Cycad sp.

Description:

This is a more or less 80 cm cycad. It is sort of similar to the one I saw in Florianópolis, Brazil (http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/171...) although its crown has some variations. This one has some similarities iwth the cycas revoluta too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycas_revol... The cycas can be identified by its large crown in the surrounded by leaf yet leafless center. Cycas existed during dinosaur times and some of them are in vulnerable condition now. After spotting Brazil´s one I have seen several in Montevideo city mainly used for decoration purposes in gardens. As myself before told in PN, most poeople think they are palm trees.

Habitat:

Wikipedias cycad distribution map (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cycads... ) does not point out the two places where I have seen cycads: Southern Brazil and Uruguay.