25. Cycas pectinata Buchanan-Hamilton CYCADACEAE

This species is a native of North-East India and mainland South-East Asia, where it occurs on subtropical hill slopes at altitudes of up to 1000 metres. The seeds are edible and a coarse sago can be extracted from the trunk. However, like most species of this ancient group of plants, it is threatened in the wild, as large specimens are dug up and transplanted to gardens.

Photograph of two scales of cone of a female plant, RBGE herbarium