Cycas panzhihuaensis... what is it really?

[Geoff]

I have grown this species of cycad for over 10 years... it is one of the best Cycas species for southern California- super cold hardy and green and dependable... just noticed that Kew (the plant list) has meshed this species with Cycas siamensis. I have been to Thailand and seen this species growing natively there... impressive, very silver-leaved, remarkable cycads growing all over a cliff not too far from Nong Nooch (at least we got there and back in a day on the bus). And for those who have tried to grow Cycas siamensis in California, you know this species is nearly impossible to keep alive here (super cold sensitive). Not to mention these two are two of the most dissimilar looking Cycas species there are. So whatever we are growing as Cycas panzhihuaensis in California is, it certainly as heck is NOT Cycas seemanii... so what's going on??

First 4 pics are of Cycas panzhihuaensis (as I know it) and last 4 are of Cycas siamensis in Thailand.

[cycadjungle]

I don't know what Kew has to say on this, but there is no way panz. Should be confused with, or lumped with siamensis. I know some people lump species, but the two are way too different to lump. Tom

[virtualpalm]

This has to be a mistake. I am looking into it.

[virtualpalm]

Geoff, I received the following note from Michael Calonje, one of the keepers of the World List of Cycads:

"Hi Jody,

I think I figured out the mess.

See the attached De Laubenfels & Adema Cycas revision.... [Jody's comment: This paper was loaded with problems and inaccuracies.]

They listed C. immersa as an accepted species and listed both C. baguanheensis and C. panzhihuaensis as synonyms.

I think this is how these got into the plant list system, and since they also have C. immersa listed as a synonym of C. siamensis (as does the WL), then these two names ended up subsumed as synonyms of C. siamensis.

The Plant List creates their classification based on published papers, and if the source information is inaccurate, this can sometimes result in issues such as these.

regards,

Michael"

[Geoff]

So, they going to correct it? (PS I meant to say Cycas siamensis, not seemanii in my last sentence above)

[virtualpalm]

I don't know. That list really doesn't mean anything to the cycad scientific community. The World List of Cycads is the source.

[Geoff]

Oh... so does that mean Cycas guizhouensis is not C szechuaensis, either? Or is there C ophiolytica or is just C angulata?

[virtualpalm]

I don't know for sure without checking the World List. Here is the link: http://www.cycadlist.org/