Cycas sphaerica

Cycas sphaerica Roxb., Fl. Ind. ed. 1832 3: 747 1832. (Syn: Cycas circinalis var. orixensis Haines);
 

Cycas sphaerica 271011PD Flora of Orissa: sharing picture of another fruit plant Cycas sphaerica which i have taken from Ranpur. The ripen fruits are completely boiled in water and then sun dried for two days. The fruits (with out coat) then grinned and made in to power. Stored in cool places and a cake is prepared from it just like steam cakes which is very very testy. Now a days the plan is under threat of extinction as the frond is been smuggled illegally by the local people instrumented by the traders. It is reported that the trunk is sold per Rs.1000/-. Hence the tree is completely up rooted in most parts of Nayagarh district of Orissa which support maximum population of this plant.

Place of Collection: Ranpur, Nayagarh
Habit: Tree
Habitat: Moist deciduous forests mixed with Peninsular Sal forest

Just a small technical point. These are not fruits rather ripened seeds. Gymnosperms don;t have fruits in the true sense, ovules and consequently seeds are naked.

How we can differenciate this species from Cycas circinalis

Yes they are seeds and in a hurry I wrote the same.

… Cycas circinalis is endemic to Western Ghats where as Cycas sphaerica only found in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (Eastern Ghats). Basically these two species are distinguished from each other with respect to their female cone.
I think there is not much difference in both the plants in terms of morphological characters. But one of the major differences is the megasporophyll teeth which is 4 mm in Cycas circinalis while it is at least 6 mm in Cycas sphaerica. However my plant (posted here) is having following characters

Stems arborescent, leaves bright green, 160-280 cm long. Petiole 45-60 cm long, glabrous, spine scent for 90% of length; Cataphylls narrowly triangular, soft, Seeds subglobose, 25 mm long; sarcotesta yellow; fibrous layer present; sclerotesta smooth.
Now we can compare with Cycas circinalis
… since you are in Centre for Medicinal Plant Research, i think you might be aware of ongoing threat to this threatened medicinal and wild edible plant in Eastern Ghats.
Another important use of this plant is the people consumed the leaves of this plant as green vegitables. So you can imagine how severely this plant is been harvested for different purposes.

 
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