Sago Palm (Scientific Name: Cycas Revoluta)
Sago Palm
Description
Type~ Cycadophyta.
Leaves~ The leaves are deep green, usually between 50-150 cm long.
Bark~ The trunk is very short, and covered in small barbs that are poisonous to humans.
Habitat~ The Sago Palm is indigenous to southern Japan but thrives in most climates around the world.
Co-exists~ The Sago Palm coexists with many other bonsai trees.
Reproduction~ The Sago Palm reproduces by pollination.
Enthnobotany
Sago Palm leaves have long been used in the treatment of hepatoma and several minor cancers. It is mainly used by the Japanese since it is rarely found elsewhere but South Japan. They also cook and eat the trunk of the plant, however part of it is poisonous, so they must take care when preparing it.
When the trunk is cooked properly, it is a useful astrinent, which causes the skin to tighten, much like aftershave. If used too much, it is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration.
The seeds are emmenagogues, which help stimulate blood flow to the pelvic region, which can help menstruating women, as well as preventing pregnancy. The seeds also help to stop the growth of dangerous tumors. (L.)
Current Research
The Sago Palm is currently being researched by scientists in Japan as well as the Sago Palm Society as a useful tree in helping underdeveloped areas. The tree provides many resources, such as food, a natural sweetener, and even ethol-alcohol. (Yang, Wan, 2013)
The plant is being utilized in it’s indigenous area of southeast asia as a stable food sourch for starving communities, such as in Indonesia. The starch found in the plant is used in the production of noodles, bread, and animal feed. (Destinugrainy, 2009)
Creative Writing
The year is 2345 and Earth has been completely wiped out of all of its fossil fuels. Around the year 2200, the last gallons of gas were sold for $135 per gallon and the human race officially ran out of a fuel source.
Mankind did the only sensible thing we could do and turned to nature for the answer after numerous scientific concepts have been tried and failed. We found that by harvesting trees like the Sago Palm and crops like corn and rice, we could create a flammable alcohol to run in engines similar to gasoline combustion driven engines. Gas prices have gone drastically down since this discovery and people can sometimes even make their own ethanol alcohol out of plants and trees they grow themselves.
Description
Type~ Cycadophyta.
Leaves~ The leaves are deep green, usually between 50-150 cm long.
Bark~ The trunk is very short, and covered in small barbs that are poisonous to humans.
Habitat~ The Sago Palm is indigenous to southern Japan but thrives in most climates around the world.
Co-exists~ The Sago Palm coexists with many other bonsai trees.
Reproduction~ The Sago Palm reproduces by pollination.
Enthnobotany
Sago Palm leaves have long been used in the treatment of hepatoma and several minor cancers. It is mainly used by the Japanese since it is rarely found elsewhere but South Japan. They also cook and eat the trunk of the plant, however part of it is poisonous, so they must take care when preparing it.
When the trunk is cooked properly, it is a useful astrinent, which causes the skin to tighten, much like aftershave. If used too much, it is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration.
The seeds are emmenagogues, which help stimulate blood flow to the pelvic region, which can help menstruating women, as well as preventing pregnancy. The seeds also help to stop the growth of dangerous tumors. (L.)
Current Research
The Sago Palm is currently being researched by scientists in Japan as well as the Sago Palm Society as a useful tree in helping underdeveloped areas. The tree provides many resources, such as food, a natural sweetener, and even ethol-alcohol. (Yang, Wan, 2013)
The plant is being utilized in it’s indigenous area of southeast asia as a stable food sourch for starving communities, such as in Indonesia. The starch found in the plant is used in the production of noodles, bread, and animal feed. (Destinugrainy, 2009)
Creative Writing
The year is 2345 and Earth has been completely wiped out of all of its fossil fuels. Around the year 2200, the last gallons of gas were sold for $135 per gallon and the human race officially ran out of a fuel source.
Mankind did the only sensible thing we could do and turned to nature for the answer after numerous scientific concepts have been tried and failed. We found that by harvesting trees like the Sago Palm and crops like corn and rice, we could create a flammable alcohol to run in engines similar to gasoline combustion driven engines. Gas prices have gone drastically down since this discovery and people can sometimes even make their own ethanol alcohol out of plants and trees they grow themselves.
Works Cited
Davies, J. (1999). St. john's wort: Hypericum perforatum in a nutshell. Element. Retrieved from http://www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk/books/online-books/in-a-nutshell-st-john-s-wort-hypericum-perforatum
Gilani, N. (2009). Uses for a sweet gum tree. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/uses-sweet-gum-tree-44350.html
L. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cycas circinalis
Yang, X., Barton, H. J., Wan, Z., Li, Q., Ma, Z., Li, M., & ... Wei, J. (2013). Sago-Type Palms Were an Important Plant Food Prior to Rice in Southern Subtropical China. Plos ONE,8(5), 1-8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063148
Destinugrainy, P. (2009, April). Clonal propagation of sago palm ( metroxylon sagu rottb.)through tissue culture. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/2404197/Clonal_propagation_of_sago_palm_through_tissue_culture
Davies, J. (1999). St. john's wort: Hypericum perforatum in a nutshell. Element. Retrieved from http://www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk/books/online-books/in-a-nutshell-st-john-s-wort-hypericum-perforatum
Gilani, N. (2009). Uses for a sweet gum tree. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/uses-sweet-gum-tree-44350.html
L. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cycas circinalis
Yang, X., Barton, H. J., Wan, Z., Li, Q., Ma, Z., Li, M., & ... Wei, J. (2013). Sago-Type Palms Were an Important Plant Food Prior to Rice in Southern Subtropical China. Plos ONE,8(5), 1-8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063148
Destinugrainy, P. (2009, April). Clonal propagation of sago palm ( metroxylon sagu rottb.)through tissue culture. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/2404197/Clonal_propagation_of_sago_palm_through_tissue_culture