Palmera Cycadum

Palmera Cycadum

Palmera cycadum (sago palm, sotetsu, cycad) is an evergreen, slow growing cycad native to Japan’s southern islands and a few locations in the US.palmera cyca revoluta This species is known for its cold tolerance, allowing it to be grown in areas where other cycads would not survive. It can grow to up to 3 meters tall (10+ feet) and has an equally large frond spread. It is a popular garden plant and can be found in parks, temples, and next to public buildings.

The name “cycad” is derived from the Greek word , meaning “palm.palmera cyca revoluta ” Though palm-like, these plants are gymnosperms rather than angiosperms, and are unrelated to true palm trees (Arecaceae). The specific epithet revoluta derives from Latin, referring to the leaflets that curl under. Like other cycads, this plant is dioecious, with male and female plants bearing different groups of megasporophylls.

In the US, this plant can be found growing in Florida, California, and Georgia, as well as in a few other states.palmera cyca revoluta It can also be found in southern Japan, where it grows in rocky environments. It is considered one of the most cold hardy cycads, withstanding -1oC and even lower temperatures.

This cycad is very similar in appearance to the more common sago palm sold in garden centers, with a rugged trunk topped by whorled feather-like leaves.palmera cyca revoluta However, sago palms are not true palms and have a more distant relation to conifers and ginko trees, being members of the gymnosperm family Cycadaceae. Sago palms are referred to as living fossils because they have changed little in the past 200 million years.

As with all cycads, it is poisonous if eaten. The plant contains the glycoside cycasin, which can lead to gastrointestinal distress and liver failure. To make sago, the pithy stems must be processed for a long time to remove cycasin and other toxic compounds.

The sago palm is one of the few species that can be commercially harvested for this purpose. While most sago on the market is extracted from a separate palm tree, Metroxylon sagu, which is known as “true sago”, this plant has been used in Japan for centuries for the same reason. The raw sago must be mashed, soaked in water for days, and then fermented to remove the toxins before it can be used as a food.

This cycad is also used in traditional Japanese medicine as a cure for fever, cough, indigestion, and stomach upsets. Research has shown that this plant is rich in phytochemicals, including flavonoids, glycosides, fatty acids, and amino acids. The plant has been shown to have a number of biological activities, including antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and astringent properties. It has also been shown to have sedative effects.