Common Name: Queen Sago
Vernacular Name: ഈന്ത്
Systematic position:
Class- Cycadopsida
Subclass- Cycadidae
Order- Cycadales
Family- Cycadaceae
Genus- Cycas
Species- C. circinalis
Description: Cycas circinalis, also known as the queen sago, is a species of cycad known in the wild only from southern India. Cycas circinalis is the only gymnosperm species found among native Sri Lankan flora. The feathery leaves of this species arranged in a rosette pattern add a sense of the tropics to the landscape. The leaves are bright green, semiglossy, 150-250 cm long, flat (not keeled) in section (opposing leaflets inserted at 180° on rachis), with 170 leaflets, tomentum shedding as leaf expands.
Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year.
Economic Importance: Cycas circinalis seeds and young leaves are harvested for food and medicine. The mature leaves are harvested for local rituals and for the floriculture industry, and the stems (piths) and male cones are extracted for medicine.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycas_circinalis