Cycas cantafolia

Cycas cantafolia is a large cycad of the granite cliffs of Johor, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, where it grows only on a chain of hills at the foot of Gunung Ledang, the old Mount Ophir. This species of the genus Cycas was described only in 2010, although Gunung Ledang is one of the most thoroughly explored botanical sites in Malaysia. Its name, “singing leaf”, renders paku lagu, the name given to it by the Temuan, an indigenous people of the region, after the rustling of its leaves in the wind. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.

Key facts about Cycas cantafolia

  • Accepted name: Cycas cantafolia Jutta, K.L.Chew & Saw (2010), accepted by The World List of Cycads (version 2026.08.15); POWO could not be consulted directly
  • Former names and synonyms: none
  • Family: Cycadaceae, order Cycadales
  • Common names: none in English; paku lagu and paku mas in the Temuan language (Malaysia)
  • Natural range: Peninsular Malaysia, Johor: hills west of the southern end of the Gunung Ledang massif
  • IUCN status: Vulnerable (VU, criterion D2 according to The World List of Cycads), assessment by M. Jutta and A. Lindström (Red List version 2023-1), VU according to GBIF; the authors of the species proposed Critically Endangered in 2010
  • CITES and other protection: CITES Appendix II (listing of the whole family; seeds exempt under annotation #4); Annex B in the European Union
  • Documented hardiness: no data; a tropical species, to be kept frost-free (see Cold hardiness)
  • Light and soil: in the wild, sheer granite cliffs between 200 and 500 m, rooted in cracks in the bare rock
  • Habit and adult size: trunk often lying down, 5.5 m long or more, with a swollen base up to 64 cm across; leaves up to 200 cm long
  • In the UK, US and Australia: no record in any botanic garden
  • Toxicity: not studied for the species; treat it as poisonous, like all Cycas (see Toxicity and precautions)

How to recognise Cycas cantafolia

Its most striking features are the strongly swollen trunk base, the grey bark that becomes corky and deeply fissured, the large flat leaves and, on female plants, the fertile leaves pressed together into a closed dome at the top of the trunk. The original description by Jutta, Chew and Saw (2010) gives the following characters:

  • Trunk: often lying down, 5.5 m long or more; 25 cm across at its narrowest, with a bulbous base reaching 64 cm; distinct rings near the top; bark pale grey, becoming corky with deep polygonal fissures.
  • Leaves: 50 or more, dark green and semi-glossy above, paler beneath, up to 200 cm long, flat (opposite leaflets at 180°), with up to 330 leaflets; white hairs cover the young leaf and fall as it expands; petiole 45 to 50 cm, hairless, spiny along 60% of its length.
  • Leaflets: linear, straight or slightly curved, 220 to 275 mm by 8 mm, with slightly rolled margins and a pointed tip; midrib raised on both faces.
  • Cataphylls (the scales that protect the growing point): narrowly triangular, 88 to 112 mm, hairy, with a bristly tip.
  • Male cones: ovoid, golden yellow or orange, about 33 cm by 13 cm before shedding pollen; terminal spine of the microsporophylls soft and short (3 mm).
  • Megasporophylls (the fertile leaves of female plants): 18 to 22 cm long, with grey to pale brown felt, gathered into a low dome enclosing the bud; blade elliptic, 60 to 65 mm by 40 mm, shallowly comb-like, with 25 to 30 soft lateral spines 10 to 18 mm long and a terminal spine 36 to 50 mm long; 1 to 4 hairless ovules.
  • Seeds: almost round, flattened, 35 to 39 mm by 35 to 37 mm; fleshy coat yellow, without bloom, with a fibrous layer; inner shell smooth.

Hybrids

No natural or garden hybrid is documented in the sources consulted.

Possible confusion

In Peninsular Malaysia its closest relative is Cycas clivicola, which also has a closed female cone and unkeeled leaves. In the key of Jutta and colleagues (2010) the species separate as follows:

  • Cycas clivicola: megasporophylls deeply comb-like, with up to 54 lateral spines up to 40 mm long; midrib raised only beneath when dry; it grows only on limestone, whereas Cycas cantafolia grows only on granite.
  • Cycas litoralis, now a synonym of Cycas edentata (The World List of Cycads), and Cycas macrocarpa: the first grows by the sea, the second in ridge forest; both have open female cones.
  • Cycas tansachana and Cycas chamaoensis, from Thailand: also closed-coned, but with a rounded rather than oval megasporophyll blade; Cycas tansachana also has larger seeds.

