Cycas pectinata

Cycas pectinata is a large cycad species belonging to one of the world's most ancient plant families. This slow-growing gymnosperm can reach heights of 8-12 meters, featuring a thick, unbranched trunk crowned with distinctive feather-like compound leaves that can extend up to 2.5 meters in length. The species is dioecious, with separate male and female plants producing large reproductive cones.

As a primitive seed plant, C. pectinata plays an important ecological role in its native ecosystems, with its seeds serving as food sources for various wildlife species.

The species occurs across South and Southeast Asia, ranging from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, extending into southern China and Bangladesh. It typically inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, often growing on rocky slopes and hillsides at elevations up to 1,500 meters.

Cycas pectinata faces multiple threats contributing to its Vulnerable status and declining population trend. Agricultural expansion, particularly shifting cultivation practices and establishment of crop plantations, destroys its forest habitat. The species is also heavily exploited for its ornamental value, with plants harvested from wild populations for horticultural trade. Additionally, various plant parts are collected for traditional medicinal uses.

Conservation efforts include legal protection in several range countries and cultivation in botanical gardens for ex-situ conservation. However, enforcement of protective measures remains challenging across its extensive range. The species' extremely slow growth rate and reproductive maturity—often taking decades—makes population recovery particularly difficult, suggesting continued decline without enhanced protection measures.