Pitogo
Cycas circinalis subsp. riumuniana
Family: Cycadaceae
What it is like
A palm like tree. It has a stout stem. It grows 12 m high. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The leaves are divided into leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are up to 1.5 m long. The leaves are produced in a cluster at the top of the trunk. The leaflets are 20-30 cm long and 1 cm wide. The male cones are oval and cylinder shaped and 60 cm long. The female flowers are brown and rusty and have 4-6 ovules/ The fruit is oval and 3-5 cm long.
There are about 20-40 Cycas species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It is scattered throughout the Philippines often near the seashore.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The rolled young leaves are cooked and eaten. The ripe seeds are crushed and soaked in several changes of water to remove poisons. It is then dried. It is then cooked into small cakes. (NB drying often helps remove poison.)
Edible parts
Leaves, seeds, trunk starch
How it is grown
Plants can be grown by seeds. Often pollen has to be transferred from the male plant to the female ovules to get viable seeds.