Taxonomy

Cycas cantafolia is accepted by The World List of Cycads; POWO could not be consulted directly. M. Jutta, K. L. Chew and L. G. Saw described it in 2010 in “A new species of Cycas (Cycadaceae) from Peninsular Malaysia”, Blumea 55(3): 249–252. The type is a female plant collected on 10 January 2009 at Bukit Belading, in the Ledang district (Johor), by Jutta and Chew (FRI 59721); the holotype is in the herbarium of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, at Kepong (KEP). Specimens collected on the summit of the same hill in May 2009, on a granitic outcrop at about 240 m, are held at Kew and Leiden.

The authors place the species in section Indosinenses, which K. D. Hill (2008) defines by its firm male cones, hairless ovules, large comb-like megasporophyll blade and a fibrous layer in the fleshy coat of the seed. The name has not changed since the description.

Etymology and history

The epithet combines the Latin words canto, “song”, and folium, “leaf”. It translates the name paku lagu that the Temuan community gives the plant, inspired by the sound of its leaves moving in the wind (Jutta et al. 2010; Haynes 2022). The Temuan also call it paku mas, “golden cycad”, after the colour of the male cones.

The discovery came about by chance: the second author, K. L. Chew, noticed some Cycas grown in a local garden, which led to several wild populations on an isolated chain of granite hills at the foot of Gunung Ledang. The authors stress that such a large and conspicuous plant had escaped both botanists and collectors in one of the best-explored sites of the peninsula. It was also the first confirmed record of an inland Cycas in the state of Johor.

Common names

No English common name is attested. The only known names are in the Temuan language, given in the original description and repeated by the Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS): paku lagu and paku mas. The word paku also appears in the Malay names of other Cycas of the peninsula, such as paku laut for Cycas edentata and paku aji for Cycas clivicola (MyBIS), so on its own it does not identify the species.

In the wild

Cycas cantafolia is endemic to a chain of low hills west of the southern end of the Gunung Ledang massif, in Johor. According to Jutta and colleagues (2010), it is locally abundant there on sheer granite cliffs between 200 and 500 m, almost always rooted directly in cracks and crevices in the bare rock.

Pollination is by weevils, small beetles. The authors report that the weevils collected on male cones of Cycas cantafolia differ from those of the other Cycas of Peninsular Malaysia, a further argument for treating it as a distinct species.

Conservation status and regulation

Cycas cantafolia is listed as Vulnerable (VU) by the IUCN: The World List of Cycads gives criterion D2, which points to a very small population or range, and the IUCN data relayed by GBIF give the VU category for the assessment by M. Jutta and A. Lindström published in Red List version 2023-1 (reference checked on Crossref; consulted on 21 October 2026). The Red List itself could not be consulted. In 2010 the authors of the species had instead proposed Critically Endangered (CR A3c; B2ab(iii); C1): the whole area was then earmarked for quarrying, and they feared future collecting for the ornamental trade. They also noted that the species grows very slowly, reproduces irregularly, takes a long time to ripen its seeds and suffers heavy losses of seeds and seedlings. The present state of the quarry project is not documented.

Like every species in the genus except Cycas beddomei, Cycas cantafolia is listed in CITES Appendix II, through the listing of the family Cycadaceae, included since 4 February 1977. The listing carries annotation #4 (CoP20 version, in force since 5 March 2026): seeds, pollen, seedlings or tissue cultures obtained in vitro and transported in sterile containers, and cut flowers of artificially propagated plants, are not subject to CITES, whereas international trade in the plants themselves requires an export permit. Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States apply CITES through their own national legislation; in the European Union the species is in Annex B of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, whose annexes in force are set by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383, applicable since 29 June 2026. Species+, the official CITES database, names the species and confirms this status. This general information does not replace the official texts: check the rules in force before buying or exchanging plants, and ask for proof that the plant was raised in cultivation.

Growing Cycas cantafolia

In short: no growing data have been published, and the species is not recorded in any botanic garden in the UK, the US or Australia. Its discovery from plants grown in a local garden shows only that it is cultivated in its home region.

Outdoor and in-ground cultivation

Its natural setting gives the only clues available: granite crevices at low altitude in the south of the Malay Peninsula, a few degrees from the equator. This points to a plant for frost-free tropical gardens, in full light and a very free-draining, mineral soil that does not hold water around the roots. These are deductions from its habitat, not results of trials with the species.

Container cultivation

In the United Kingdom and other temperate regions, it would be a plant for a heated tropical glasshouse, in a deep pot of mineral substrate, given its size and equatorial origin. No account of pot culture has been found, and the Jardin zoologique tropical at La Londe-les-Maures, in the south of France, has published no observation on Cycas cantafolia.

In cultivation in the UK, US and Australia

No record. The species does not appear in BGCI PlantSearch (consulted in October 2026), nor in the online catalogues of Montgomery Botanical Center, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney or the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, nor in the garden lists of the UK consulted. No report from a private grower in these countries could be read; PalmTalk and Dave’s Garden could not be consulted.

