Cycas media

Cycas media is a palm-like cone-bearing plant widespread in seasonally dry tropical sclerophyll woodlands close to the east coast of Queensland, with scattered occurrences also in northern Northern Territory and Western Australia, Australia. The dark green leathery, thick leaves are pinnately divided and grow in annual flushes from a massive apical bud. It is tolerant of bushfire and often re-foliates immediately following a dry season fire, before the beginning of the next rainy season. All plant parts are considered highly toxic. However, the seeds were eaten by Aboriginal Australians after careful and extensive preparation to remove the toxins. The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that common names included "Nut Palm" while Central Queensland Indigenous people referred to the plant as "Baveu" and that "An excellent farina is obtained from it. The nuts are deprived of their outer succulent cover (sarcocarp) and are then broken; and the kernels, having been roughly pounded, are dried three or four hours in the sun, then brought in a dilly-bag to a stream or pond, where they remain in the running water four or five days, and in stagnant water three or four days. By a touch of the fingers the proper degree of softness produced by maceration is ascertained. They are afterwards placed between the two stones mentioned under Colocasia macrorrhizon, reduced to a fine paste, and then baked under the ashes in the same way that our bush people bake their damper. (Thozet.)"

Description

An evergreen tree like plant. It grows to 3-5 m high and spreads to 2 m across. The stem is erect and stout and has leaf scars. It rarely has branches. The leaves are 0.5-1.5 m long and palm like with side leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets are deep green and stiff and taper towards the tip. The leaflets are 10-13 cm long and 1 cm wide. The flower is like a cone and brown. The male cones are 30-45 cm long while the female cones are 40 cm long. The female cones produce 4-6 broad oval, orange-red fruit. These are 2-4 cm long.

Edible Uses

The trunk can be processed to extract starch for eating. Aboriginal peoples have traditionally processed the seeds for consumption, and the kernels, leaves, and nuts are edible portions.

Traditional Uses

CAUTION: The seeds are very poisonous. They cause liver damage. They have been processed and eaten by aboriginal people. The trunks have also been used to extract starch which was eaten.

Medicinal Uses

Used in medicine.

Known Hazards

The seeds are considered to be poisonous if eaten raw. We have no further specific information for this species, but most if not all members of this genus are believed to contain toxins. The two main toxic compounds that have been identified are cycasin and macrozamin. When ingested in sufficient quantities, these compounds are extremely poisonous to humans and many other animals, and have been shown to cause liver damage and cancer. Cycasin and macrozamin have a cumulative effect upon the body and are suspected of causing neurological disorders when ingested in small amounts over long periods of time. There is a long history of human use of this genus as a starch-rich food, but it should be noted that the plants needed to be treated in various ways in order to remove any toxic principles. Caution should be exercised even with properly prepared foods, since even then regular consumption may lead to severe health problems and death. Since many of these species are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, this is probably a food best left to times of food shortage when other, better foods, are not available.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It prefers light to medium well-drained soil. It needs a protected sunny position. They are drought tender and frost hardy to light frosts. They need a temperature above 13°C. Trunks can resist fire and will regrow new leaves. It cannot tolerate bad drainage or deep shade. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Australia*, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. Seed are slow to germinate. They can be transplanted. If large plants are transplanted they take a year or more to re-establish.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in containers as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water prior to sowing. The seed should be sown 2cm deep in individual pots, which are then sealed in plastic bags to keep them moist until germination takes place. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 25°c. Division of suckers.

Other Uses

A starch obtained from the stems can be used as a laundry starch, to make adhesives etc.

Production

Plants grow slowly.

Notes

There are about 20-40 Cycas species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Baveu, Mayi badil

References (28)

• Anon., 2003, Native Plants for the Fitzroy basin. Society for Growing Australian Plants Inc. (Rockhampton Branch)
• Beck, W., 1992, Aboriginal Preparation of Cycas Seeds in Australia. Economic Botany, Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 133-147
• Blomberry, A.M., 1979, Australian Native Plants. Angus and Robertson p 110
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 311
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 326

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