Cycas Pectinata

About Cycas Pectinata:

• It belongs to the family Cycadaceae.
• It is an evergreen, palm-like plant which is the only cycad species found in Bhutan.
• Cycads are one of the most ancient gymnosperms, possibly originating in the late Carboniferous period 300-325 million years ago and reaching the greatest diversity during the Jurassic-Cretaceous period.
• Gymnosperms have open-to-air unfertilised seeds to be directly fertilised by pollination. 
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
• Significance:
  • The genetic information contained in cycads makes them valuable for scientific research and conservation.
  • These are bridges in major evolutionary transitions in plants and remain indispensable for understanding the origin and subsequent evolution of seed plants. 
  • It has cultural and economic significance for native populations.
  • Some locals in northeast India use the plant for religious ceremonies.
  • Locals in some places (of Bhutan) use its seeds as a supplement to their diet and young leaves are eaten as a substitute for vegetables

Q1) What is an angiosperm tree?

An angiosperm tree is a type of tree that belongs to the angiosperm family, which includes all flowering plants. Angiosperm trees produce seeds that are enclosed within a fruit, such as an apple or an acorn.

Source: Plant with Jurassic link under stress in Bhutan

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