests. Cycas pectinata grows up to 40 feet (12 m) tall and has very large, ovoid male cones. The tallest Cycas pectinata is a female plant in North Kamrup, Assam which measures 52.8 feet (16.1 m). The tree is the world's tallest Cycas plant. In Northeast India, the species is under severe threat due to clearing of forest and overcollection of male cones for preparation of traditional medicines. The species is listed in CITES Appendix II and IUCN Redlist.

Production

In Sikkim fruit are available December to January.

Other Information

The leaves are sold in markets.

Notes

There are about 20-40 Cycas species.

Names & Synonyms

Da gu, Daqu, Dezhe, Dieng-sia-goda, Guo gu, Hmab ntshav ciaj, Maprao-dao-luang, Mondaing madai, Nagehampa, Or-oh, Pagula, Tanglu, Thakal, Thaljimura, Thulo nyuro, Yendang

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