Thanks a lot, Lalithamba ji, for the wonderful presentation and images -- With regards, J. M. Garg
On Mon 14 Jan, 2019, 7:00 PM Lalithamba Avadhanam <[email protected] wrote: > Dear all , > I am attaching female and male plants of *Cycas beddomei,* photographed > from Seshachalam hills > > *Plant name: Cycas beddomei* Dyer > > *Common names:* Beddome's cycas, Andhra Pradesh Cycas (Eng.); Perita, > Madhana - Kamakshi. > > *Family*: Cycadaceae > > *Description*: Small unbranched tree to 2 m high, bole diameter up to > 20cm; bark brown, exfoliating in rectangular scales. > > *Leaves:* > > Stem crowned with 20-30 large, pinnately compound leaves; leaves 1-1.2 m > long, rachis quadrangular; petiole up to 15 cm long with minute spines on > upper portion, base clothed with tufted tomentum; leaflets narrow, linear, > 10 - 18 x 0.2-0.35 cm, margins revolute, apex spinous-acuminate. > > *Flowers and fruits*: > > Plants dioecious; flowers absent. Male and female plants produce a single > cone at the top of the stem. *Male* cones short-stalked, compact, > narrowly ovoid woody structures, orange in colour, up to 35 x 16 cm; with > 800-820 microsporophylls, spirally around a central axis; except a few at > basal and apical parts of the cone all are fertile; microsporophyll 3.5-4 > x 0.5 cm, oblong, deltoid, tapering, acuminate at apex, lower erect, upper > strongly recurved; abaxial surface bears microsporangia up to the > wedge-shaped expanded part of the microsporophyll. > > *Female* plants produce 40-50 megasporophylls in close spirals in > acropetal succession at the apex of the stem; each one ovate-lanceolate, > differentiated into basal stalk and upper pinnate strongly toothed flat > lamina with an apical acuminate spine; up to 4 x 2 cm; ovules usually 2-4 > on either side of stalk. Seeds globose. > > *Phenology*: The male and female cones occur in April-June; > > Axis of male cone elongates on maturation, loosening sporophylls, emits > pleasant fragrance. > *Distribution*: This species *endemic* to Seshachalam hills (formerly > called as Cuddapah - Tirupati hills) of the Southern Eastern Ghats of > Andhra Pradesh. > > *Uses*: The seeds are processed and eaten in mixture with cereal. The > male cones are pruned away by local tribals because they consider it has > narcotic and rejuvenating properties. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
