Cycad - a protected species

South Africa is one of the world centres for cycad diversity. With 39 species of cycad, it ranks third, behind Australia and Mexico, for the countries with the highest numbers of cycads. Two species from southern Africa are extinct in the wild and all but one of the remaining South African cycads are believed to be threatened with extinction. Cycads are therefore one of the most threatened groups of plants in South Africa. They are also well known to gardeners and are an ideal flagship group to highlight the problems facing plants in South Africa. This shows the growth of the fruit/flower.