Cycadaceae

Cycadaceae is a small family of cycads in the division Cycadophyta and the order Cycadales. It contains a single extant genus, Cycas, with roughly 100 species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australasia. Members are palmlike gymnosperms with stout trunks or rhizomes and evergreen, pinnate leaves arranged in a crown.

Reproduction is dioecious; each plant bears either pollen-producing cones or seed-bearing cones. Male cones consist of microsporophylls that release pollen, while female cones (megasporophylls) encase developing seeds. Seeds are often large and may have a fleshy outer layer that aids dispersal by animals. Cycas species exhibit a relatively slow growth habit and long juvenile periods.

Distribution ranges from tropical forests to limestone hills and savannas, with most diversity in Asia and Oceania. They are adapted to a variety of substrates, including well-drained soils. Many species are threatened by habitat loss and collection for ornamental trade; several are listed as endangered or vulnerable by conservation organizations. In cultivation, they are valued for their distinctive foliage and ancient lineage.

Taxonomically, Cycadaceae is one of two families in Cycadales, the other being Zamiaceae. The genus Cycas is distinguished by characteristic cone and seed structures, leaf anatomy, and reproductive features. The family has a deep fossil history and is often cited as a lineage that dates to the Mesozoic era.