Cycas - Structure, Reproduction and Life Cycle.

PPT Presentation for B.Sc.
I- CYCAS: Structure, Reproduction and Life cycle

Distribution and Occurence
 It includes 20 species.
 Occurs wild or cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
 South of Eastern Hemisphere • e.g. S. Japan, India, China, N. Australia, E. Coasts of Africa, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Mauritius,
Nepal, etc.
 It is evergreen plant in India represented with 6 species- Cycas revoluta, C. pectinata, C. siamensis, C. beddomei, C. rumphi and C.
Circinali.
 The plants grow in xerophytic conditions.
 It is cultivated as ornamental plant in the garden.
 Cycas is called a living fossil.
Cycas revoluta (sago palm) Cycas rumphi (false sago) Cycas circinalis (queen sago)
Cycas siamensis Cycas pectinata Cycas beddomei

Morphology
 Sporophyte is dioecious i.e. male and female plants are separate.
 Plant body is differentiated into roots, stem and leaves.
Roots
• Roots are of two types – normal root

Stem and coralloid roots.
• Root hairs and rot cap are absent.
Root • Normal roots helps in absorption and
anchorage.
• Coralloid roots helps in nitrogen
fixation.
 Stem is erect, columnar, woody and unbranched, covered with alternate whorls of
leaf bases of foliage and scaly leaves.
Foliage or assimilatory leaves

(1-3 mm, green, pinnately compund, photosynthetic
Leaves are dimorphic – in nature)
Scaly leaves or cataphylls

(small, dry, brown, triangular leaves covered with ramenta,
photosynthetic in nature, protect the stem apex)
Cycas leaf
Internal structure
T. S of coralloid roots
1. It is circular in outline and the T. S of stem
outermost layer is epiblema. But at
maturity cork as well as cork
cam-bium develops. Root hairs are
normally absent. 1. Epidermis forms the outermost
2. Cortex is parenchymatous and layer, followed by large cortex T. S of leaflet
divisible into outer cortex and containing numerous mucilaginous 1. Presence of cutinized epidermis in upper and
inner cortex having a middle algal ducts and leaf traces. lower region indicate xerophytic character.
zone. 2. Vascular bundle is open, collateral 2. Mesophyll is differentiated into upper palisade
4. Vascular bundles are rare. and endarch. layer and lower spongy layer.
Xylem is triarch and exarch. 3. Vascular bundles lie in a ring 3. In between these layers, transfusion tissue is
separated by medullary rays. present. They play role in lateral conduction.
3. Seconadary growth is very rare 4. Secondary growth takes place in 4. Vascular bundle are surrounded by pericycle
and absent. old stems. and endodermis.
Reproduction in Cycas
Sexual Vegetative
Strictly dioecious plant
* Female cone is absent in Cycas
Male plant Female plant
Male cone – borne singly at the apex of trunk Megasporophyll –resemble foliage leaf
(reproductive organ) (reproductive organ)
Bulbil
10-23 cm long
New plant
A. Adaxial surface view of microsporophyll B. T.S of microsporophyll of Cycas

Microsporogenesis (Development of microspore / pollen grains)
Development of sporangia is eusporangiate type.

Microsporangia is multilayered structured layer with a thickened epidermis and a ill-
defined tapetum enclosing numerous microspore (pollen) mother cells.
The microspore undergoes meitic division to form four microspores or pollen
grains.
Each pollen grain represents as the male gametophyte which is bounded by two
concen-tric wall layers; the outer thick exine and the inner thin intine. In side the
layer, there is larger antheridial initial and smaller prothalial cell.
This pollen during germination, the prothalial cell does not divide but antheridial
initial divide to form antheridial cell and tube cell.
 The pollen grains are released further from the microsporangium at 3-celled stage
(prothalial cell, antheridial cell and tube cell).
Exine Antheridial initial

Intine
Prothalial cell 1
Tube cell 3
1
Antheridial cell 2
Prothalial cell
2 3
Matured gametophyte
Antheridial initial
Released from
sprorangium and
set on ovule
through wind for
Ready for pollination
pollination
Megasporogenesis (Development of megaspore)
Pinnate lamina
Ovule
Stalk
Structure of Megasporophyll Degenerate
Develops into
matured Archegonia
Matured gametophyte (Endosperm)

Pollination and Fertilization
Prothalial cell
Tube cell Moved to pollen chamber of ovule
through air and transformed into
body cell, stalk cell and two
Antheridial cell sperms.
Wind pollination
Matured gametophyte
Male gamete of
Cycas
FERTILIZATION
Numerous divisions
EMBRYO ZYGOTE
NEW SPOROPHYTIC CYCAS PLANT
SEED
Alternation of generation in Cycas
Economic importance of Cycas
 Cycas is used as a source of food in Japan, Australia, South East Asia, southern and eastern parts of India
and some other countries. It is used in the preparation of starch and alcoholic drinks. The starch, extracted
from its stem, is called ‘sago’.
 The juice obtained from young leaves of Cycas circinalis is used in skin diseases, vomiting of blood and
stomach disorders.
 The decoction of young red seeds of C. circinalis is used as a purgative and emetic.
 To relieve the headache, giddiness and sore throat, the seeds of Cycas revoluta are prepared in the form of a
tincture and used.
 In Japan, seeds and stem of Cycas revoluta are used for preparing wine.
 Cycas revoluta and C. circinalis plants are grown for ornamental purposes in various parts of the world.
 The wood of Cycas revoluta is used for preparing small boxes and dishes.
 Cycas leaves, being very large, are used for preparing baskets, mats, etc.
 Cycas circinalis seeds are used in Democratic Kampuchea as a fish-poison.

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PPT Presentation for B.Sc.

I- CYCAS: Structure, Reproduction and Life cycle

Cycas siamensis Cycas pectinata Cycas beddomei

 Plant body is differentiated into roots, stem and leaves.

• Roots are of two types – normal root

Foliage or assimilatory leaves

Scaly leaves or cataphylls

A. Adaxial surface view of microsporophyll B. T.S of microsporophyll of Cycas

Development of sporangia is eusporangiate type.

Exine Antheridial initial

Structure of Megasporophyll Degenerate

Matured gametophyte (Endosperm)

NEW SPOROPHYTIC CYCAS PLANT

 Cycas circinalis seeds are used in Democratic Kampuchea as a fish-poison.

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