Cycads - of the Rainforests and Jungles of the World

Cycad Palms, from an Ancient Line of Plants Found in Fossils

If you want to imagine Jurassic Park, you'd have to include members of the cycad family of plants as some of the predominant greenery around which the prehistoric critters roamed. *Whew!*

I saw my first live cycads when my family moved from New Mexico to the tropical, western Pacific island of Guam. The cycad palms (Cycas circinalis) grow wild in the limestone forests and mountainous ravines of Guam. Previously, I may have seen cycad fossils in the sandstone mesas and plateaus of southern New Mexico. But at the time, I didn't realize the significance of what I was seeing. (Hey, when you are a 12-year-old Boy Scout more interested in chasing live lizards, fossils didn't quite have the same attraction!)

Our new home on Guam was perched at the edge of a limestone forest that sloped dramatically to a beach and a wide coral reef beyond. We would occasionally trek through the dense forest on the way to the beach--and we'd see small and large cycads mixed in with the other tropical foilage that included kapok trees, wild papayas, banyan trees, and sea beans.

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As we settled into island life, our family would frequently attend parties and fiestas in the various villages--and one of the featured items on the menu were "tortillas"... but not like the wheat flour or corn flour tortillas we were familiar with from New Mexico. These tortillas had a very dense texture... almost leathery. They were usually a golden tan and had a starchy and somewhat tart taste. We found out that they were made from the fruits/seeds of the cycad plants that were common on Guam. But before you run out to make your own (DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!), know that the fruits/seeds of cycad palms contain a deadly poison. The way the islanders prepared the fruits/seeds would be to soak the seeds in water for many, many days (unsure on how many days--obviously the more the better, eh?) and changing the water every day (probably more frequently the better, as well!). Then, after the fruits/seeds have been thoroughly washed and rinsed and dried, the fruits/seeds are ground to a fine flour, mixed with water, and fried on a flat, greased griddle. We came to learn about the extensive preparation process after we had gone to many fiestas and had eaten many of these island "delicacies". Perhaps my family and I were lucky--after experiencing New Mexico-style tortillas, we didn't find the taste or texture of the cycad tortillas appealing, so we usually didn't eat them.

It was only later, after we had left the island and returned to the mainland, that researchers discovered a connection between the cycad fruits and resulting flour and a type of induced multiple-sclerosis and major nerve damage. The flour and tortillas was only a part of the issue. Another aspect of the cycads was playing a major part in the ailment. And that was fruitbats! Fruitbats are also a delicacy on Guam. (Yup. They are edible... taste sort of like chicken, only kinda "gamey" *grin* --In fact, the most recent episode of "Survivor-Micronesia: Fans vs Favorites" on theRock Islands of Palau just had a feast with Fruitbats as the main course!) Unfortunately, the fruitbats like to eat the cycad fruit. The fruitbats don't seem to suffer any ill effect from eating the fruits, but the poison builds up in their fat and muscle tissue--thus becoming a reservoir of the deadly poison that attacks any human eating the bats.

After researchers made this discovery, the eating of cycad flour tortillas and also fruitbats has dwindled such that it no longer very common on the island.

Cycad Reading and Cycad Images... Get to Know These Plants!

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Cycads - Cycads Painting Collection, Fairchild Botanical Giclee Poster Print by Palm Images, 10x8

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Dioon spinulosum, cycad, Oil painting, Fairchild Tropical garden, Miami, Florida Giclee Poster Print by Palm Images, 20x24

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The palms and cycads of Thailand

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Cycads - Cycads Painting Collection, Fairchild Botanical Giclee Poster Print by Palm Images, 8x10

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Cycads as "Tropical Garden" Decorations

Decorative Plant with Distinctive Leaves (and other parts as well)

One of my fond memories of Guam is that of a restaurant--Kinny's--on one of the back roads of the island (the back road to Anderson Air Force Base), that used cycads as decorations--to hide the ceiling supports. The trees would be tied to the posts and their fronds would hang over the tables and chairs--lending an exotic tropical atmosphere to the already tropical restaurant.

Kinny's served the best onion rings on the island--in addition to well-prepared steaks, shrimp, and chicken dishes. But another fun memory was that occasionally a gecko would drop down onto our table (or worse, our plate!) and join our dinner party! The first time it happened, my Dad, Mom, sister, and I were shocked. But, after a while, we became used to the critters (because they even did this at our home), so we continued to enjoy eating under the cycad fronds for the rest of our time on the island.