Cycas revoluta
Sago palm
Cycas revoluta, commonly known as the Sago Palm, is a slow-growing gymnosperm native to subtropical forests. While visually striking in landscaping, it holds significant ethnobotanical importance. Historically, its starch was utilized for food, though caution is required as the plant contains potent toxins throughout its various tissues.
- Scientific name: Cycas revoluta
- Family: Cycadaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Cycadidae. Within the order Cycadales and the family Cycadaceae, it is classified under the genus Cycas.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Cycadidae | WCVP |
| Order | Cycadales | WCVP |
| Family | Cycadaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cycas | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cycas revoluta, is recognized by various common names across different linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 琉球苏铁 (zh-hans) and 琉球苏铁 (zh-cn), as well as 琉球苏铁 (zh-sg) in Singapore. In Traditional Chinese contexts, it is called 琉球蘇鐵 (zh-hant) and 琉球蘇鐵 (zh-hk) in Hong Kong.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 琉球苏铁 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 琉球蘇鐵 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 琉球蘇鐵 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 琉球苏铁 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 琉球苏铁 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 蘇鐵 | Wikidata |
| pl | Sagowiec odwinięty | Wikidata |
| ko | 소철 | Wikidata |
| fr | Cycas du Japon | Wikidata |
| hu | japán cikász | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In the Atlantic, its presence is noted within the Macaronesian islands of the Azores. Moving toward the Asian continent, it is found throughout Southeast China. Its range extends significantly across Eastern Asia, specifically inhabiting the islands of Japan and the Nansei-shotō archipelago. Finally, the species is also naturally distributed within the coastal areas of Taiwan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Azores | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Alabama | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the Sago Palm, is characterized by its striking and architectural foliage. The most prominent medicinal and structural feature of Cycas revoluta is its large, pinnately compound leaves that emerge from the center of the plant in a rosette formation. These long, stiff, and dark green leaves consist of numerous narrow leaflets that are often slightly curved or revolute at the edges, giving the plant its specific name. While the entire plant contains toxins, the leaves are the most visually defining part of its morphology.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cycas revoluta has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include apigenin, citric acid, hexadecenoic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| citric acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hexadecenoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cycas revoluta has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cycas revoluta has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, lung cancer.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |