Plant Cycad
Additional images
This is a cross-section through a cycad, showing the complex growth structures within. Like ferns, cycads sprouted fronds from the side of an upright but squat trunk.
We have retained the name ‘cycad’ here because it is so popular and commonly used but strictly speaking they belong to a group known as the ‘Bennettitales’, which are a parallel branch to the cycads. Cycads and Bennettitales belong to the Gymnosperms which also includes conifer trees and the Ginkgo tree, which is another ‘classic’ living fossil that can be found in parks and gardens across the UK today.
Find out more on the wood and plants page.