Cycas pectinata

Scientific name: Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham.

Family: Cycadaceae

Synonym: Cycas dilatata Griff.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Cycas.

Tribal name: Monirajphul gach (Chakma); Moidya safai, Mraug bra saphen (Marma); Bardhoman gach (Tanchangya).

English name: Cycad palm.

Description of the plant: An evergreen palm-like tree, up to 3.5 m tall, often forked. Leaves up to 2 m long, recurved, petioles about 50 cm long with a few small distant spines, leaflets linear, ending in minute spines, margin entire, and dark green. Megasporophylls densely tawny silky.

Plant parts used: Leaf.

Ethnomedicinal uses: A fresh juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is mixed with little amount of water and it is taken three times a day (20 ml amount each time) for the treatment of asthma.

A paste is made with the leaves of the plant is applied on the navel region once a day for three days to treat irregular menstruation.

The juice is extracted from the leaves of the plant is given for the treatment of painful micturation.

Paste prepared from the leaves of the plant is applied on the biting place twice a day for three days to treat poisonous insect stings.

The plant is used for the treatment of breast tumour, diarrhoea, hyperacidity, dysmenorrhoea, and stomachache.

Distribution: The species rarely occurs in the districts of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts and aslo rarely in the Sal forests of north Mymensingh.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….