cycad

Other forms: cycads

Definitions of cycad

1. noun

   any tropical gymnosperm of the order Cycadales; having unbranched stems with a crown of fernlike leaves
   types:

   Cycas revoluta, sago palm

   dwarf palmlike cycad of Japan that yields sago

   zamia

   any of various cycads of the genus Zamia; among the smallest and most verdant cycads

   ceratozamia

   a small cycad of the genus Ceratozamia having a short scaly woody trunk and fernlike foliage and woody cones; Mexico

   dioon

   any cycad of the genus Dioon; handsome palmlike cycads with robust crowns of leaves and rugged trunks

   encephalartos

   any of numerous cycads of the genus Encephalartos having stout cylindrical trunks and a terminal crown of long often spiny pinnate leaves

   Encephalartos caffer, kaffir bread

   South African cycad; the farinaceous pith of the fruit used as food

   macrozamia

   any treelike cycad of the genus Macrozamia having erect trunks and pinnate leaves and large cones with sometimes edible nuts; Australia

   Macrozamia communis, Macrozamia spiralis, burrawong

   large attractive palmlike evergreen cycad of New South Wales

   Cycas circinalis, false sago, fern palm

   southeastern Indian cycad with palmlike foliage

   Florida arrowroot, Seminole bread, Zamia pumila, coontie

   small tough woody zamia of Florida and West Indies and Cuba; roots and half-buried stems yield an arrowroot

   type of:

   gymnosperm

   plants of the class Gymnospermae having seeds not enclosed in an ovary