It is the largest Australian Cycas species, with arborescent and frequently branched stems growing to 5 m (rarely 12 m) tall, and 15–25 cm in diameter. Older specimens lose the leaf base scars and gain a more checkerboard appearance. The leaves are 1.1-1.7 m long, pinnate with 180-320 leaflets, the leaflets 14–23 cm long and 4.5-6.5 mm wide, grey-green to glaucous; there are to 40 leaves in the crown. The leaf petioles are armed with spines in younger individuals (a few millimetres long) with this trait being lost in older individuals.
The female cones are open type sporophylls 25–50 cm long, brown, each with 6-12 ovules each. The lamina is triangular ending in a sharp narrow spine. The male cones are solitary, erect, 20–25 cm long and 12–15 cm diameter.
The name derives from the Latin angulatus, which translates as "angular", referring to the leaflet arrangement on the leaf petiole.
Cultivationedit
It is occasionally grown as an ornamental plant; seeds are presently available for buyers.
As foodedit
The seed-like kernels of the cycad palm were eaten by aboriginal Australians because of the seed's high starch content. The seeds ripened during the dry season, when other foods consumed by native hunter-gatherers were scarce. A large grove represented a huge natural food source, and would be exploited by several native band groups. In its natural state the seed is highly toxic to mammals. The Australians recognized this danger, and responded by two methods. They removed the toxins by leaching with water for three to five days and then baking the starch; or they allowed the kernels to ferment before cooking and eating them. Note that the kernels contain carcinogens, and are not recommended for human consumption, even prepared through traditional methods.[2]
Referencesedit
Cycad Pages: Cycas angulata 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
cycas, angulata, species, cycad, genus, cycas, native, australia, northeast, northern, territory, lower, reaches, foelsche, robinson, wearyan, rivers, near, borroloola, northwest, queensland, bountiful, islands, conservation, status, least, concern, iucn, scie. Cycas angulata is a species of cycad in the genus Cycas native to Australia in northeast Northern Territory lower reaches of the Foelsche Robinson and Wearyan Rivers near Borroloola and northwest Queensland Bountiful Islands Cycas angulata Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Gymnospermae Division Cycadophyta Class Cycadopsida Order Cycadales Family Cycadaceae Genus Cycas Species C angulata Binomial name Cycas angulataR Br It is the largest Australian Cycas species with arborescent and frequently branched stems growing to 5 m rarely 12 m tall and 15 25 cm in diameter Older specimens lose the leaf base scars and gain a more checkerboard appearance The leaves are 1 1 1 7 m long pinnate with 180 320 leaflets the leaflets 14 23 cm long and 4 5 6 5 mm wide grey green to glaucous there are to 40 leaves in the crown The leaf petioles are armed with spines in younger individuals a few millimetres long with this trait being lost in older individuals The female cones are open type sporophylls 25 50 cm long brown each with 6 12 ovules each The lamina is triangular ending in a sharp narrow spine The male cones are solitary erect 20 25 cm long and 12 15 cm diameter The name derives from the Latin angulatus which translates as angular referring to the leaflet arrangement on the leaf petiole Cultivation editIt is occasionally grown as an ornamental plant seeds are presently available for buyers As food editThe seed like kernels of the cycad palm were eaten by aboriginal Australians because of the seed s high starch content The seeds ripened during the dry season when other foods consumed by native hunter gatherers were scarce A large grove represented a huge natural food source and would be exploited by several native band groups In its natural state the seed is highly toxic to mammals The Australians recognized this danger and responded by two methods They removed the toxins by leaching with water for three to five days and then baking the starch or they allowed the kernels to ferment before cooking and eating them Note that the kernels contain carcinogens and are not recommended for human consumption even prepared through traditional methods 2 References editCycad Pages Cycas angulata Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Hill K D 2010 Cycas angulata IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010 e T41981A10591752 Retrieved 25 June 2022 Oliver Douglas L 1989 Oceania Native Cultures of Australia and the Pacific Islands Honolulu University of Hawaii Press pp 175 6 nbsp This cycad article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Australian plant article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cycas angulata amp oldid 1192983907, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
