This page is dedicated to cycad-related educational articles, information, and activities. First are some sample articles from the Cycad Newsletter. Next are "Cycad Focus" articles from various issues of the Cycad Newsletter. Below that are recent efforts by TCS to increase cycad educational awareness. Finally, several additional educational resources are provided at the bottom of the page.

Sample Cycad Newsletter Articles

• "Coffee, cycads' new best friend?" by Tom Broome
  (This article was originally published in the December 2007 issue)

• "CITES and Cycad Conservation / Seeds of Hope," by Dr. John Donaldson
  (This double article was originally published in the December 2004 Supplement. The first part is on CITES and cycad conservation, while the second explores whether or not trade in seeds might benefit cycad conservation.)

• "Questions & Answers about the Cycad Aulacaspis Scale Insect," by F. W. Howard & T. J. Weissling
  (This article was originally published in the December 1999 issue)

• "Another Day, Another Dioon," by Jeff Chemnick
  (This article was originally published in the September 1999 issue)

• "Never Throw Away a Cycad," by Tom Broome
  (This article was originally published in the September 1998 issue)

"Cycad Focus" Articles

One of the consistent components of the Cycad Newsletter has been the "Cycad Focus" column, in which a different species of cycad is highlighted in each issue. These columns typically feature taxonomical, horticultural, phenological, and other information on the respective 'target' species. TCS will be making these in-depth "Cycad Focus" articles available here in an effort to provide quality educational information on cycads to a broader audience.

• Ceratozamia hildae (June 2003 issue)

Educational Membership Brochure

We have created a new educational membership brochure that is available for members to give out at events. Click here to view the entire brochure. And feel free to contact our Membership Director, Craig Nazor (membership@cycad.org), to request copies of the brochure to hand out.

Other Educational Efforts

University Science Curriculum

In 2008, TCS contributed a photo to the new "Science 4 Curriculum" developed by Bob Jones University. Click here to view the page containing the photo. (2.5 Mb)

Cycad Book Donations

Also in 2008, TCS donated copies of Loran Whitelock's The Cycads to the following libraries and institutions. The criteria used to decide where to donate the books were simple: (1) is regularly visited by students and/or professionals interested in cycads, (2) does not already have a copy, and (3) expressed an interest in obtaining a copy.

• University Library, University of Texas - Pan American, Edinburg, TX, USA

• Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, GA, USA

• SERBO, A.C., Oaxaca, Mexico

• Departamento de Botanica, Universidad de Panama, Panama City, Panama

Glossary of Cycad Terms

In 2009, TCS developed an expanded glossary of more than 1,200 cycad terms (using the Glossary of Terms Encountered in Cycad Systematics provided in Walters & Osborne [2004] as a foundation) as well as a fully illustrated glossary of more than 500 of these terms using cycad-specific examples. Click here for more information.

Etymological Compendium of Cycad Names

Also in 2009, TCS compiled a list of the etymologies (= meanings) of all currently accepted cycad names. Click here to view this etymological compendium.
.

Additional Educational Resources

World List of Cycads

• Hill, K. D., D. W. Stevenson & R. Osborne. 2007. The world list of cycads. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Cycad Biology (CYCAD 2005), Xalapa, Mexico, January 2005. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 97: 454-483.

• Haynes, J. L. 2008. Historical Review of the World List of Cycads. The Cycad Society. 35 pp. (2.5 Mb)

Vernacular (Common) Names of Cycads

• Bonta, M. & R. Osborne. 2007. Cycads in the vernacular: A compendium of local names. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Cycad Biology, Xalapa, Mexico, January 2005. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 97: 143-175.

Taxonomic Key Posters

• Gregory, T., J. Haynes & J. Chemnick. 2005. Key to the Species of Dioon. Poster presented at the 7th International Conference on Cycad Biology (CYCAD 2005), Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.

• Chemnick, J., T. Gregory, J. Haynes, M.A. Perez-Farrera & L. Whitelock. 2008. Key to the Species of Ceratozamia. Poster presented at the 8th International Conference on Cycad Biology (CYCAD 2008), Panama City, Panama.

Cycad/Insect Pollination

• Terry, I., G.H. Walter, C. Moore, R. Roemer & C. Hull. 2007. Odor-mediated push-pull pollination in cycads. Science 318:70.

• Thompson, A. 2007. Plants use smelly trick to attract pollinating bugs. LiveScience.com.

Plants in Habitat

• This link contains a video (in Spanish) of a visit to Microcycas calocoma in habitat in Cuba.