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Introduction: Geographic distribution of cycads
The Munich Botanic Garden’s cycad collection is unique in Europe in the size and age of its specimens. Some of our cycads are from the former Botanic Garden created 200 years ago near the present central railway station.
Cycads are an ancient group of plants: the oldest cycad fossils are more than
250 million years old. But „ancient“ doesn’t mean „primitive“; cycads have adapted
perfectly to their present-day habitats.
Cycads are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical zones, though most of the
individual species show very limited distributions. The highest diversity of cycads
is found in southern Africa, Australia, and especially Central America.
Dry regions are the preferred habitat of cycads, but some species have adapted to
humid tropical forests. One epiphytic species lives in the forest canopy, while
another is found on the coast of Madagascar and uses the ocean currents to spread
its seeds. Some cycads can survive in colder climates, like certain species of
Encephalartos that will tolerate short periods of frost or snow.
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Introduction: Geographic distribution of cycads (MP3, 498 KB)
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