Propagation

Like all Cycas, Cycas cantafolia is dioecious and is raised from seed: a male and a female plant are needed for fertile seed. No germination data specific to the species have been published. In the wild, the authors of the description report slow seed ripening and heavy losses of seeds and seedlings. Seeds are exempt from CITES under annotation #4; ask for seed from cultivated plants.

Pests and diseases

No pest or disease specific to the species is documented. Like all Cycas, it is exposed to the Asian cycad scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui, and to root rot in waterlogged substrate.

Cold hardiness

No cold-tolerance value exists for Cycas cantafolia: no measurement has been published and no outdoor growing report has been found outside its range. It grows below 500 m, a few degrees from the equator; nothing suggests that it can take frost.

European experience

No growing result has been published in Europe, in the open ground or in a pot. The species is not mentioned on the French forum Fous de palmiers or the Italian forum Tropicamente, and no European garden declares it in BGCI. In the absence of data, grow it under heated glass.

United Kingdom, United States and Australia

No cold reading and no growing report were found. Treat it as frost-tender; no USDA zone can be given without a documented trial.

Toxicity and precautions

No toxicity analysis specific to Cycas cantafolia has been found. The risk is, however, well documented in the genus: Cycas tissues, and the seeds above all, contain cycasin, which is converted during digestion into methylazoxymethanol, toxic to the liver and nervous system, along with a neurotoxic amino acid, BMAA. The ASPCA lists the sago palm (Cycas revoluta) as poisonous to dogs, cats and horses, with vomiting, sometimes bloody diarrhoea, jaundice and liver damage that can be fatal. Until proven otherwise, treat the plant as poisonous: wear gloves to handle the seeds and their fleshy coat, and keep plants and seeds out of reach of children and pets. If any part is swallowed, contact a poison centre, a doctor or a vet straight away.

Traditional uses

The sources consulted describe no traditional use of Cycas cantafolia. Only its Temuan names bear witness to its place in local culture.

Frequently asked questions

What does “cantafolia” mean?

“Singing leaf”. The Latin name translates the Temuan name paku lagu, which refers to the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

Where does Cycas cantafolia grow?

Only in Peninsular Malaysia, in Johor, on granite cliffs at the foot of Gunung Ledang (Mount Ophir), between 200 and 500 m.

How can it be told from Cycas clivicola?

By its rock and its megasporophylls. Cycas cantafolia grows on granite and has shallowly cut megasporophylls with 25 to 30 spines no longer than 18 mm; Cycas clivicola grows on limestone and carries up to 54 spines up to 40 mm long.

Why was it discovered so late?

Because nobody had noticed it before 2009, although Gunung Ledang is well explored. One of the authors traced the wild populations from plants grown in a local garden.

Is it endangered?

Yes. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, and in 2010 its authors considered it Critically Endangered because of a quarrying project.

Can it be grown outdoors in the UK?

No, almost certainly not. It comes from an equatorial lowland region and there is no evidence of cold tolerance; it needs a heated glasshouse.

Is it poisonous?

It must be assumed so. It has not been studied, but all parts of Cycas are poisonous, especially the seeds.

Further reading on Succulentes

Sources

Reference sites

Bibliography

  • Jutta, M., Chew, K.L. & Saw, L.G. (2010). A new species of Cycas (Cycadaceae) from Peninsular Malaysia. Blumea 55(3): 249–252. doi:10.3767/000651910X544438 [Original description: description, comparisons, key to the species of Peninsular Malaysia, habitat, conservation; full text consulted.]
  • Hill, K.D. (2008). The genus Cycas (Cycadaceae) in China. Telopea 12(1): 71–118. doi:10.7751/telopea20085804 [Definition of section Indosinenses; full text consulted.]
  • Jutta, M. (2012). Cycadaceae. In R. Kiew et al. (eds), Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, series II, vol. 3: 149–160. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong. [National flora; cited by MyBIS, not consulted.]
  • Jutta, M. & Lindström, A. (2023). Cycas cantafolia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T66901446A66901459. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T66901446A66901459.en [Current assessment; reference checked on Crossref, VU category relayed by GBIF; page not consulted (access blocked).]
  • Haynes, J.L. (2022). Etymological compendium of cycad names. Phytotaxa 550(1): 1–31. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.550.1.1 [Etymology of the epithet; cited by The World List of Cycads, text not consulted.]
  • Calonje, M., Stevenson, D.W. & Osborne, R. (2026). The World List of Cycads, version 2026.08.15. Montgomery Botanical Center, Coral Gables. doi:10.5281/zenodo.21958524 [Reference checklist: accepted name, original publication, type, range, synonyms, IUCN status; consulted directly.]