What cycad is this?

[GDLWyverex]

Pic 2 shows NO radical decrease in size of leaflets as they near the caudex
pic 3 shows appreciable spines/thorns on the spine of the frawn
It appears as if the lower leaflets turn into spine/thorns near the caudex
I purchased it today, so can NOT tell you how it was grown ie: sun, green house etc
I was told that it is of Mexican Origin.

Richard

[5150cycad]

Are the leafs soft to the touch? Looks like it could be Cycas Thouarsii

[GDLWyverex]

The leaves feel like slightly fleshy palm fronds as opposed to stiff leaves like cycas revoluta.

Why c. thouarsii as opposed to c. armstrongii which was my first, though admittedly uninformed guess. I am certainly NOT a cycad expert and have only 5 other varieties, in geneus zamiaceae, in my collection. This is my first cycas, and I purchased it thinking it was a dioon.

[gyuseppe]

It could be Cycas Taitungensis?

[GDLWyverex]

I am more inclined towards 5150Cycad's suggestion as c. Taitungensis is endangered, therefore harder to acquire, ( I paid 700 Pesos - 30 Dollars for it) and more like c. revoluta in appearance than my plant.

I'll know for sure if the new growth is blue

Edited November 20, 2016 by GDLWyverex

[GDLWyverex]

I've taken another closer look at the plant and now tend towards Gyuseppe's evaluation. After closer inspection, the fronds have more in common with c. Taitungensis and I have noted that they are for sale in MX for more or less what I paid... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emperor-Sago-Cycas-taitungensis-Highland-Cycad-Palm-/230411192531

 

[Tracy]

10 hours ago, GDLWyverex said:

I've taken another closer look at the plant and now tend towards Gyuseppe's evaluation. After closer inspection, the fronds have more in common with c. Taitungensis

Take a closer look at the leaflets.  I have both C thouarsii and taitungensis growing.  The thouarsii will have a duller color on the leaflets while taitungensis will have the stiffer and glossier leaflets like a C revoluta.  All the cycads between the Aloes are thouarsii.  Sorry I don't have any recent photos of the taitungensis for camparison

[5150cycad]

I have both cycas revoluta and cycas taitungensis and I can't tell too much of a difference between the 2 other than what Tracy mentioned. I can add that the Taitungensis has a larger leaf span than the revoluta and also has an orange/reddish color on the caudex compared to the brown color on the revoluta. If the leaves are soft like a palm tree than chances are it is a thouarsii. You can brush up against a thouarsii without being poked or pricked by the leaves. If you brush up next to a revoluta or taitungensis, you will more than likely feel it and be poked or pricked. The leaves of both cycas revoluta and taitungensis are stiff, glossy and prickly. I will post pictures of my Cycas Taitungensis and Cycas Revoluta later tonight. I used to have a Cycas Thouarsii but got rid of it because it always got cold burn in winter and never looked good. One thing to note as well is that Cycas Thouarsii sometimes flush three times a year. My Cycas Taitungensis flushes or cones once a year, never more. 

[gyuseppe]

Today I looked my cycas thouarsii and cycas taitungensis,and your seems more  cycad taitungensis,provided that it is one of these two species , but it could also be some other species ?

[5150cycad]

Do you know if the plant was grown from seed?Looking at the diameter of the trunk, it makes me lean more towards thouarsii as they are known to have smaller diameter trunks when young than a taitungensis or revoluta. If this was a Taitungensis the trunk would be a lot fatter than it is, unless is was a pup off another plant. If the leaves are soft and can be handled easy without gloves, then it is more than likely a thouarsii. 

[GDLWyverex]

The leaves are much stiffer than the leaves of the palm dypsis lutescens  and much softer that c. revoluta, somewhere in between. Though it's leaves have much in common with c. revoluta, they don't stick me, though that may be, in great part, because the leaves are much longer than c. revoluta. Also, it's leaves are much flatter than c. revoluta. I have no idea how or where it was grown. I read that c. thouarsii throws a blue juvenile crown, while c. taitungensis throws a green juvenile crown. I may have to wait to see for certain, though I am leaning strongly towards c. taitungensis.

On another note, I am delighted to report that I noted this morning, while watering the roof jungle, that my e. latifrons is throwing yet another new crown, the second this year.

For anyone interested here is my rooftop jungle

http://selva.cabal.mx/index.php

 

Richard

[5150cycad]

For what it's worth, here is a picture of my Cycas Taitungensis. You might want to post this under tropical looking plants. You might get more responses. It clearly looks like thouarsii to me but I have been wrong before. If you get a chance, post a picture of your Latifrons. It is always nice seeing the new flushes on Latifrons. 

[GDLWyverex]

There isn't much to see at the moment as the new crown is just come into bud and will be atleast a month before it is photogenic. I have cut 2 photos from the movie tour of the roof top jungle at you tube that shows it shortly after throwing it's last crown earlier this year. The complete movie can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=L38qYHbnvmM

There is also a study of my plants in flower and seed at you tube that might interest you as it shows several of my palms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQ2Ob-LOIU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9owLRFnMpKM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZXPWxrY2zk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBq7WSjyhU

I'll take careful Photos of the E. Latifrons crowning for posting in a month or so

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2016 by GDLWyverex

[GDLWyverex]

I have moved over to the tropical plants section and posted more photos. Sorry for the off topic

[Tracy]

On 11/21/2016, 8:07:25, 5150cycad said:

I have both cycas revoluta and cycas taitungensis and I can't tell too much of a difference between the 2 other than what Tracy mentioned. I can add that the Taitungensis has a larger leaf span than the revoluta and also has an orange/reddish color on the caudex compared to the brown color on the revoluta. If the leaves are soft like a palm tree than chances are it is a thouarsii.

Agreed.  The photo posted of the plant in question doesn't have the correct color caudex to be taitungensis.  As 5150 observes above, your plant would have a very different appearing caudex if it were taitungensis, both with more of the deeper orange/red tone as well as a little fuzz.  I only hesitate in saying that it is thouarsii because I always have problems identifying the difference between thouarsii and circinalis when they are small.  Both have those softer and longer leaflets than revoluta or taitungensis.